Ask Qatar Living: What is life like in Qatar for Singles?

Marinos, that's a pretty broad question. Jobs in Qatar range from manual labour to Executive Director...do you want to provide more details?

If you get a good job it's a great idea. Qatar is tax free (let me say that again, there is no tax here!) and very safe.

You'll be fine with English - in fact, most people don't speak Arabic here (expatriates outnumber locals by approx 8 to 1).

Well, honestly field hockey is almost non-existant here. But if you're dad was to take a course in football (soccer) training and combine that with all expertise as a coach in a team sport, I think he'll do very well here considering that coaches are being given millions to come and work here. Even if you're father is not a world class coach, he should get a fraction of those millions which is still a pretty good salary!

wooowwww,
Maaaaaaan, you really are desperate and frustrated.
Well, I'm sorry you feel this way, you actually brought up too many issues that i don't even know where to start,but let me take it point by point.
First let me appreciate that you finally agree with me that you like the idea of meeting women through decent behaviour,this is an indication that you are a decent man which i suppose you really are.
I was once in your situation man, i moved to a totally open culture which is totally different than mine when i went to the US for postgrad studies, it took me a lot of time to cope and get aquainted with the cultural difference.
You have adrown a picture of the Qatari community as a bunch of filthy rich people who are hippocrates,they do the opposite of what they say.
you criticized it too much that you made me wonder, what kind of man could still live in such a community,if you think it's too trashy,why are you still here???!!!!!!!
First let me ask you what could be wrong with importing expatriates and paying them high salaries to do the job??? If they didn't do that you wouldn't be here in the first place, so you shouldn't resent the way you make your living.
Second, who told you there is any imbalance between the number of men and the number of men in this community??, take off your shades dude and take a look around, or get real newspapers and read real books you will find that the ratio of men to women in Qatar is 1:4 ,I suggest you refer to human development reports by UN,so it's not numbers that are problem,please reconsider.
and please don't tell me you are talking about available women,you should know better,all women are available if you take the right approach,and in this country DECENCY is the one of choice.
I don't know why you were so offended by talking about DECENCY, this is not personal, we were just arguing,and mentioning the army and calling me "sister" makes me wonder what kind of bad experience you must have had with armies ;) !!!!
Answering to your question whether or not i can see the men "jetting off" to Bahrain and Dubai,yes i can see,but why is it necessarilly a bad thing?? The fact that you can't find ANYTHING decent to go for in those countries shows that you have a problem, i suggest that you go for yourself and see,there are many good things to do in those countries other than what you are suggesting.
Finally,please let's just cut off the furey,either you like this country,then live and respect this community,or you don't like it,then just leave it and find somewhere else that suits your ambitions...although i hope you just give it a little more time,i'm sure you will not resent it as much as you do now,but just don't be prejudiced.
I agree that moving to a new community and a new culture is not an easy thing,but instead of moving around trying to find things to criticise,just give it a chance,make friends....Man there must be someone good in this community,not all arabs are filthy rich people bying expatriates to do their jobs,may be some arabic countries import expatriates like you and me who are experienced and proffessional to give them experience and help them learn how to build a country,so either help them or don't,but just show them the respect they deserve.
In the end i would like you to know that i am not a Qatari,i am an Egyptian dentist who just moved here not long ago,but i have come to contact with so many people during my job at HMC and i have come to close contact with Qataries and i touched how kind these people are,they are just so kind,I've seen so many nationalities and met people from all around the world,these people here are so natural and kind and respectful.
Good luck brother and i hope i didn't offend you by any means,my intentions were good and hope you make good friends who can show you the good side of this community.

By the way dentist....here are the stats on Qatar's population. Certainly not 1:4 males to females in the age group that counts.

0-14 years: 23.7% (male 104,453/female 100,295)
15-64 years: 72.9% (male 437,118/female 191,830)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 21,599/female 7,756) (2005 est.)

From CIA website at http://www.cia.gov/c...

DUDES! I have lived in Qatar for 15 years and I gotta tell ya.... "THIS PLACE SUCKS!!!" in every aspect.. in every way. Financially , Socially.. in every way. If you are an expat here dont expect to have the same life(freedom) you had in your own country.
If you wanna come into an inch of commiting suicide.. Live in Qatar..

To start a business you need an sponsor (kafeel) to work you need a kafeel to get your ass outta here you need a kafeel. As far as ladies go .. you can only take them to restraunts and bars that have a different entrance and seating that says " FOR LADIES " on the top.

I went to HAMAD HOSPITAL a few days back and I know it is not a place to take ur girl.. but just to show you how "DECENT" this society is, they had everything and a TELEPHONE with a board that said "for ladies" on top....:)

One last thing if someone thinks this place is so "DECENT" how come a girl cant walk in an empty street here.. or even in a full street wothout having a QATARI stoping his car beside her?? not an expat(they are too afraid to breathe even) a QATARI.

It's ironic that the western people accuse arabs of mistreating their women yet they criticize them for giving women extra care at public places to ensure they have the respect they deserve.
May be you should go take your girl to the US where she will have to go work at McDonalds during high school so she can pay for her bills,stop bitching at your own life and think positive,you are living in one of the safest places on earth,and if you don't think this is safe enough then i suggest you try Nepton,I heard a woman can walk there very safely.

YO! YO! YO! stop dissin me..
btw "COWS"????? ... QATAR???? ... wats up with you guys??
who ever says Qatars a great place to live in, and may I quote my firend here .. "city is clean not too crowded etc etc" .. you gotta be comin from a really really dirty place.. or be serving a sentence in the big house in your own country.

You obviously havnt been in a cue of people here in offices.. just try and do some of the paper work here. and you will know what im talikn about.

btw .. if any of you want to buy real cheap cds .. contact me at proudtobeaterrorist/-a-t-/hotmail.com :)

I agree, if you don't like it you go.
I'm leaving in feb 07, till there, we are stuck.

Clean? You should go where I live, it stinks!!!!

Ahhhh! Xena, I just find your love-story soo charming and adventorus! I'm a romantic at heart, really. You see, with my husband it was all the classic " boy meets girl- girl falls in love with boy - girl runs after boy - boy panics and gives in" kind of thing...

Anyways, when the time comes, let us know about your story's happy ending.

x butterfly

Hey Butterfly and Dentist..... thank you for your responses..... yes Butterfly... it is very romantic the way things have played out..... will keep you posted as to when I eventually will be winging my way to Qatar..... between you, me and the rest of the gang online.... Hopefully it will be within the next year.... This seperation is killing me.....

Dentist.... Please don't get me wrong.... I was not being patronizing in my observation of there being no female "opportunity" in Qatar and I realise that online relationships do happen all over the world, but I have been to Qatar, and as an outsider, did mark the distinct lack of women in the country, and those I did have the fortune to meet were all married..... so what is a boy to do?

I would never ever call anyone who met on line "losers".... infact it wonderful that this is a new way of meeting people, cause your scope to meet your partner has broadened considerably...... as I mentioned I was not online to meet anyone... but to build friendships....... the fact that this one turned out as more, was a real surprise I think to both of us......

Forget about the men having a hard time trying to find women. I am sorry to say this, but the single men here are slime. Sure, there are a few decent ones, but they seem to be hiding. I've lived all over the place and never have I found so a lowly a group of underserving, dishonest, sleazy jerks congregated into such a small area. Be very wary of all you meet, ladies, and keep your guard up.