August 19, 2006

Life on the Spot Gallery!

I've been tinkering with another open-source software on the loose on the Internet for the past week and I'm already satisfied at the current look-and-feel of the Life on the Spot Gallery. I was supposed to name it "Of Light and Sight" but just made it "Life on the Spot Gallery" to connect it to our blog and our domain name. It's still not complete and on "beta" stage at the moment but you can already view it and tell us what you think. We'll be updating it with new albums as soon as we can especially that it takes a lot of time adding summaries, descriptions, titles, etc. I already created a batch action in Adobe Photoshop to resize, do some Image Levels, Saturation and other stuff to make things easier. I don't need to create thumbnails for the galleries since it's already done automatically by the Gallery itself. Cool right?

Anyway, enjoy viewing the Life on the Spot Gallery! At the moment, you can rate the photos and I might try to implement  commenting in the future.


August 16, 2006

Life and Leisure in Doha, Qatar: The FAQ Series 1

Here are some questions emailed by a fellow Filipino who intends to work/move to Doha. This would be a first in a series of questions and answers that we receive from people reading our blog. Most of them are inquiries about living in Doha, moving to Doha and other stuff related to Qatar. Although you might get more answers from different people from other forums, we try to be more perosnal in terms of how we answer your questions. So here goes Life and Leisure in Doha, Qatar: The FAQ Series 1

Question 1: To assess your overall stay in Qatar, can you imagine your family coming back to the Philippines permanently in the future?  Or my question in tagalog should be "mas maganda bang mamuhay sa kabuuan dyan sa Qatar o sa Pilipinas?"
Qatar is not like Canada, Australia or New Zealand where most people migrate and try to live their lives on those countries. First, you can’t get an immigrant status nor citizenship unless you get married to a Qatari probably or you have lots of money (you can buy property for QR500,000 I think) that you can afford to invest and get a 99 year tenure for yourself. Since you can’t be a citizen, that also means you don’t get the benefits of being a citizen in such country. If you’re thinking of migrating, the Middle East is not for you. Although I know a lot of people who have spent more than 20 years in the Middle East, I’m not too sure how many have made the Middle East their home after Philippines.

So to answer your question directly, of course, I do intend to go back to the Philippines. Or if not in the Philippines, I can probably apply as an immigrant to Canada, Australia, New Zealand or wherever I deem is more suitable. I think most of us working in the Middle East use it as a jumping point to another place or for us to be able to save money for our families but not necessarily stay here for the rest of our lives. That is not to say that living here is not better than living in the Philippines. It depends on a lot of factors;

  • Are you getting much more money than what you are getting back home?
  • Are you able to save money with your salary and expenses?
  • Have you been able to make friends and get a support system for you especially that you don’t have your relatives here?
  • Are you able to send your children to good schools?

Again, even if the answer to all of these questions is a YES, I don’t see Qatar as a place to spend your whole life with.
 

Question 2: Are there lots of Pinoy in Qatar?
Yup. You’ll be surprised how many we are here. It might not like be Khobar, Saudi Arabia wherein you really feel like you’re in the Philippines with like hundreds or thousands walking and just hanging out in the city center but I’m sure you won’t feel that you’re the only Filipino here.

Question 3:  Is Qatar a normal place to live in?
As normal as it can get. Again, this is not like Saudi Arabia. It is a very open country. You can practice your religion openly by going to mass (although there is no real Church building to speak of at the moment – they usually hold masses at schools). You can have wine and alcoholic drinks at home (if you get a license) or at hotels. There are some differences in culture, on what is allowed and what is not. For one, Pork is not allowed here. You’re also restrained to show public display of affection even if you’re with your wife/husband but not in a sense that you can’t hold hands or so. In terms of clothing, I don’t really see people frowning when women wear short skirts or tight shirts. You can’t avoid cultural differences anywhere you go and even laws from one country differ from another. You just have to understand where you are and respect where you are. If you can’t live with their culture, law and the like, you can always go back to where you’re comfortable at right?

 

more in the coming days... 

August 14, 2006

Jobs in Qatar (part1)

Before, Saudi Arabia was the place to be when looking for a job outside of your country. With projects left and right, Saudi Arabia needed people to make desert sand into infrastructure. When people say Middle East, a lot would say Saudi Arabia was the Middle East. No mention of Dubai, Qatar, Oman or the other GCC countries. In the Philippines, men would line up to recruiting agencies hoping to get that plane ticket to the Land of Oil. And probably that was the same for other Westerners as I’ve worked with a lot whose age is much like my dad’s. That was the 1980’s.

We’ve also seen the influx of people to Dubai when its industries started booming. Everybody had their sites on Dubai as they saw the amount of manpower needed to fill the new commercial hub in the Middle East. Dubai became the next destination when it came to Job hunting.

Now, Qatar probably has the most number of newly hired expats arriving at its airport daily. Looking at message boards, forums and personal emails, certainly, more and more people are getting interested into coming here. Not just that. I know a lot of people who came from Saudi (technically I was coming from Bahrain and not Saudi having worked 4-5 months there before I came here) and even trying to recruit their colleagues to join the Qatar workforce. There are a lot of vacancies for Information Technology jobs, Oil and Gas jobs, Hotel and Management, Human Resources, Engineering and more. So if you’re one of those interested, here are some links to help you on your way to getting a job in Qatar. The links open directly to their Job/Career pages so you may want to bookmark this specific entry. Remember that even those in though I’m categorizing them into industries, job positions are not limited to that specific category as an Oil & Gas company would also need people to fill vacancies in HR or in Medical. Make sure you don’t skip any of them. I’ll be posting more company websites and career pages in a couple of days…


Oil and Gas
Qatar Petroleum (QP) – The state- owned Petroleum Company is set to be the largest gas producer in the world. Operations range from exploration and drilling to production, refining and distribution of oil, gas and by-products to the world markets.

Mesaieed Industrial City (MIC) – One of the two Industrial Cities in Qatar, it is cCurrently being developed as Qatar’s main port of operation with future plans to make it a business park for corporations and industries.

Qatar Fuel Additives Company Limited (QAFAC) - Qatar Fuel Additives Company Limited (QAFAC) was established as a Qatari joint stock company to build, own and operate facilities in Mesaieed, Qatar for the production of methanol and methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) for sale to customers worldwide.

Ras Laffan Industrial City (RLC) -  Ras laffan Industrial City, a directorate of Qatar Petroleum, is a multi purpose, multi-dimensional industrial city, which operates an industrial port and provides integrated services as well as several industrial facilities to existing industries and prospective investors.

SEEF - SEEF Limited owns a Plant to produce Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB), a hydrocarbon based Petrochemical material used for manufacture of detergents.

RasGas - Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited leads creation of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export industry in Qatar.

Qatar Petrochemical Company (QAPCO) - QAPCO was established in 1974 as a joint multinational venture to utilise the associated and non-associated Ethane gas from petroleum production in line with the industrialization plan of the State Qatar. it is one of the Companies located in the Mesaieed Industrial City (MIC), producing fertilizers, steel, refined petroleum products and natural gas liquids. QAPCO plant is situated on the seacoast with jetty facilities and exports its entire range of products worldwide.

ORYX GTL - Rising from the desert with great speed and efficiency is the gas to liquids production facility, ORYX GTL, a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum (51%) and Sasol of South Africa (49%). The first of a series of planned GTL production facilities that will deliver on the declared ambition of the State of Qatar to become the GTL capital of the world.

Qatar Fertilizer Company (QAFCO) – A joint- venture company, QAFCO has become one of the main producers and exporters of ammonia and urea in the world.

InfraStructure

Qatar Steel Company (QASCO) - With its latest production technology and equipment, the plant generates an annual production of 1.2 million tons of molten steel and a rolling mill capacity of 740,000 tons per year. The total workforce of approximately 1,250 comprises 12 different nationalities and with the exception of the office staff, the mill is run on a 3 shift system.

Aviation

Gulf Helicopter - Gulf Helicopters Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Qatar Petroleum, a company fully owned by the government of the State of Qatar and shares common objectives including a commitment to excellence and progressive expansion.

Qatar Airways - Qatar Airways is the national carrier of the Arabian Gulf State of Qatar. They now are ne of the world’s fastest growing airlines since the airline was re-launched in 1997.

more to come!!!

August 12, 2006

Qatar Airways Incident: Flight 401

Qatar Airways has published a statement with regards to what happened on flight 401 from Aman to Doha on August 10, 2006. Apparently, a man tried to force his way in side the cockpit of the plane forcing the male cabin crew members and three passengers to restrain him. The plane had to go back to Jordan and the man, who was an Eritrean national, was handed to the police authorities. There was no given explanation why the passenger wanted to come inside the cockpit.

I’m sure that those on the plane, all 267 passengers and 12 crew members, were terrified. I would be too. I probably wouldn’t even know what to do. With what happened in the US (September 11 attack on World Trade Center), the whole world has been traumatized. Yes, we do complain of some security policies being enforced on us before we board our flights but I’m sure those measures help a lot in keeping our flights secure. While I was reading the report, the first thing that came to my mind was another terrorist got in a plane and tried to use it to serve his purpose of death and destruction. But after analyzing it, there was no report of a gun being used by the Eritrean man who wanted to “talk” to the Captain of Qatar Airways flight 401 so I’m guessing that he might have been mentally unstable instead of being a terrorist. That is part of the trauma brought about the September 11 attacks. When reading something like this, the first thing that comes to mind is what happened before in the US where hijackers supposed to have taken control of those planes.

I’m just glad that this incident isn’t the same. This was probably air rage but not a terrorist act. For scaring the hell out of those people on the plane, that passenger should be meted out a penalty and he should not be allowed to ride any public transportation again.

