So You’re Moving to Qatar… (Part One)

Getting Ready to Go.


No doubt, if you recently got a job in Qatar, one of your first questions is “What do I need to do now?”  In a series of posts, I will go through some of the essentials.  The length of some of these posts might appear a bit daunting, but these processes are convoluted and attention to details is a must.

One source of comfort, your company will tell you what all you need to do.  It’s always a good idea to simply ask someone either in the organization’s human resources department or your new supervisor any questions regarding a move.  For the most part, your relation to the Qatari Government will be conducted through your employer.  Visa papers, residency permits, driver’s licenses, etc. are pretty much all handled by the people one work’s for.

First, and most essential, make sure a passport is ready to go.  That should be a given.  A personal suggestion would be to update it as soon as possible so that it will not expire while abroad.  That would be a major inconvenience (and one I would not know how to deal with, but know I would not want to deal with).

The next post will look at some of the documents one needs in moving to Qatar, and Part Three of "Moving to Qatar..." will discuss a few other necessities, as well as what is not necessary in relocating.

So I Moved to Doha...

Adventures begin many ways.  Mine started in May 2013, looking for a full-time college instructor position back in Texas.  Houston Community College sat near the top of my list.  A lot of my old college friends live there, and I like the area alright, so it seemed like a good place to try.  Houston did, indeed, have a couple of spots open; but an instructor position at the Community College of Qatar caught my eye.  I had never really considered living and working overseas, but the post caught my attention.  In exchanging a series of e-mails with the Humanities Department chair, I found that it was a fantastic opportunity, and so an application was made.  Everything progressed well into June.  Unfortunately, HCC/CCQ’s Human resources department did not getting moving fast enough.  I have heard that nothing gets done during Ramadan in Qatar (a discussion for a future post), and Islam’s sacred month fell in July-August.  So while they wanted to offer the job, the vagaries of government meant that the visa and work permit documentation would not see completion before the fall semester began.  So, I resumed my old job as an adjunct instructor and high school teacher when the new academic year began.

Then, one day in October, it occurred to me that if they were unable to hire me in the summer, that might mean they were unable to hire anyone for the position.  Still looking for new career opportunities, I reached out to the department chair at the college in Qatar and let him know I was still interested if they were still looking.  That time, everything came together perfectly.  The College still needed a new History instructor who could start in January.  I went for it.

The fairly smooth hiring process proved tedious and, at times, frustrating – sending scans of documents, re-sending them to someone else, interviews, lots of waiting, spending over $100 to mail the signed offer of employment over to Doha, etc.  But by the first week of December, the process was complete and the Community College of Qatar took me on as its newest Instructor of American History.In the meantime, I made one of the best decisions on how to approach the pending new life: I studied.  I found every online and print resource I could to learn about Qatar, the city of Doha, Arab and Qatari culture (they are different in many respects), what it would be like living in another part of the world.  There is a decent amount of information out there – some good, some misleading.  To anyone considering a move from the United States (or any other Western nation), know what you are getting into.  While things are not so shockingly dissimilar that adapting is particularly hard, this is definitely not America or Europe.  Cultural norms, social institutions, the functions and roles of government…Qatar has its own unique style.

Doha City Skyline

One might think, “Well duh, of course it’s different, why would I expect it to be like [insert your home nation here]?”  If your first thought follows along that line, then you are on the right track.

When I moved to Doha two months ago, I came with a modest but decent understanding of the country and its people and generally what to (or, in many cases, not to) expect.  My new employers were even impressed when they saw how well I handled this wholly new (to me) world.  I say that to present the “I’ve been there before” story so that it might help you have as excellent an experience as I have had, and continue to have.

And so I am putting together this blog.  There is a lot of information out there about moving overseas (Qatar, in this case).  The goal here will be to convey the best about what someone can expect moving to Qatar, and living here.  It’s a fascinating place.  I sincerely hope you will be able to enjoy it as much as I am.

Feel free to post comments and questions.  This site exists for you.