Anyone who regularly reads our website will notice that we
have been posting increasing numbers of positions in
Qatar, specifically in
Doha, for the soon-to-be-opened Sidra
Medical & Research Centre and at the Hamad
Medical Corporation. I thought I would answer some of
the more practical/common questions.
Can women drive in Qatar?
Yes, women are allowed to drive. The streets are, however,
crowded with large, fancy cars, and personally, being a
walker, I would, as soon as possible, accommodate myself to
the heat and walk wherever possible. (It's also good for the
abs and the derriere.)
What if I don’t want to drive?
If you don't want to buy or to rent or lease a car (which
can run between about US$700 to US$1,300/month), you can
hire a driver (who will take you all over town for about
US$7/hour, plus gas). There are also local taxis, and Sidra
and Hamad have shuttle bus service between the hospital and
housing.
What is there to do in Qatar?
Qatar is becoming a tourist destination. Activities range from music
and theatre, to museums, to sports (golf,
running, biking,
tennis, horseback riding, and hiking), to sailing, to
shopping. For more information, Creating Memories in Qatar
- A Guide to Recreation in
Qatar.
Are there Western colleges in Qatar?
Yes. Education City
and its environs are home to Virginia Commonwealth
University School of the Arts in Qatar, Weill Cornell
Medical College in Qatar, Texas A&M University at Qatar,
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Georgetown University
School of Foreign Service in Qatar, University of Calgary in
Qatar, and the College of the North Atlantic in Qatar. For
more information, see International Universities in
Qatar.
What should I wear?
Qatar is hot and dry to moderately humid for most of the
year, with occasional days of very high humidity. Women do
not have to wear an
abaya or cover their hair.
However, out of respect for the local Muslim culture, in
public one should not wear revealing garments, such as
tank tops and short-shorts.
Are there churches for Christians?
Yes. In 2005, an agreement was signed by representatives of
several denominations for a long-term lease on land on the
outskirts of Doha, where the denominations could erect six
churches (at the churches' expense). The property includes a
Catholic
church, an Anglican Church, an Interdenominational Christian Church, a
Coptic Christian Church, a Greek Orthodox
Church, and a Syrian Orthodox
church.
Can I buy alcohol in Qatar?
Only non-Muslim expatriates with a liquor license can buy
alcohol at the one retail outlet, and alcohol is strictly
controlled. Hotels do, however, sell alcohol and, on the
Pearl, restaurants sell
alcohol, and there is even a pavement cafe atmosphere there
where diners can consume alcohol in the open air.
Can I buy prescription medications over-the-counter in Qatar, like in Saudi Arabia?
Yes, with the exception of narcotics.
For more Qatar FAQs, see:
Want to read more letters?
Visit our page Letters from Helen
Ziegler.