August 07, 2006

Jungle Zone Theme Park

For parents wondering where to take their children for some fun and excitement, I suggest visiting Jungle Zone Theme Park in Hyatt Plaza located at Waab St. near the newly built Khalifa Stadium. Jungle Zone is an indoor theme park in which its theme is based on the elements of the 'wild nature of the jungle world'. Jungle Zone has main 9 attractions mainly for kids; The Jungle Train, The Crazy Jump, The Wild Flume, Honey Swing, Lion's Lair, Eureka, Video Arcade,The Fun Castle and Adventure Castle However, adults and child minders can also ride if needed kids need assistance.

Tickets, represented by a wristband, for kids costs QR30 on weekdays while it you have to pay QR45 during weekends. Children aged between 3 - 18 years old are chargeable whereas accompanying parents or minders above the age of 18 years old would be 'free-of-charge'. The park operates from 1 pm to 10 pm during weekdays and opens at 10am to 10 pm on weekdays.

Interestingly enough, the also have Party Rooms for kids celebrating their birthdays. They provide party organizers to host the party and entertainment for kids through games, a magician and a juggler.

So if you want your kids to have a fun-filled weekend, you can take them to Jungle Zone. You can read the next post for our own personal experience bringing Xiane to this indoor theme park.

Party Time in Jungle Zone

Last night we attended the party of our friends’ son as he turned one year old. The venue was at Jungle Zone Theme Park in Hyatt Plaza. The party started at 7 pm. You’ll think it’s a bit late for a children’s party but our friend told us that it is actually the best time to reserve your party as it is the last of the several schedules they have during the day. Getting this schedule will give you the actually more time than the usual 2 hours that they a lot for each party. Meaning, if the theme park closes at 11pm, you can stay from 7-11pm and that gives you 2 hours more. For all those who are pondering on giving their kids a fun-filled party without the hassle of to much preparation, this is the way to go.

A week before the party, we received the invitation which comes with the Jungle Zone birthday package. Attached to it is a stab, and upon entry to the theme park, you present the invitation. The staff cross-checks your name in the guest list provided by the host. After that your child gets a sticker which is worn around the wrist and will later be useful when it’s time to take the rides. You’ll pass by the rides before you reach the party room, which is at the innermost part of the park. For a kid, seeing all those rides can be very tempting, you have to constantly remind your child that he has to go to the party first. The room is located upstairs, the front of which has a veranda thus giving you a good view of the whole park. Inside the room, which has a capacity of more than 100 persons, all the party decorations and seats have already been arranged. All you need to do is wait for the party to start.

The Juggler and the Magician
At the start of the party, you’ll be entertained by a couple of performers. First, the juggler, who can juggle almost anything- from batons (of all sizes), hats, ring and balls. My daughter liked this one, I saw her laughing for the most part of it. On the other hand there’s the magician, who makes things, like handkerchiefs, flowers, balls, money appear and disappear. I think the magic thing kinda freaked out Xianelle a bit. This one is better appreciated by bigger kids and adults. Both performers are Filipinos and both guys also do the PA/ sound system. I bet they also helped decorate the place. All-in-all, the show was entertaining.

Parlor Games
Then it was time for parlor games. First was the “putting the Smarties in a cup game”, here 2 kids compete with each other and the one who placed the most Smarties, using a spoon, in cup wins. All the other smaller kids including my daughter surrounded the table as they watch the 2 bigger kids play against each other, as if wishing for those Smarties to be placed straight into their little mouths instead of the cups. Then there was the merry-go-round, I don’t suppose they call it “Trip to Jerusalem” here. I found this game quite dangerous for my kid and all the other younger kids. In the game, kids go around chairs that are placed side by side to form a circle while the music plays.  When the music stops, they each should sit on the chair. The one who doesn’t get a chair gets eliminated. Next in line was the “longest happy birthday contest”. Here, each kid has to greet the birthday celebrant the longest time they can. The one with the longest time wins. Surprisingly, our little girl joined and won in the girls division with a record of 12 seconds! The last on the list was the “bring me” contest. Here the emcee asks for an item (a black wallet, the smallest shoe, etc.) and the first one to bring it wins a prize. There were 3 siblings whose parents arrived late that night, so during the game they tried to ask the items from other parents in order for them to win prizes. Smart, aren’t they!

The Guest and the Food
According to our friends, they were expecting around 85 (adults) and 50 (children) guests that night. Although there were a lot of guests who weren’t able to come due to some reason or another, the guests still totaled around 70 for the adults and 40 children, with some guests bringing along friends. But I wasn’t a concern at all for there was a lot of food that night. There were 5 viands catered by Orient Express, (for inquiries you can call 444 1255 or visit their main office at Al Sadd Street). The hosts and a few friends also volunteered to cook other viands like kare-kare, kaldereta, bopis (which was the bestseller that night) and estofado (which I personally cooked). My friend also prepared baked macaroni and I brought the good old pancit. There were all sorts of sweets, deserts and pastries such as puto, kutsinta, empanada, maja blanca, leche flan, gelatin, strawberry and chocolate cupcakes on ice cream cones, fruit salad, 3 chocolate moist cakes and an ube cake. Everyone was in for a delectable treat that night, except me, who being on a diet had to control myself. Even after everyone has eaten, there was still a lot of food enough to feed 30-50 more guests, not until the host gave the signal for the “take home”. In a matter of seconds the buffet table got surrounded by the guests, looking like bees swarming a bed of flowers. Much to my surprise, everyone was charging at the table, as if men going into battle with the shining aluminum foil and containers as their weapons, which was of course all provided for by the hosts. I just sat there and watched. It was quite a funny watching those people doing their thing with much gusto and seriousness. I just sat there for I didn’t want to get caught in the battlefield. Thanks to our friend we were still able to bring home some food without going through the same ordeal, hehehe… My only regret was not trying the cakes before they vanished into thin air.

The Rides
The Jungle Zone theme park, definitely gives you the “jungle” feeling. Children will surely have fun with all the rides. Most of the rides can be taken by kids 5 and up by themselves however, the younger ones, would need an adult around. With a band around her wrist that she was given upon entry to the park, Xiane could take all the rides she wanted. The good news is that each parent could accompany his/her child to the ride. Xiane had to try everything. First she took the “Elephant Jet” with her friend Princess and Uncle Nonoy. Then, she and her dad went to “The Mountain Coaster” which kinda scared her a bit because of the mummies inside the cave. Finally it was my turn with her. I took her to “The Wild Flume” ride and got ourselves wet as we plunged into the water. Xiane and I had so much fun at “The Crazy Jump”. We really went nuts every time we dropped. After this ride, my tummy felt like I had a hundred stomach crunches which I got trying to stop myself from screaming and laughing. And for the finale, I took her to “Honey Swing” which is like a bit of a cool down. This ride is somewhat relaxing, a perfect way to end the night. A warning to those who easily get dizzy spells though, this might not be too perfect for you. In all those rides, Xiane has shown how bold and brave she is for her age, unafraid to try new things though they maybe unknown to her … to this I proudly say “that’s my girl!”

Wohoo! Roads are open!

I was on schedule as I went down my building seeing the time on my Picasso. I usually, wake up at 5:45 AM, take my shower, check my email, read some news on MSNBC and leave the flat at exactly 6:15 AM. I’m supposed to start work at 6:30 and with the ongoing road construction, the previously 5 minute drive now takes 15 minutes max. I was going though my usual route, passing through the Airport Round when I suddenly noticed that there was less traffic and the cars in front of me were just passing through what used to be a roadblock! I proceeded with caution as this is new territory for me. I mean, for at least a year, I got used to driving the streets of Doha with closed interchanges and driving on single lane streets where there is work being done. I was even feeling excited as I was driving up to…Bump. I guess they haven’t really merged the old street smoothly with the new one as the asphalt of the new one seems half an inch elevated. Well, that didn’t ruin my excitement that much but with all the space available, 6 lanes at that, I didn’t really know what lane to take. The stop light was working but was lucky enough to get a green light. Do I go straight and pass by the strip of road facing the airport as what I used to do or do I turn left and see if I can use the same route I used to take ages ago. I take left. Wohoo! I felt like I was freed from a cage or something (insert a mushy song about freedom here). It so fast that I kept looking at the car clock to see how much time has been cut off from my travel… Bump. Well, I guess that’s me and my Picasso ending our first run of the newly opened roads at the Al-Mana Exchange towards Ras Abu Abboud.

It’s reported than it is not only Airport Road-Al Mana Interchage which would be opened this week but yet 2 more roads which are the Sheikh Suhaim bin Hamad Road, going from the Ramada Interchange to the Advisory Council junction, and the Ahmed bin Ali Road, that goes from the junction to the TV Roundabout. The would be opened on Tuesday or Wednesday!

Wohoo! I can now wake up at 6 AM and still get to work on time! Wohoo! No more long traffic queues! Well, I still need to deal with the roundabouts… ;(

Update on Doha Accommodation

It’s been past a year since we landed in Qatar and got ourselves a flat to live in. We’re paying QR4700 a month to live in a 2 bedroom unfurnished flat in a new building. I signed a contract for 2 years and gave the landlord 24 checks which he can encash every 3rd week of the month. I was thinking that maybe, as people usually say then, when the Asian Games have ended, rental for flats would go down dramatically and go back to circa 2003-2004. A 2 bedroom would cost 1500/month then while you can live in a villa for 3500. They even said that landlords then would offer 2 months free rental! I was asked by a friend in Saudi once how much renting a flat here costs and was so surprised with my answer. Coming from Saudi, even I found it difficult, at first, to cough up 4700 a month for a 2 bedroom flat wherein I was only paying SR12,000 a year for a big 3 bedroom flat in Saudi.

Everybody is hoping that since the Athlete’s Village (housing for 10,000+ athletes) is going to be vacated and reportedly going to be occupied by Hamad employees once the Games are done, there would be a large number of flats left unoccupied. Also, those employed for the Asian Games would return to their respective countries, paving way for more vacant apartments. The Law of Supply and Demand dictates that if you have more Flats and buildings unoccupied, rental for these should go down, right? I’m not too sure now.

