Again, we talk about Doha, in Qatar, this time on M6 in the show Zone interdite. We follow several French expatriates like this 5 member family and a Qatar Radio journalist. If most of the commentaries are true with what i could see there, i regret that this country is always shown from the same point of view: brightful success, jobs in sight – the one works for Al Jazeera children and the other is a journalist, big villas, big cars, prestigious seeings, etc. Not a word about most of the expatriates from Asia who are employees, workers, servants…

A report about Doha on M6

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See the show on M6replay.

I thus had the occasion, during my reading of the qatari blogosphere, to learn about the kafkaesque story of this belgian citizen to who his sponsor holds back his exit permit. For several months, he has been condemned to have shelter at his embassy, hopeless about the day he could return back home where his wife and two children are waiting for him!

Beyond the facts and who is right and who is wrong, i am stunned to see that a country allows a single person the power to hold another person back against his will.

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Philippe Bogaert’s blog.

Yesterday evening, on Thursday, France 2 has broadcast during the show Envoyé Spécial, a report titled “Qatar, le nouvel Eldorado des beurs” (Qatar, the new Eldorado for young people from Maghreb – the translation is not exact, the word “beur” has been used for people born in France whose parents were born in Maghreb). Obviously, now, i will see reports and documentary movies on that country in a new light, the one of a ex expatriate who has lived for a year there.

I have had the occasion to write about a documentary movie broadcast last June. I have regret that only one side of the country has been shown, that is, the development projects, luxury and success. That is unfortunately what i regret about this report!

Without taking off anything from the success and the value of the people shown by the reporters, i find it is a shame to hide all or part of the truth: not all the expatriates in Qatar are very well paid managers, living in very big and luxurious apartments, driving BMW… When you live there, you quickly notice that in many occasions!

I wish that, shortly, we dare to show what has not been shown: the other side of the scene, the life of most expatriates in Qatar.

I have written before about the climatic conditions and the general environment of Qatar, i must say i was relieved and nicely surprised when autumn showed up, at the end of october. The temperatures have come down under 30°C and the wind has made the sun and the heat bearable. It was the ideal moment to enjoy the few shaded places of the city (park, corniche, hotel’s terrace at night…) and go for one-day hikes in the country.

This was the occasion to discover the few qatari heritage attractions. I work in the heritage and cultural area and appreciate personally to discover and visit the places and buildings of a country’s or city’s history, i threw myself after the few listed places on the Heritage of Qatar‘s website. They are well indicated on the website (GPS coordinates, useful to locate the exact place, on Google Earth in particular) but not on the spot where there is no signpost. Some places are well preserved and restored (the Zubarah Fort, the Barzan Towers) but all lack a cruel highlighting – except for the very crowded places (the Souq Waqif, the Doha museum of islamic arts). The money somehow is not missing but it is not used to highlight the few heritage pieces that, even if they are recent or seem a little bit cheaper than projects such as the artificial island of The Pearl or the West Bay area, constitue for ever pieces of the collective memory of the Qataris. In France, in the small towns, we learn to preserve these places and buildings even if they do not look like Versailles or Vaux-le-Vicomte.

One thing among others struck me particularly – probably more than before because i have become a mother, it is the fact that, in cars, children are not seated in child seat nor have fastened their seat belts. Somehow there are a lot of equipment for young children shops. In matter of precaution and safety, we do not miss information, with the internet, the television, the radio and the newspapers or mobile phones, but children go back and forth in cars at full speed on the city’s main roads, or sit on adults’ lap – who did fasten their seat belts. I must admit i do not understand this, knowing that there are a lot of traffic accident here.

During this year, i have had many times the occasion to watch certains things about the expatriates, women and men, from Asia (India, Philippines, Malaysia) or Esat Africa and their consideration by the Qataris or expatriates from Middle East or Western countries. I cannot describe all that is happening, only what i saw and heard. I saw, several times, an Asian man, alone, turned away from the Villaggio mall entrance, on a Friday, while a Qatari man, alone, was coming inside without a problem, people whistle to Asian employees to call them, Asian women employed by Qatari famillies, dressed in stripes pyjamas – compulsory clothes given by the family, or carrying around the big bags of shopping, or an Indian married couple not living together because the husband was the firm’s general manager’s employee while his wife was the firm’s general manager’s wife’s personal employee, Asian salesmen or women to whom people speaks with contempt and condescension. While visiting apartments, we noticed that certain flats had a room for the house keeper or the maid or sometimes a room without windows which could hardly have a bed, located behind the kitchen and before the laundry. Last November, a draft law about domestic workers was discussed to allow them, among other things, a monthly salary, a contribution to their health expenses and the right to not be imposed a work against their dignity. And i do not write about the working and living conditions of the building sites’ workers, outside with 45-50°C and 90% of humidity rate, in summer, breathing the dust…

I leave Qatar thinking that this year of expatriation made me learn a lot of things, on myself and up to which point i can adapt to another country and another way of living. I know the chance i have to be born and to live in France. I know that nothing is perfect there, i just feel better there.

