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Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

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Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

Living overseas

Doha

61 replies

OhSoTotallyLost · 10/10/2017 19:37

Husband has another job possibility near Doha and we’re currently trying to decide whether to progress it any further. We have two children, one who would start school next September. Does anyone have any positive/negatives/advice they could give? How easy is it to get a place in schools and are there nurseries?

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2014newme · 10/10/2017 19:39

It's the hottest place in earth this week according to the radio!

habibihabibi · 10/10/2017 19:58

Nurseries are plentiful but only take children till their 4th birthday.
Then they go to school if not before. Applications open for the FS1 (3 turning 4 classes) in the major British schools in January. They ask for a nursery report and children do an informal, let's see if we can understand/control this kid, assessment .
Check out Doha English Speaking School and Doha College .They are both embassy sponsored and not for profit .
There websites will give you all the information on entry procedures and if rheu have vacancies .

WineBeforeCake · 11/10/2017 15:18

Don’t know, but it’s a place we’re considering.

If we go though, our kids (or at least the older one) would stay in the UK 😔

Are there any other options you are considering? I know that part of the world fairly well.

OhSoTotallyLost · 11/10/2017 19:22

Thanks for the replies. I’ve been warned about the heat! Oman was an option a while ago (not in muscat though) but I don’t think that’s going to happen anymore.

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WineBeforeCake · 11/10/2017 21:05

Oman is AMAZING! And I’d love to go there. I spent most weekends there recently.

Seriously though, you really just adapt to the heat. Don’t worry about it. Your blood thins in a couple of months and then you just find it normal. And kids find it easy.

My children turned the seat heaters on in the car when the temperature dropped to 16 degrees 😂😂😂

HyacinthBooquet · 12/10/2017 06:55

Oman was an option a while ago (not in muscat though) but I don’t think that’s going to happen anymore

Thats a great shame because there is nowhere in the ME like it. Its fabulous.

ThePeanutGallery · 12/10/2017 07:09

Oman is great, but if it's not near Muscat I'm not sure it would be that great. Rural Oman is very different to Muscat.

Doha is lovely. Great community environment. However the current crisis in the GCC means that you won't be able to pop over to any neighboring countries and you might find that prices are over-inflated.

HyacinthBooquet · 12/10/2017 07:27

Oman is great, but if it's not near Muscat I'm not sure it would be that great. Rural Oman is very different to Muscat

Salalah and Sohar both have significant expat populations, as does Nizwa because of the University. Masirah and Thumrait also have expat populations within the military community.

Apart from those places Im not really sure why expats would be out in the rural community and in the many decades Ive been here I can't recall meeting people who have been.

PrimalLass · 12/10/2017 07:38

Check out Doha English Speaking School and Doha College .They are both embassy sponsored and not for profit

My brothers were to these schools. They did well enough, but probably not as well as they would have done at a UK private school.

I loved Doha but it is all very different now. The traffic is awful.

ThePeanutGallery · 12/10/2017 08:05

Not sure I'd choose Sohar over Doha. Spent a few days there and have never been more bored.

OhSoTotallyLost · 12/10/2017 19:00

It wasn’t in any of the places you’ve listed in Oman! I keep reading about the driving:traffic in Doha and I hate driving here so that’s making me nervous already!

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BusterGonad · 12/10/2017 19:14

Qatar is incredibly boring and the driving is nuts, who'd have thought that a round about could be so baffling?!
If you shopping shopping malls with over inflated prices and no choice you're love Qatar!
I lived there for 2 years, came back in June this year and I'd never go back.

BusterGonad · 12/10/2017 19:15

Also there was no community spirit when I was there.

BusterGonad · 12/10/2017 19:22

My biggest concern was how excited everyone was for Bryan Adams to be playing (in Dubai) I knew there and then that if you stay too long you're fucked! Lol

PrimalLass · 12/10/2017 21:32

My parents moved there in 1995 when it was just a wee town. Hardly any malls (the Center and another one I can't remember), only the Sheraton and the Ramada really for entertainment, and no traffic. It changed so much in the 15 years they were there.

HyacinthBooquet · 13/10/2017 05:48

It wasn’t in any of the places you’ve listed in Oman!

Ah ok, I think I know where it was. I had forgotten about that particular place.

If you ever get another chance to come to Oman its lovely.

HyacinthBooquet · 13/10/2017 05:51

My biggest concern was how excited everyone was for Bryan Adams to be playing (in Dubai) I knew there and then that if you stay too long you're fucked! Lol

I can still vividly how excited I was years ago when I heard Blue was coming to Dubai.

Oh and I still check the Robbie Williams fan page every month to see when he's coming to Abu Dhabi again.

HyacinthBooquet · 13/10/2017 06:16

I keep reading about the driving:traffic in Doha and I hate driving here so that’s making me nervous already

Honestly, you'll soon get in to the swing of it and its never nearly as bad as what you've read.

habibihabibi · 13/10/2017 12:49

Only boring people get bored.
There is loads to do in Qatar.
It's just sometimes very hot doing it.

LurksNoLonger · 13/10/2017 19:37

We're leaving after three and a half years. It's been okay (not terrible, but not amazing either) but the heat is a killer and if you love greenery and outdoorsy pursuits you will get frustrated. Malls, pools and brunches do wear thin surprisingly quickly and I yearn for little things like a wider selection of fresh food (most is imported - though that is slowly changing) and toys for the children (we bring all bday/Xmas presents back after the summer for the year). One thing that was quite telling when we arrived was I brought a copy of Time Out with the Top Ten things to do in Doha and at number one (I kid you not) was "get a plane somewhere else" 😂😂

LurksNoLonger · 13/10/2017 19:42

Definitely Oman over Doha if you get the choice BTW - far more beautiful and the people there are so warm, friendly and welcoming.

OhSoTotallyLost · 13/10/2017 20:04

Haha! Yes well getting A plane somewhere else would have been one of the things I would have been looking forward to but I guess that’s more difficult with the current situation. I’m not sure what other options there will be anymore but should find out within the next month or so. I’m thinking maybe a holiday to Muscat whatever happens at some point though as no one seems to have a bad thing to say about it!

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BusterGonad · 14/10/2017 10:42

Only boring people get bored. Ha ha. I used to think that until I moved to Qatar!

MamaDuckling · 14/10/2017 12:30

Honestly, it's fine.... easy to make friends and therein lies your fun; a social life!

Samibaby · 29/10/2017 01:03

Any experience of Doha British School.
Thanks guys

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