Doha is growing and would continue to grow even after the Asian Games. Companies would continue to grow in numbers as well as the number of expats that they’ll employ. Yes, a lot of people have been moving back to their own countries or jumping to other countries that give them better value for their earned money but how many people are coming to Doha in return? Twice or even thrice the number. If you look at the websites of companies in Doha, you’ll find hundreds of job vacancies waiting to be filled up. Other than the continuous influx of people, landlords know that a lot of big employers/companies now are giving their employees higher housing allowances than last year. Though this is not to say that higher housing allowances gets you in a bigger and better housing situation. It just means that you can now somehow almost keep up paying the increases on the flat that the Qatari landlord is asking of you. The landlords, of course, couldn’t care less. If you don’t have the moolah to pay, someone who got employed at a bigger company may be able to pay what he’s asking for. I’ve heard of 2 instances wherein a vacated flat was up for bids and the “winning” bidder is now paying twice the amount in rent than of the previous tenant who left.

Even with a Qatar Law that stipulates only a 10% increase yearly, the landlords often get away with more than that. Not all landlords are made the same as some follow the law while some are as greedy as can be. Still, I don’t think any of them would be willing to slash the prices of rents in the near future. Also, I haven’t seen land property devaluate unless the area was hit by a calamity, became a disaster area or what not (not hoping for these anyway).

After a year of being here and looking at the situation, I do believe that whatever happens after the Asian Games, rental rates are not going down. Never.

But I’m still keeping my fingers and toes crossed.

August 06, 2006

Laptop for Sale: Dell XPS M1210

 

Dell XPS M1210

 

A friend of mine is selling a newly acquired Dell XPS M1210 laptop for a bargain price considering the amount it would cost if you buy it from Jarir Bookstore or through the Dell distributor in Qatar. He ordered this online from Dell US and got it shipped it through Aramex by Shop&Ship. All new, unused, no scratches, no thing, less than a week old. The lappie has a 12.1 Truelife WXGA display and weighs a merely 3.6 lbs. thus making it very portable and ultralight. But that’s not all, you get a Core Duo processor, 1 Gb Ram, dual layer DVDRW drive, 80 GB SATA HDD, WIFI, USB and firewire ports! It even has Soundblaster Audigy audio system and has Windows XP Media Center pre-installed! What else could you ask for? All this for a measly QR5500! If you configure the specs of the XPS M1210 on the Dell website to match the one he’s selling, you’d be surprised to know that it would cost you about US$1831 or QR 6683. And that’s without shipment cost. He got a discount coupon when he ordered it so he got it cheaper. Why don’t you check out the prices of laptops, especially the ultraportable/ultralightweight one in Carrefour and Jarir and compare the specs. I just saw some in Carrefour the other night and they’re not even Core Duo machine!

For a full rundown of the specs
·        Dell XPS M1210 Core Duo Notebook
·        Brand new with original packaging
·        Ultralight, weighs only 3.6 lbs
·        T2300E processor 1.66 GHz * 2 (two processors!) not HT!, 2 MB Cache
·        1 Gb Dual Channel DDR2 RAM (512*2 sticks)
·        80 Gb SATA HDD
·        Intel GMA9500 video chip
·        12.1 inch Truelife WXGA display
·        Dual layer DVDRW drive
·        53 WHr 6 Cell Battery
·        Universal power adapter
·        Intel Pro 1345 Wireless (b/g) 54 Mbps
·        10/100 Mbps NIC, 56K modem
·        4 USB, Firewire, S-video out
·        Integrated SB Audigy sound
·        Windows Vista Capable
·        Fully transferable Dell warranty
·        Windows XP Media Center Edition

The catch? Nothing. He’s ordered it not knowing that he’d be able to go to the U.S. at the end of the month and would rather hold-off with the purchasing of the laptop.

Try calling Govind at 581- 0429 and see if it’s still available. This is a Qatar number and is only available in Qatar.

August 05, 2006

To Fly or not to Fly: Qatar Airways

If you're flying to Qatar from the Philippines, the only option for you is to fly Qatar Airways (QA). Unless you want to stop over at Bahrain or Dubai, you can probably take Gulf Air or Emirates. However, if you want a straight trip, QA is the answer. Coming to Qatar, you're allowed 20k of baggage. That's why it is always a challenge for me and Mavis to pack our things cause we don't want to exceed our baggage allowance. I'm not sure how much you pay per kilo if you exceed but I've hear that it's like $30-$50. So to be safe, we always get our baggages weighed before leaving for the airport. But that 20k would never be enough if you're travelling with 2 Xbox machines, books, food stocks and clothes. That's why you need to be a member of the Privelege Club. It's their frequent flyer program which entitles you benefits like additional baggage allowance. If you're on their Burgundy Tier, you're allowed 15k more, 25k for Silver card holders, and 30k for Gold status members. Of course, there are more benefits the higher your tier level is. So for those flying to Qatar, I do suggest you enroll in their program as it would help you a lot. I've flown with Philippine Airlines, Saudia, Gulf Air, Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways and I can say that QA is probably next to Cathay Pacific when it comes to quality service. My only complain about QA is for a long haul flight to the Philippines, you sometimes get to ride on a plane without personal entertainment system. You pay a huge amount of money for your trip (even costlier than going to Europe) that lasts 9 hours and what do you get? Nothing. But the worst would be Gulf Air. Imagine, the first time Mavis and I travelled with Gulf Air, they didn't have toothbrushes! But they had toothpastes! So when we we're coming back to the gulf by the same airline, we were ready with our own brushes. But alas, this time, they didn't even have a toothbrush, neither toothpaste! I don't want to fly Gulf Air again. I have never been scared of flying in an airplane. I think I was 12 years old when my family and I went to Hongkong from the Philippines to have a Christmas holiday there. If you think of it in a positive manner, what are the chances of your plane crashing? The odds of being killed on a single trip is 52.6 million to 1. That may ease some of your worries then. Still, if it does happen that your plane crashes, what are the odds of you surviving? That, I don't want to think about.

August 04, 2006

Basketball in Qatar

Basketball in Qatar by Al Emadi
International Baskeball Championship Sponsored by Al Emadi

We went to a Basketball match last Wednesday night at  the Al Gharafa Sports Complex as Al Emadi is bringing various international teams to compete in its basketball championship held in Qatar. Team Pilipinas went head-to-head with the Qatari Team in a match that started at 7:30 in the evening. The place was packed and 98% of those are Filipinos trying to cheer for their team. Here are some photos I took that night...
 
Filipinos Cheering for Team Pilipinas
The crowd was 98% Filipino! Click for bigger image


Cheering for the Game

Cheerleaders!

More cheerers!
More cheerers!

Xiane eating at the Basketball gamePrincess Eating at the Qatari Game
The little girls were kept busy eating...

Xtian and MAvis enjoying the Basketball game
Xtian and Mavis enjoying the game

Sandro and Sean
Future National Team Player...Sean Rafael

Team Pilipinas on court at the Al Emadi International Basketball Championship
Team Pilipinas vs. the Qatari Team


After game dinner
After game dinner at Hardees

Okay, so Team Pilipinas were beaten badly by 20+ points. The Qatari team has shooters and had good plays. At least the Filipinos in Qatar showed their support by attending the game.
 
 

August 03, 2006

Fruits and Vegetables in Qatar

Here's the update to our previous price list for groceries in Qatar. This time, we have a list of the prices of fruits and vegetables. If you go and download the Microsoft Excel file, you’ll notice that items have been given a category and their respective prices in Qatari Rial (QR), US dollar (US$) and Philippine Peso (Php). Again, we got the prices from Lulu Hypermarket as it is closer to our place. Since supermarkets here do not only limit themselves to food and vegetables, we usually call them hypermarkets as they may offer electronic items, kitchen appliances and other stuff not usually found on a Supermarket. Prices in Carrefour, Giant Stores, Family Food Center, etc. might be a bit more expensive by .25 halala but I’m sure that won’t deter you from going to those shops if you’re nearer or if you plan to do more than grocery shopping. Imported specialty goods from Holland (Chinese cabbages, potatoes, lettuces, broccoli, celeries, leeks, asparagus, baby carrots, etc…) are also thrice in amount of items imported from nearby countries like Turkey, Egypt, Saudi and even far off countries like New Zealand and Australia. Thus, I didn’t really include them on the list. If you’re looking for Indian or Pakistani vegetables and fruits, Lulu offers these more than the other shops.

As Fridays and Saturdays are the official weekend here in Qatar, try to do your grocery shopping on a weekday as there as less people then. Aside from the number of people on the groceries during weekends, you’ll also notice the increase in traffic on the streets which you also want to avoid. Thursday evenings are also not exceptions as a lot also do their grocery shopping right after work on this day. If you need to really do it on a Thursday, try to finish before 6 PM.

 

 

Cooking Gas in Qatar

It was surprising to find out that replacing your 12kg gas cylinder would now cost you 5QR more as reported in Gulf Times. So now, a cylinder of cooking in Qatar now costs QR15 instead of 10QR. For a 48kg cylinder, you need to pay up QR55.

I’m not really one to complain though. Our LPG gas usually lasts us about 2-3 months with all the cooking, baking and grilling that we do. In the Philippines, the same cylinder size would cost us roughly QR35, would weigh way below 12kg and last a typical user without grilling and baking a month or even less.

Why is it surprising though in world standards, QR15 for a 12kg cylinder might be the cheapest? Because it’s still a 50% hike of the previous price! I guess this shows that prices of commodities in Qatar are rising as fast as the rental of flats is concerned!

By the way, an empty 12-kg cylinder will cost QR147 instead of QR130, while an empty 48-kg cylinder will be now be priced at QR397 instead of QR300.

August 01, 2006

Groceries in Qatar


Grocery list in Excel

Grocery list in MS Excel

We've tried to create a list for people wanting to know how much items typically cost in groceries in Qatar. We placed them in an Excel file so you can see and compare. Items would include canned goods like corn, corned beef, evaporated milk, tuna, Nestle cream to dairy products like eggs, milk, chocolate drink and other. It's not a big list since these items were only culled from the previous 4 trips to the groceries. We usually do our groceries in Lulu because we are close to Lulu and often than not, it's cheaper than other groceries. We do some occasional grocery in Carre Four, MegaMart, Family Food Center, and at times the Souq. One tip, it's much cheaper to buy Beef Ribs at the Souq. If you're more into condiments and spices, you can opt to go to MegaMart or Family Food Center. You can also do groceries at the Giant Stores in Hyatt but we find it to far and traffic can get really bad in the evening.We didn't include prices of vegetables and fruits but would update you with those as soon as we can. Hopefully, this can help you in sorting your budget expenses if you're planning to move in Qatar.We'll update this list as often as we can.
 

You can download the Excel file here

p.s.
QR3.65 = US$1
QR1 = Php14.2 +/-

Malls in Qatar

We’ve been to the following Malls in Qatar:

1. City Center Doha (CCD) – This is said to be the biggest Mall in the Middle East for now (a bigger mall is being built in Dubai and to be completed next year). Having 4 floors, it has the Carrefour Supermarket, Home Center (furniture), Qtel office, Shoe Mart, Benetton, Splash, Debenhams, Jumbo Electronics, Adams, Mothercare and other high-end shops. They have an ice skating rink, a Water Park for Kids, an amusement center and more than 10 cinemas. In comparison to Seef Mall in Bahrain and Rashid Mall in Khobar, it is indeed quite large. Although SM Mega Mall in the Philippines is twice bigger. You can get around CCD and see everything in less than 30 minutes. They say groceries are cheaper here than the 3 below but probably by a riyal or less. If you’re looking for home furniture and furnishings, you can go to Home Center. It is a bit cheaper here than IDdesign (The Mall) and The One (The Landmark). You have Jumbo Electronics which carries the LG brand, from aircons, televisions and sound systems (they have Yamaha and my sought-after Harman Kardon receivers). Carrefour also sells cameras, phones, PCs and other electronic items. Among the 4, you can see a lot more here.

2. The Mall – The smallest among the 4. It has 2 floors, although the 2nd floor is less than half occupied. You basically have 3 small shops on the second floor and IDdesign. They have Mango, Gulf Greetings, Mothercare, CK, Oasis, Milano, Fuji Image Service and other shops which aren’t that big nor well-known. They have Qmart supermarket, which is the smallest but has a lot of imported goods from the West. They also have cinemas here and would soon have a Chilis restaurant. The Mall is close to the Lulu Hypermarket.

3. Lulu Hypermarket – Having 2 floors, the ground floor has the big Lulu Supermarket and the second floor has the Lulu department store. The department store has unbranded clothes for men and women, infants and children, toys, school supplies, baby items, and electronics and appliances section. They have a perfume section though I can’t comment on the prices as we haven’t tried asking the shops in the other malls. They also showcase a lot of television brands on their floors. I noticed that the Panasonic prices are 1000 to 1500 riyals cheaper than in Bahrain and Saudi. I saw a 29”Digital Progressive TV for 1999 Riyals. But Mavis is interested with the 34” Samsung Digital TV. They also have a Qpost Station for your snail mail needs along with a Qtel office for your telephone (landline and wireless) needs.

4. The Landmark – The Landmark has Bang and Olufsen (Electornics), Jennyfer, Music Master (Cds and DVDs), Mango, Esprit, Massimo Dutti, Godiva Chocolates, Mothercare, Milano, Mexx, Nine West, Osh Kosh B’gosh, Sisley, The BodyShop, The One, Benetton, Zara and other well-known shops. They have a Qtel Station where you can pay your bills. They have Mega Mart as their supermarket. They have a food court and a big amusement park. In all, City Center almost has everything that you could need but it depends on specific shop or service that you are looking for. I don’t know if they have a Qpost in CCD. Also, CCD is quite far from the other malls as the other mall are just like 5- 10 minutes away from each other. There are probably 2-3 other small malls that we have not gone to yet. Also, we’re looking forward to going to the local shopping centers (souks) once we get our car next week.

GMA 7 and GMA Pinoy TV

There is a vast growing number of Filipinos all over the world. Here in the Middle East alone, the Filipino community is ever growing. Furthermore they do not come just as individual overseas workers but more importantly they come and bring their families along. Hence there is a great demand for an entertainment that is truly Filipino. A little birdie has informed me that the Philippine-based GMA 7 would be able to launch its satellite programming in the Middle East on the first week of February. Last year, Orbit launched a Pinoy package which showed several syndicated shows from GMA 7. However, a lot of people complained that they thought they'd get the whole GMA 7 channel only to find out that it was not the case. This time around, it is the real deal. Filipinos would get the 24 hour programming of GMA 7 as what they get the Philippines, live and real-time. This time around, Filipinos would have an option. Are you a "Kapuso" or a "Kapamilya"?

July 31, 2006

Doha School Terms and Fees

I've tried to compile some of the Schools Terms and Fees for each school and placed them in a Word Document. All terms are for school year 2006-2007 except when stated otherwise. Schools included in this document are: Cambridge School Doha English Speaking School Doha College Park House English School Philippine International School (SY 2004-2005 terms) Qatar International School


You can download the file here


Schools in Qatar

A lot of people coming to Doha are interested at looking for schools for their children. So here is a list of schools in Doha and the links to their websites. This is not comprehensive to include ALL of the schools in Doha as others don't even have their own website.

American School of Doha http://www.asd.edu.qa/
Doha Academy http://www.dohaacademy.com.qa/
Doha College http://www.dohacollege.com/
Doha English School (Doha) http://www.dess.org/
Doha English School (Al Khor) http://www.akdess.com/
Dukhan English School http://www.bsme.org.uk/schools/more.asp?id=34&sch=
Qatar Academy http://www.qataracademy.edu.qa/
Qatar International School http://www.qis.org/
Cambridge School Doha http://www.cambridgeschool.com.qa/
Al Jazeera Academy http://www.aja.edu.qa/
Cambridge International School for Girls http://www.cisg.edu.qa/
Middle East International School http://www.misqatar.com/
ParkHouse International School http://www.parkhouseschool.com/
Philippine International School +974 4821923, 4821924, 4820158
Philippine School Doha +974 4364148, 4364150

July 30, 2006

The Letter P

The Arabic alphabet doesn’t have the letter P. Thus in its absence, people here would normally pronounce “P” as “B” whenever they encounter words that have letter P, for instance English words such us toothpaste, hypertext or anything that has P on it. Sounds funny huh but you’ll get used to it. I feel a bit sorry for Superman and Spiderman, lucky Batman though.

 

Rafael Open in Qatar

We spent the whole afternoon with the Rafael’s last Friday. We’ve already scheduled this the other week and had agreed on what food to cook so as to compliment the BBQ ribs that they were grilling. Mavis and I brought Spicy Chicken Wings dipped in blue cheese dressing and vegetable salad while the Valdez’ brought Palabok and ginataan for our “merienda”. After playing a game of NBA 2k6 with Sandro (he lost by 20+points…he he he) and the close match with Nonoy (Mavis inadvertently rebooted the Xbox halfway the game), we decided to play table tennis downstairs.

We played doubles as there were 6 of us who were playing. To balance the game, the pros were teamed with the amateurs; Sandro teamed up with Mavis, Tito Yam and I, Nonoy and Ding. The set up was best of 5 wins with the waiting team challenging the winners.

First Match:
Tito Yam/Xtian vs. Sandro/Mavis
Sandro/Mavis won the first game but we got back to level it at 1-1. We eventually won it at 3-2.

Second Match: Nonoy/Ding vs. Tito Yam/Xtian
It was a close match again. Since the other team didn’t have much of a warm-up, we beat them on the first 2 sets. However, as fatigue was creeping multiplied by the heat and humidity, we lost the game at 3-2.

Third Match: Sandro/Mavis vs. Nonoy/Ding
I really don’t know the score here as I was copying some FHM ebooks on tito Yam’s laptop… he he he. The Sandro/Mavis team wins.

Fourth Match: Sandro/Mavis vs. Tito Yam/Xtian
We don’t know what happened but the game was so fast, we were badly beaten at 3-0. Damn FHM!

Fifth Match: Sandro/Mavis vs. Nonoy/Ding
Still on a roll, the Sandro/Mavis team proved unstoppable beating the hell out of the other team. They got crushed at 3-0. Sandro/Mavis team are the undisputable winners of the week.

We also played 2 more games after that with Nonoy and Tito Yam teaming up while Sandro and I got together. Sadly, we lost both games with the last one at 2-2, we lost the set leading 6-0 and getting stuck with 6 for the longest time.

We started at about 2:30 and ended up playing at past 7. It was a good afternoon though. It was nice to get some exercise though the heat was contributing to the fatigue. Another Open is set for next week!

July 29, 2006

Google Earth

The mighty Google Inc. has been updating its Google Earth app with its latest at a beta version of Google Earth Pro 4. I've actually tested Google Earth 3 and it's damn pretty good esp. that it now has the Qatar map in detail. I can even see our flat from it and even the construction being done on the roads! I am currently planning to get a project going in which i'd create a KML file for Qatar which contains landmarks like shopping malls, shops, building, restaurants, etc that people can download and use when they decide to use Google Earth. But since I started, I haven't found that much time to update it since I've only spent about an hour updating it. I'll probably update it once I finish relocating to http://www.lifeonthespot.com . But if you want to see a glimpse of my KML file, you can download it from here:

 Google Earth Qatar KML file

You can right-click and use "Save As" and make sure that you open it from google Earth or make sure that the KML file is associated with Google Earth if you choose to open it directly.

 Hopefully, I can make good progress with this in the coming days to come.

July 28, 2006

Of Spellings

One thing about the Gulf region is that people here are not too concerned about word spellings. Sometimes you see different spellings of the same word and you get confused as to what the real spelling really is. Like for instance, sometimes it is shawarma, other times shawerma; kebab-kabab. So I searched the web and found out that indeed shawarma can have both spellings, there’s even a third one, that is shoarma. Whereas in the case of kebab, I found out that it can also spelled as “kabob” but not kabab. Come to think of it, being not too concerned with spellings is not a bad thing. However, if it concerns important details like names, it becomes a problem. For instance, my name is Mavis, but back in Bahrain someone mistook the “v” for a “y”. From then on, I became “Mayis”. The same thing happened when we transferred here. They got my Bahrain ID and just copied the same name, without even cross referencing it first with my passport. The residence permit that’s stamped on my passport has Mayis on it, as well as my health card and eventually my driver’s license. The things is, I’ll be Mayis for as long as we intend to stay here in Qatar. Sometimes I just wish that people here were more conscious of the way things are spelled.

 

Of Spellings

One thing about the Gulf region is that people here are not too concerned about word spellings. Sometimes you see different spellings of the same word and you get confused as to what the real spelling really is. Like for instance, sometimes it is shawarma, other times shawerma; kebab-kabab. So I searched the web and found out that indeed shawarma can have both spellings, there’s even a third one, that is shoarma. Whereas in the case of kebab, I found out that it can also spelled as “kabob” but not kabab. Come to think of it, being not too concerned with spellings is not a bad thing. However, if it concerns important details like names, it becomes a problem. For instance, my name is Mavis, but back in Bahrain someone mistook the “v” for a “y”. From then on, I became “Mayis”. The same thing happened when we transferred here. They got my Bahrain ID and just copied the same name, without even cross referencing it first with my passport. The residence permit that’s stamped on my passport has Mayis on it, as well as my health card and eventually my driver’s license. The things is, I’ll be Mayis for as long as we intend to stay here in Qatar. Sometimes I just wish that people here were more conscious of the way things are spelled.

 

July 27, 2006

Got It Back

Yesterday at 3 pm, Tian got a call. It was from the Citroen service center. After almost a week and several road tests, they were finally able to fix the car. So we had to get there as fast as we can because they close at 4:30 pm. Luckily, Mr. Salama, our ever-dependable emergency service came to the rescue. We reached the service center which is at the Industrial Area just in time. After paying all the bills (as if someone’s getting discharged from the hospital) we were off the road again. The car was much cooler this time as they also refilled the aircon with Freon. I just hope that it remains that it remains well for a long, long time.

 

July 26, 2006

We're Here!

Life on the Spot! Our own little place in the world wide web. Why the name? After so many suggestions from Mavis and my own personal selections, we thought that Life on the Spot is what it is; a simple yet catchy phrase that says " This is our life on the spot or spotlight".

July 24, 2006

A Lesson in Getting Driving Lessons

I went to the Gulf Driving School (behind the Nabina Showroom, Airport Road) on Monday last week. My husband accompanied me but they just stayed in the car. I stepped inside the office at 6:30 pm but they weren’t accepting applications anymore although they’re supposed to be open until 7 pm. But that’s just fine because I actually forgot the documents that I needed. The next day, Tuesday, we came much earlier, before 5 pm. The guy was already processing my application when I told him that I only need to take the half course that is 12 days for QR 620. At first, he told me that everyone takes the whole course, 25 days for QR 1800, then I explained that I already knew how to drive and that I have a Philippine license. After taking a good look at my license, he then said “you go to counter no.1 of the Traffic Department in Madinat Kalifa”, as he was showing me the portion that needed to be signed. Obviously, proceeding there would only be futile as it was already past 5 pm, so we decided to go the next day. Wednesday, we got to the traffic department at 4 pm. Surprisingly, there was only a lady waiting and 2 personnel at the counter. So I thought that it was a good sign and that this could be “it”. I went straight to counter no. 1, gave the guy my documents and my license, then he looked at me and said “you come back tomorrow morning, the person who signs this, is not here”. I wanted to shout “what!!!” but there was nothing I could do. I just had to be back again the next day. My husband and I were so disappointed at how things turned out. Three days of trying to get things done and still nothing was accomplished. I just wished the guy from the driving school had told me about it but that’s just it… they don’t give a damn. We just decided to go to Popeye’s to forget how frustrating the day had been. Thursday, got there at 10 am and by golly there were so many people waiting, most of them guys. First, I had to get a number, I got 191 and counter 1 was just serving 150. I was so worried that I won’t be able to make it before they close again. Luckily, the number skipped 12 numbers up. I guess those guys left and couldn’t wait anymore. Then goes the waiting game… there were not enough seats and no one was gentleman enough to offer me one which is just ok since I didn’t expect any special treatment anyway. In comparison to Saudi, women always get special treatment. We didn’t have to wait in long queues. In Saudi, being a woman can also be an advantage. Anyway, while waiting, there was “smell” everywhere I turned. It’s like someone sprayed a “body odor-scented” body spray or air spray all over the place. Then no one ever said, not even the guy from the driving school that I would need a copy of my license. But fortunately it pays to be observant and I saw the others bringing a photocopy of their license. It’s a good thing that there was photocopying service within the compound so I still had enough time to have mine copied. Then when I came back, I finally got to sit down. There was this man in his forties beside me. He got number 189, when he saw mine was 191, he exchanged with me. I know, it didn’t make that much of difference but I really appreciate his gesture. It was really kind of him to exchange his number with mine. So after 4 days of frustration and waiting, I was able to have my license validated and my paper signed. Then that afternoon I got to finally process my application. Although I still have to wait 45 days to get a schedule for my driving lessons, I’m just so relieved that this waiting game was over and I have yet another one to come.

The Indispensable Balloons

A month after Xiane’s 3rd birthday, we still have balloons hanging in our living room. It’s not that we’re just lazy to put them away. Who wouldn’t want to get rid of them when they’re just starting to accumulate dust. The real reason: Xiane doesn’t want to part with them yet. But maybe, and I hope we’ll be able to convince her that we have to remove them before her 4th birthday. Well at least we’ll see if the balloons could last that long…

Friends are Hard to Find, True Ones Even Harder

It is understandable that we don’t know a lot of people yet having been here recently. But who needs a lot of acquaintances when you have a few but true friends. We’ve only met them a few months back but sometimes it feels like you’ve known them forever. We feel comfortable in their presence and they’re always there when you need a hand, or just someone to spend time with. In each meeting, we feel their warm welcome that allows for each of us to learn more about each other. I once heard that we should be wary of the people that we meet here, even of our fellow Filipinos. Someone told me about the back stabbing and back biting that happen among “Filipino friends” here in Qatar, although I know that this is doesn’t happen solely among Pinoys. But I’m just glad that we didn’t have to put up with that. We’re just thankful for having such good friends especially in a place and time when real friends are hard to find.

Karwa Under Scrutiny

We’ve been here for a year now but I haven’t really seen the efficiency of Karwa to provide the public with transportation when they needed it the most. When we came here and didn’t have a car yet, we would call Karwa and request for a cab but always ended up frustrated because we would have to wait an hour or so before we could book a ride. A few months back, it was made known that the company had procured more taxi units to meet the demands of the people of Qatar, of Doha in particular for public transportation. It even acquired several busses for the same purpose. Unfortunately just last Thursday, based on our personal experience, the same thing can be said of Karwa, that is rather inefficient. Our car broke down, we needed a ride to go home so I called the office and was told that the next available booking was at 2 pm. It was only 11 am when I called. Just imagine yourself having to wait for a taxi ride, for three long hours in the midst of a hot summer day in Qatar. You probably would have fainted first because of the extreme heat and dehydration before the darn taxi comes to rescue you. I know a lot of people here in Qatar have their own vehicles but for a progressive and rich country there should always be an efficient, safe and reliable means of public transportation for those who need it, transportation that is there when you need it the most.

Are We Jinxed?

Just last Thursday, our Citroen Picasso has yet again let us down. We were on our way home from the Traffic Department in Madinat Kalifa when suddenly these dreaded words “engine fault” appeared on the dash board just when we were approaching the round-about at the Al Garrafa interchange. Fortunately, my husband was still able to drive the car until we found a safe and cool place to park as it happened noon with a temperature reaching up to 47 degrees. Tian called the Citroen car breakdown service but they couldn’t come until after 2 hours but the guy gave us the number of an independent towing service. While waiting for the towing service, we had to go around and look for a store because by this time my daughter had drunk all the water that I was bringing for her and with the heat she could easily get dehydrated without anything to drink. 15-20 minutes later salvation finally came and since we couldn’t get a cab ride in the area, we just asked the driver if we could ride his vehicle, the same one that he used to tow our Picasso. It was a long ride going to the Industrial Area where most of the service centers including that of Citroen are located. It was a grueling long ride and the vehicle didn’t have any air-conditioning unit. We had to bear the hot air that was blowing on our faces. Poor Xiane had to be in the same predicament but she never complained. Finally, we got to Citroen… the Filipino guy who works there told us that it is the first time they encountered the “engine fault” problem with their cars so I wonder, why us? I would have thought that we were jinxed but then again I think not. Instead I think we’re blessed because in a place where getting a taxi ride is almost impossible, there he was, the Filipino staff who happens to live in our area and who was kind enough to give us a safe ride home. Hopefully, they’ll be able to fix the real problem with the car and get it this week. Inshallah!

July 11, 2006

A Series of Unfortunate Events

I just couldn’t believe what happened to me the past 2 weeks. My husband was talking about being plagued, his things getting busted and losing some things. But what did I ever do to have a series of unfortunate events myself, that is, a series of broken footwear. First to go was my black Figlia clogs. Xiane and I got out of the car to go inside the Sofitel (we were looking for a desktop as our laptop broke down) while Tian stayed in the car to look for a parking. We were just a few steps away from the car when I felt the top of my left clog snap. I tried hard to put it back where it used to be but it just didn’t hold. So I told my husband to just proceed and look for a PC by himself while Xiane and I waited in the car. I just had to think of ways to keep Xiane entertained while we were there or else waiting for more than 30 minutes would have been a problem. On Sunday, I decided to use my good old pair of 2-inch high Benetton strappy shoes. I say it’s old because it’s been with me for 5 years now although I haven’t used it that much, in fact I haven’t been using it for the past 2 years. My husband dropped me off the Parish Center where we go to mass, after which, off they went to his office where he and Xiane would spend the time waiting for me. We have agreed to do this since it would be difficult to bring our daughter along to mass. She just wouldn’t stop talking and asking questions while having mass. I was walking on the quadrangle when the heel of my right sandal suddenly got wobbly. When I looked, there it was, the rubber that was coating the inner heel just chipped off and the more I walked, the more it came off. But thank God I made it to the church but you could just imagine how nervous I was thinking if the shoe would last for another 30 minutes or so, plus the embarrassment that I had to endure having a sandal with broken heel. Soon enough it was time to leave. As I walked to the car, the same thing happened to the heel of the left shoe. But even in that condition, we still managed to go to Hyatt, only when we got home I realized that my lovely pair of shoes is beyond repair. We were doing our groceries on a Thursday afternoon as we usually do. This way we can avoid the “weekend rush” or almost everyone coming to the supermarkets during the weekend (Thursday night- Saturday night) to do their own shopping. I was wearing a pair of black flip flops that I bought in the Philippines. It was light yet hip, a perfect footwear when you’re expecting to be spending a lot of time standing and walking around. I pushed the cart as I walked and then I felt the strap of the left pair just came off. It’s a good thing that despite this major setback, I was still able to go through my shopping. Now here’s the thing, how could it be that these shoes just snapped one after the other. My husband’s theory is that I’ve become too heavy and those footwear couldn’t take anymore of my weight. Although it’s hard to admit, I guess my husband may be right about it. But I’m also thinking that it could be that I have a lot of black footwear and it’s about time I dispose a pair or two. Or maybe, these things just happen, the same way that we happen to forget things or lose them, the same way that a series of unfortunate events sometimes do happen.

Colds and Flu

During this time of the year, it is not unusual when people get sick with colds and flu. I don’t have a very scientific explanation about it but it seems like during this time, viruses gets thick in the air. My daughter, Xianelle, was the first to catch the colds. Thankfully, after having had fever for two days and the cold eventually developing into cough, she got well in just a week’s time. Then the children of our friends caught the colds and eventually the flu last week. Till now the older kid (Xiane’s playmate) is still recovering. And then, there’s me… just last Sunday, the cold virus got into me but fortunately for me, I already got better after two days. I guess it’s just natural if we get sick once in a while, what’s important is for us to get back on our feet again after.

The Heat is On

This is the second time we’re spending summer here in Qatar. Last year we arrived on June, almost the same time of year. But I get the feeling that this year, is much hotter. The temperature reaches between 45-49 degrees during the day and stays at 39-40 degrees at night. During the day you get a beating from the heat of the sun and at night, you usually have to deal with so much humidity. It is the time of year when people are lazy to go out and when they do, it would definitely be after 6 pm and they almost always go straight to the malls or anywhere that’s air-conditioned. There are a few though, who also spend their time walking or strolling especially at the Corniche. Well, good for them but I’d rather do that on the “ber” months (September, October…..). Doha has been having sandstorms since Saturday, making people much lazier to go out. Well who would want to get his lungs filled with dust. Just like last Sunday, I was supposed to go to church but had to cancel because there was a sandstorm. When you look outside the window, you’ll see the trees (if there are any in your neighborhood) being blown by the wind. You’ll hear the strong wind blowing even if you’re in the confines of your flat or house. Even the doors bang once in a while and for those who experience this the first time, you’ll be thinking that there’s definitely a “presence” in the house. But think again, it’s just sandstorm. Now, the occurrence of sandstorm only indicates one thing, a change in climate. This could either mean that it’s going to get hotter or a bit cooler after the sandstorm. But my bet is that it’s going to be the former than the latter, simply because summer ain’t over yet.

July 05, 2006

I'm being plagued

First up was the car breaking down. I had to ask somebody to take me to and from work for one week and eventually shelling out 1350 for my car to get fixed. Second, my laptop broke down last week. After it shut down of overheating and me, trying to clean up the insides, it suddenly went to sleep mode forever. I mean literally. It's like something got stuck that made go to sleep mode everytime you start it up as the sleep indicator lights up when you boot it. You can hear the harddisk whine a bit when booting and then it stops. The monitor doesn't even show any sign of life at all. I've tried bringing it to Jarir Bookstore but they only deal with Toshiba laptops while friends adviced me not the bring it to the sofitel Area. I've surrendered it to a colleague who may be able to fix the laptop so we'll see. But since we need a computer, we decided to get one (read related blog - Dual Core in Qatar). Other than these breakdowns, I've been losing things right after the other. I lost my house keys the other week and then I lost my keycard two days after. Just last night, someone came knocking at our door. When we opened, it was our neighbor asking us we know who owns the wallet he was holding. It was mine. I don't actually remember if he found it inside the building (the stairs) or outside, where I park my car, as my head was already in a rush thinking how I lost it. Thankfully, everything was still there; credit cards, money, ids and all. Hopefully, that was the last of it. I need to be more careful, I know.

June 26, 2006

Warning - ENGINE FAULT

We've been without our beloved Citroen Picasso for almost a week now. As the system of the car is electronic, it flashed a warning lamp for the engine and displayed "WARNING - ENGINE FAULT" when I turned it on one day last week. It was still running but everytime I hit on the brakes and halted, it doesn't accelerate the next time you push the gas pedal. You have to turn the car off and restart for it to respond again. That means that I had to turn the car off on every corner and every stoplight. Luckily, this happened while we were close to our flat. I was supposed to bring it myself to the Citroen Service Center but Mavis convinced me that I just dial the number for the Citroen Service center for them to tow the car. An hour later, a guy was hauling the Picasso at the back of his tow truck. When I went back inside the flat, my wife asked me if the guy gave me any receipt or anything that would say that my car is with him. I said none and I didn't even ask the guy for anything. He told me that the guys from the service center would call me in a while once he gets it back to the shop. I trusted him. I guess I'm more trusting of people in Qatar that in the Philippines. It's just that I don't hear news about cars being stolen, "chopped" into pieces and being sold off to the gray market. After about 2 hours, I did decide to call the Service Center. I was told that they we're not able to call earlier as they were too busy with other stuff. Fine as long as my car is with them. I was hoping that my car would be fixed and serviced in two days time as I don't see a lot of Citroen cars in the city. But apparently, my car is in line with other cars being serviced or fixed. Now, almost a week later, I'm told that the engine problem has been fixed but they still need to road test it again and have the service for 15,000 done. For the meantime, I've been able to call a private driver who takes me to work and back everyday for SR25. Cheaper than renting a car. Hopefully, I'll get the car today as we've spent the whole week at home aside from the Rafael's helping us do some grocery last Saturday night in CarreFour, City Center. 06/27 Update: Got the car back and paid SR1351. They said it was a pressure gauge in the engine that they replaced.

May 29, 2006

Of Parcels, Mail Forwarding, and Buying from the Net

Since eCommerce became an option for expats (esp. in the middle east) to buy items from the US/UK and have these delivered through mail, more and more has it made using the internet more interesting at the least. Now you can surf the net and look for your favorite book not found in our local bookstore, order it and have it delivered right at your doorstep (or in our case, cubicles). I have ordered comic books, dvd's and other stuff from Amazon and got them in Saudi without any hassle. Sometimes though, you find yourself trying to buy that elusive item on the net, only to find out that the internet shop doesn't deliver outside the US or UK. The solution? A mail forwarding service which gives you an address in the US/UK so you can have anything delivered locally and forwarded to your address in Qatar.

Aramex now have a service called Shop & Ship which offers you that exact service. Basically, you have to sign up with them and pay a one-off setup fee of $35.00 ( SR127.75) to receive your address in the US/UK. Once you get the adress, you can now use that address when ordering any item that is not available for international shipping, for a service fee of course. If you're in Qatar, the first half kilo would cost you $8.00 (SR29.2) and succeeding half kilos would set you back for $5.50 (SR18.25). Let's say you ordered that glorious looking, souped-up laptop from Dell USA (with a discount voucher of $750) and have it sent here in Doha, you pay Aramex a total of $53 (SR193.45) for that 5 kilo package (probably 3k for the laptop and 2k for packing... he he he). With the savings you got by buying it in the US, shipping fee of $53 is just peanuts. You can even have them ship your stuff at a specified date so that all the items you bought can be shipped at the same time. The service is also available in Saudi and other middle east countries. About customs tax? Well, I know someone who actually did what I illustrated above by buying a laptop from Dell USA and having it delivered here and was charged tax at all. However, you can find the following on the Shop & Ship Terms and Conditions page.

Aramex is not responsible for any customs or duties incurred on any Mailbox contents. Furthermore, Aramex is not responsible for penalties, loss or damage of Mailbox contents while in possession of customs.
Hope this helps!

 

February 13, 2006

Government Hospital in Qatar

It was my first visit to the Al Hamad Women’s Hospital. It is situated in a complex, along with the Al Hamad General Hospital. First impressions: it had a big parking lot, reception was like a hotel’s. There are 3 types of rooms that you can choose from: one where 4 people share, one where 2 can share (the first two is what you can call a ward), and the private room, which they say is like a suite. I was able to see the one where 2 people can share, and it is nothing like a ward. The room was very spacious, had a big bathroom, had 2 phones, drawers and a small cabinet. I’ve been to government hospitals in the Philippines and when you say “ward”, it means that at least 10 people are placed in one big hall. What’s more amazing with the hospital is that you really don’t pay for all the medical services, tests and treatments that you get. You are only to pay for the room, that is QR100 for the double-sharing, and QR800 for the private/a night (didn’t get the price for the 4-people sharing). Opting for the room-sharing is not that bad, although I learned that males, for instance the husband, are not allowed to stay overnight. So if you have no one to take care of you but your husband or if you need more space, better choose the private room. Just don’t regret about the QR700 that you could have saved per night afterwards. Either way, you’d still be saving a lot. One catch though, cameras are not allowed during delivery, so if you’re keen about documenting your baby’s birth, then start looking for a good private hospital that allows that, cause I’ve heard that these private ones are not at par with the Al Hamad in terms of medical services and technology. I hope being a government hospital meant the same in the Philippines. Here, people don’t pay taxes and yet people, including expats benefit from the government’s general services whereas in the Philippines, the “E-VAT” has just been passed into law. I just wonder if our countrymen will ever benefit from the taxes that they’re paying for.

October 28, 2005

Computer Shops in Doha

The other week, I asked a friend of mine to take me to the building/area where shops sell computers and peripherals. I was planning to look for a WiFi card for my laptop. The area is called Sofitel area because of the Sofitel Hotel that was beside the building before. Now, the hotel is the Mercure Hotel but they still call the computer building Sofitel. The building has 2 floors full of computer shops. It is difficult to find parking in the area so if you find one 2 to 3 blocks away, better to get that parking and walk than go round and round looking a for parking near the area. Anyway, I found out that prices of most computer peripherals are quite expensive here. I guess that is true for the Middle East except for UAE as they have a duty-free port. Plus, most companies have their regional offices there. I was looking for a Wifi card for my laptop as I’m planning set up a wireless network at home once I get my ADSL connection (applied on 30/9 and got the schedule on the 8th of November… Argghhh). This means that Mavis and I can surf the net anywhere in the house without wires, that is if we use the laptops’ battery. I was able to buy a DLink DWL-G650 PCMCIA card for QR190 which is as comparable to cost in the US. Some shops were selling it between QR 200-230. The wireless router costs QR 290 which was quite high considering that it only costs between US$40-55. With most small items that you buy here, you only get limited warranty, usually 3 months. You can buy your usual stuff of web cameras, CD media, hard disks, MP3 players, networking items, laptops, desktop PCs, etc in this building. It can get real busy during the night and shops are filled with customers. If you want some high-end stuff, you can go to Jarir Bookstore near the Ramada signal as they also sell branded computers and peripherals.

October 26, 2005

Satellite TV in the Gulf

There are 2 options for expats wanting to watch their favorite television shows and programs in the Middle East. Either you pay to subscribe to a Satellite Pay-TV service of your choice or get Free-to-Air Satellite and watch shows for free. If you’re on a budget and would note necessarily need the channels you’re paying for with the packaged set, your best bet is to get someone to install a satellite dish system for you. Some apartments in Doha already have satellite dishes installed on their rooftops, provided by the owner of the building. If you don’t have it in yours, you could get someone to install the whole system along with the dish for about 600-700QR. With this, you get the dish, 3 LNBs (Hotbird, Nilesat, Arabsat – these are the only satellite available in most of the middle east), cable, and the receiver. You can go to Mergab Street near Al-Sadd (near Doha Clinic) to look for the shops that install this for you. What channels are free-to-air (you can watch them without paying for subscription)? Well, for those wanting English shows/programs, you get the Middle East channels One, MBC 2, MBC 4 (they show some old and new seasons of Gilmore Girls, Smallville, Las Vegas, Survivor, House Swap, Extreme Make Over, Oprah, Martha, Friends, etc. along with English movies). Of course, most would be repeats after a day of watching or two. For news channels, you have BBC News, CNN, and Euronews. You also get Arirang from Korea, Fashion TV, and other channels that show bits and pieces of English programming like Bahrain 55 and Alrai. However, some shops and installers sell a “special” receiver in which you can view some subscription-based programs by inputting their code through the remote of the receiver. You can get new codes, if they change, on the internet. With this, you can watch European channels like Multivision 1-6* (see below for more info on codes) showing Western movies. You also get Eurosports 1,2 and Classic. You get channels from SF DRS and TSR which shows blockbuster movies, classic movies, newer seasons of western series (Lost, Desperate Housewives, Smallville etc.). You have to select the right audio channel to hear the original English track. Some shows don’t have it so you have to settle for French, German or Swede. You also get BBC Prime but not the other BBC channels. If you’re the one who wants to pay for such, here is a rundown of paid TV services. You can visit their website for more details.

• Showtime – www.showtimearabia.comDepending on how much you really want to see some of the latest western TV series and shows, Showtime may be your answer. It might cause you an arm and a leg though! Their TOTAL PACKAGE would cost you QR2640 per year and their MOVIE PLUS for QR2388! However, it is fair to say that they have the best programming there is. They have E!, BBC Food, TV Land (24, Friends, CSI, Smallville, Alias, David Letterman, Nip/Tuck and even Desperate Housewives), Turner Classic Movies, Hallmark Channel, Disney Channel, Cartoon Network channel, etc.

• Orbit – www.orbit.net“The Orbit Satellite Television and Radio Network is the world’s first fully digital, multi-channel, multi-lingual, pay television service”. Mid-priced subscription at QR150/month for their Mega Package. They have Super Movies, Cinema City, America Plus (Everwood, Nip/tuck, cold Case, Smallville, Dead Like Me, ER, Las Vegas, Carnivale), Orbit ESPN, Disney, History Channel,etc. They have Arabic channels like Al Riyadiyah, Cinema 1, Series, Fann, Alsafwa and Alyoum. They now have a Filipino package (PinoyPlus) with syndicated shows from GMA 7, Philippines!

• Art – www.adduniverse.comThis mostly caters to Asians (India, Pakistan, etc.) as they have exclusive channels for them and they have the cheapest packages too. They have the Firstnet, Art and Pehla bouquets. I’m not sure of what they have right now since I can’t access their site so you have to see for yourself on their website.

The Filipino Channel (TFC)They provide 6 exclusive Filipino channels from ABS-CBN, a media network in the Philippines. They have News Channels, Movie Channels and general entertainment channels packaged together. It is quite expensive and even Filipinos are complaining that for 6 local channels, QR2200++/ year is not worth it. But if you really want to catch Filipino shows, this is your only option.
* Codes: For more info on codes, you can visit this forum or view the codes here. For Multivision, usually it requires a firmware/software upgrade for your receiver so check out this forum and see if your receiver supports the upgrade.

October 17, 2005

Mowasalat Update

from Gulf Times:

With only six days remaining for the launch of the country’s bus service, an official of the Mowasalat, the government’ transport company, yesterday reaffirmed that buses would hit the road on October 23 itself as announced earlier. The Mowasalat officials had announced at a press conference on September 28 that buses would run from October 23 onwards.Talking to GulfTimes yesterday, the company official said things are being worked out at a faster pace and ‘temporary’ bus stops would be built in the next few days. “Buses will run from the Main bus terminal near Alfardan Centre to both the Industrial Area and City Center from October 23,” he said. As per the present plans, while the bus number 33 would operate to the Industrial Area, bus number 76 would run to City Center. At least 10 buses would run on each of the two routes, the company officials had announced.

October 14, 2005

Car Rental, Buses and Taxis in Qatar

I’m going back to this topic as someone emailed me about it asking some more information regarding the buses that are to be seen on the roads of Doha this month. First, people are still hoping that they do get the buses running this month. Being used to the Middle East and its ways, launch and deadlines are just that. You’re lucky if the supposed to be launch date gets followed. They already moved it once so I hope they don’t move it again. But since the school buses are already going round town, I’m confident that they would launch this month. However, don’t keep your hopes up. As this is the first time that they’ll have the buses, it might get chaotic. I haven’t seen any bus stops on the road streets yet nor have they given leaflets regarding these stops and so forth. I’ll keep you posted if I get any news. Now, if you’re going to visit Qatar and would like to go around, Taxis are your best bet if you don’t want to rent your own car. 3 months ago, the cheapest day rent would be 130 rials (costs keep rising in Qatar!). Plus, if you want to rent, you need to at least have a Middle East license or an International license. Karwa taxis would cost you between 15-20 rials per trip around Doha. If you are planning to go from one shopping mall to the other, limousine service (I forgot the name of the company) is available for a flat rate of 20 rials, anywhere in Doha. You may have to wait for 5-15 minutes to get a limousine if one is not readily available. But it might be your only option for malls on the outskirts of Doha and even for City Center and The Mall. But let’s say you got a Karwa taxi to pick you up, you may ask the driver to drive you around town for an hour for about 40 rials (that was the rate asked by the driver when we had to go by taxi). Or if you’re new and want to get to work and be picked up everyday, you can ask the driver to do that for you and he’ll charge you with the rate on the meter. That was what I did when I was starting here instead of renting a car. It was just a cheaper choice although you’re not as mobile as when you have a car. We said to ourselves that we have all the time in the world to explore Qatar when we get our own car. For those who are here for a short vacation, consider renting a car or riding a taxi. I’m not to keen about the buses yet. You may also want to consider the worsening traffic when making your decision.

September 28, 2005

Buses in Qatar: Mowasalat

Finally, public transportation will be offered in Doha on October 1st with the use of Mowasalat buses. The rate for a bus ride within Doha would be 2 QR, regardless of the distance and route. Also, the bus would be divided into 2 areas; an area for women and families and an area for men only. I'm not sure though if they also have separate doors for each much like what they have in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A pass would be dispensed by the driver once you pay him as you enter the front door. You can get out using the middle door to make boarding and exiting organized instead of people bumping each other trying to get in/out of 1 door. Buses would arrive at the designated routes/stops every 20 minutes. Those in the Industrial Area and Wakra have to pay 3 rials.

They have even started offering bus services to schools a month back with their new, Aquamarine colored buses. Parents can ask the school to apply for such service to have the buses collect their children at a designated location and time.

This is good news, right? I guess it is good news for bachelors and those who don't have cars. Imagine all the money you'd be saving by paying just 2 rials instead of getting yourself a taxi each time you want to go someplace else.

For parents and children, they now have new buses to take them to their schools instead of those old ones that the school typically provides (you have to pay them a large sum for getting your kid sit in a rickety bus). The bus is air conditioned plus, each child is assigned 1 seat in which it is compulsory to make use of the seatbelt.

I have some issues with the public buses though. Doha is already congested with traffic and I'm sure the service is going to add to this. How about accidents? Will we see more accidents now that you have these humongous buses trying to get in the same lane with you?

I also read that parents have been wanting the buses to drop their children right in front of their doorsteps instead of having the children walk from the designated pick-up point. Also, how are the schools going to respond to parents wanting to have the service as the schools rake in money by offering their own buses for transport?

update: They now say that they're going to start the service on the 23rd of October

Mowasalat Buses in Qatar

Finally, public transportation will be offered in Doha on October 1st with the use of Mowasalat buses. The rate for a bus ride within Doha would be 2 QR, regardless of the distance and route. Also, the bus would be divided into 2 areas; an area for women and families and an area for men only. I'm not sure though if they also have separate doors for each much like what they have in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A pass would be dispensed by the driver once you pay him as you enter the front door. You can get out using the middle door to make boarding and exiting organized instead of people bumping each other trying to get in/out of 1 door. Buses would arrive at the designated routes/stops every 20 minutes. Those in the Industrial Area and Wakra have to pay 3 rials.

They have even started offering bus services to schools a month back with their new, Aquamarine colored buses. Parents can ask the school to apply for such service to have the buses collect their children at a designated location and time.

This is good news, right? I guess it is good news for bachelors and those who don't have cars. Imagine all the money you'd be saving by paying just 2 rials instead of getting yourself a taxi each time you want to go someplace else.

For parents and children, they now have new buses to take them to their schools instead of those old ones that the school typically provides (you have to pay them a large sum for getting your kid sit in a rickety bus). The bus is air conditioned plus, each child is assigned 1 seat in which it is compulsory to make use of the seatbelt.

I have some issues with the public buses though. Doha is already congested with traffic and I'm sure the service is going to add to this. How about accidents? Will we see more accidents now that you have these humongous buses trying to get in the same lane with you?

I also read that parents have been wanting the buses to drop their children right in front of their doorsteps instead of having the children walk from the designated pick-up point. Also, how are the schools going to respond to parents wanting to have the service as the schools rake in money by offering their own buses for transport?

update: They now say that they're going to start the service on the 23rd of October

September 23, 2005

4700 Rials for a Flat in Qatar

We're currently living in a 2 bedroom flat in the Old Airport Area. We're renting it for 4700QR. It's fairly ok, much bigger than the one we were renting in Bahrain. We were already able to buy most of the furniture through our own funds as our furnishing allowance would only be handed once I get confirmed with work (which I already have the papers signed for by my Manager!). I gave Mavis a budget for the items that we needed for the house so she took care of what items to buy which would fit that budget. We were actually lucky that when we were buying our stuff, shops were having their sale because of the Qatar Summer Festival. We got most of our furniture in Home Center and our applicances in Lulu Hypermarket, Electronics section. The only thing missing is a sofa set, which we ordered from IDdesign and hopefully would be delivered by the 1st week of October. Appliances cost are ok. A bit more expensive than Bahrain or Saudi. Again, nothing can beat Saudi when it comes to cost of products (grocery, food, appliances). I think only Dubai has lower prices when it comes to electronics. One funny incident: We were supposed to pick up a lamp we ordered in Home Center but there were no parking space. So I told Mavis to just pick it up while Xiane and I wait for her in the car. 30 minutes passed as she wasn't yet going out and there there still no parking space. After a while, she did come out, holding 2 big plastic bags full of kitchen items, decors, candles, etc! A man was behind her carrying the lamp in a box. I was just shaking my head as I opened the back of the car to accomodate the items and telling her that I thought we were there to just pick up the lamp.Women. Just leave them alone in a shop and next thing you know, you'll have them carrying half of the items displayed on the shop. Anyway, it was her budget so I really can't complain about it;)

August 26, 2005

Qtel, Landline, Internet, Blogging

Qtel is the exclusive telecommunication provider in Qatar and is owned by the government. Without a Residence Permit (RP), an expat would not be able to apply for a landline in Qatar. Even with the RP itself and applying, it takes about 2-3 weeks before they do get to your house to install the line. Landline subscription costs 100 rials every 3 months. You can then purchase Ebhar (prepaid internet cards) cards so you could access the net. The dial-up connection is supposed to give you about a 56k connection but in actuality, I can only get around 31Kb download
speed, as what my connection states (I'm sure it is less). I hope to apply for ADSL connection but I'm having 2nd thoughts about it at the moment. The ADSL would cost me QR200/month. If I apply and subscribe for a 1-year account, the ADSL modem and installation fees are waived. The speed is stated at 512kb download, 128kb upload, limitless monthly bandwidth, and 24/7 connectivity. However, the only thing that bothers me about this is that I can't have the subscription stopped even when I'm not in the country for my yearly vacation. Well, I lose QR400 a year for the subscription but I'd rather have the ADSL instead of the very slow dial-up, which would get me paying more than 200/month, as the hourly rate for the dialup is QR4. If I use the net for at least 3 hours a day for 30 days, that would be cost me QR360/month. That also means I have to surf with 31kb speed which then triple the amount of time I need to get things done. So, what I need to do is send an email to QTEL, and propose that they offer at least one month free for every yearly subscription! But let's see how it turns out. Otherwise, I could go to an Internet café, spend 5QR per hour and have ADSL connection….or I could settle with Ebhar.

June 29, 2005

Qatar: Preview

We’ve just stayed for 4 days in Qatar and here are my impressions and comparisons to Saudi and Bahrain.
1.) It is a progressing country. It’s not there yet but fast to achieving a status like Dubai. Give it 3-4 more years. The Asian Games is to be held here next year. They already hold professional sports events for golf, tennis, regatta sailing and more. There are a lot of buildings being built. They hold international conferences and delegations a lot. It has the highest per capita income in the world. Saudi will never achieve what Qatar has the potential to achieve as it is restricted by its strict religion and culture. As of now, even Saudi’s economy is stagnant although they have the most oil in the middle east. Bahrain, as the most “open” country of the lot, is doing quite well. A lot of multinational companies are moving their offices there because less operating costs and less traffic than Dubai. But it is a small country that’s why they are reclaiming like crazy.

2.) Public Transportation needs a lot of attention. Karwa taxis will ask you to wait for at least 20 minutes (usually an hour) before they can fetch you or worse, they will never come. They need to increase the number of their fleet soon. Old taxis are really OLD. You’ll have to bear with the smell and condition of the taxi itself. There are no buses available. This forces you to buy a car. In Saudi, you have a lot of available taxis. Some areas have buses. The same goes for Bahrain. Driving wise, Saudis are the worst, Qataris are much better than Saudis, while Bahrainis have educated drivers.

3) Housing is becoming a big issue. As the government can’t control it, owners are having a field day increasing the rental rates for flats, villas and compounds. The minimum you could get, as I’ve heard from people already looking for 2 bedroom flats, is about 4,500 QR per month. A decent compound will cost you for about 12,000 QR minimum. A Villa could cost up to 20,000 – 35,000 a month! Wow, that is a lot. You can get a 2 bedroom flat in Saudi for 10,000 SR a year, a compound/villa for 45,000- 65,000 SR a year, high-end villas for 80,000 SR upwards. In Bahrain, a two bedroom flat would cost you 150 BD (1500SR) to a fully furnished flat of 360 BD upwards a month. A compound/villa would cost you 500 BD upwards.

Will add more as the days pass.

May 17, 2005

Here We Come Qatar!

I decided not to post anything on my blog since the last time I updated it because of a reason. The title says it all. Qatar, here we come! I didn't want to spoil anything by blogging about the things that has been happening as it might affect the outcome of my resignation from my company and hiring from the new company I'm joining. I have been enjoying life in Bahrain, no doubt. I think you'll enjoy life anywhere else but Saudi. He he he. But really, when Mavis and I decided to move to Bahrain, it wasn't about the money. I was offered much less than what I was getting in Aramco. Aramco even upped the contract to increase the salary I was getting but I was already decided. We chose to go to Bahrain because we wanted to live a life with a bit of normalcy in a sense. Being an "open city", Bahrain actually gives you that feeling. We were able to take strolls outside the house, go to the mall and eat out without anybody staring at us, we can stay close with each other while walking, people are friendlier and a lot of them can speak English... all that stuff and more which you can't find in Saudi. Work is also great. The team is great! I've been the lead project leader for the upgrade of the company's internet site while also maintaining the current one. I have two (2) very competent guys in our team who needs little assistance with the jobs being delegated. Colleagues are great and Management has supported and listened to our needs since day 1. Then, I received an email and a phone call. I wasn't really that excited about it at first as I love my job and moving is very tiring. We've just been here for three (3) months. But Mavis pushed me to go have a look at it and see if it's something worth giving attention to. So off I went to Qatar, did medical exams and attended 7 interviews (more details in my next blog), all in one day! I got the offer, talked to Mavis about it, sat on it, slept on it, talked about it even more and decided. We are moving to Qatar.