The road to the Zubarah Fort

I publish an ad on Qatar Living, with all the details, a picture, the price we ask and our coordinates. The first calls and emails come quickly, cars seem to be a in demand and attractive product here.

Straightaway, people ask uw our last price. That is surprising for us because we are rather the kind to wait for an offer and say if yes or no the price suits us and if not, we lower our price. A new offer could suit us. If not,we lower our price again and so on.

Several persons show their interest, only one seems serious about his solvency. Unfortunately, one week after we agreed on the price, he tells us he did not get the money.

We put the ad back on and as soon as the day after, we find a serious and solvent buyer. He wishes however for a complete checkup of the car at the garage, having had before bad surprises with an heavily damaged car. Here, in Qatar, cars encounter bumps or accident, that can cause damages later and discourage the buyers.

My husband accompanies him all day for the checkups he asked for then they meet the day after at the bank for the payment then to the police department, with the required documents for a car sale: road permit, ID card, driving licenses, passports ans resident visas, non objection letter from the buyer’s sponsor, form in arabic on which is written that the sponsor allows the buyer to register his new car. There, the non objection letter can be written, in exchange of a payment, by an arabic speaker in a small office net to the police department.

The sale done and the money transfered to our account in France, we realize that, thanks to the change rate between Euro and Riyal, we could almost have sold our car more expensive than the price we bought it, although we lost 23000 Riyals (about 4900 Euros) from the purchase price.

The entrance of the Doha museum of islamic arts

The Doha museum of islamic arts, unveiled on last December 1st, was designed by Ieoh Ming Pei, the architect who previously designed, among other things, the Louvre pyramid. I.M. Pei says he has been inspired by Ahmad Ibn Tulun mosque in Cairo (Egypt).

My husband and i went there several times, as much for the exterior as for the interiors. The entrance is free, we can go with young children.

There are two floors for the permanent collections, a large room for temporary exhibitions, a cafeteria corner for people to drink or eat and a gift shop. An aisle shelters the research library.

Cafeteria corner, the big window and the view on West Bay

The work of art come mostly from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Egypt and India. I particularly liked the pieces from Iran and India. Below, are some of my favourites ones.

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Coordinates: 25°17’43.81″N 51°32’20.87″E.
See the museum’s official website.

It is a large green space for a walk or to spend time with family, but, i do not find in it the attraction the Rumeilah park has, near the Corniche, with its pools and its view on the bay.

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Coordinates: 25°15’38.41″N 51°26’8.95″E.
Images of the park on Flickr.

In Qatar, you can see several days before and several days after December 18th small flags on the cars, in the hands or on the faces. There are feasts all day until night: military parade, water and light works and fireworks.

It is National Day!

The Qatar has been celebrating its independance every year on September 3rd since 1971. December 18th has been chosen in 2007 as Qatar National Day in honour of Cheikh Jassem bin Mohamed bin Thani, foundler of the State of Qatar, on Decembre 18th, 1878.

In every case, you will have to get a police report, on the spot and without moving any car(s) if it is a serious accident or in one of the traffic department office of the city, the nearest one from the accident spot. In our case, the CR-V front bumper was hit by a piece of tyre or metal projected by a car, driving from the opposite direction on one of the main roads exiting Doha. No witness (cars driving at 100 km/h on an express road), no responsible, no victim and no traffic department office around…

Several days later, we go to the traffic department office, near the express road entrance, to get the police report. After a certain time, my husband comes back with the report and tells me we need to come back the day after, to get the administrative and fiscal part of the report. The second time seems to be the last, he comes back with two sheets of paper entirely written in arabic (not easy for those who do not read it).

Some time later, i go to the Honda repairer, with the police report and the road permit and the insurance certificate. There, i learn that the police report is incomplete – there are a signing and a stamp missing on the second sheet! and that i need to go to the insurance office to file a claim and come back then with a certificate to start the repair.

The day after, i come back to the traffic department office. Out of four police officers, only one speaks English and says that i need to buy tax stamps in order that he can stamp them and sign… I do so and ask why my husband was not told so the first time?

Then, i go to the insurance office, in the middle of the building sites and the dust, i reverse in a car park quite far,hoping that no one will scratch the car when driving along while i will be at the insurance office (that would beat everything!). At the traffic accident office, there are only men waiting… and piles of white and pink files, some up to the ceiling – what can make shudder the archivist in me! I have Iris in my arms, so i am pushed first, a qatari man behind his desk opens a pink file, asks for copies of the police report, insurance certificate and the road permit and takes me to another insurance company man who is in charge of taking pictures of the car and signing the certificate for the repair. We come back to the car, he takes pictures and gives me back the paper.

Check-up: one unexpected projectile, three half-days of administrative procedure before going for the repair…

Last evening, the muezzins called differently to the prayer and also early this morning. Three days are not worked and everyone is celebrating. It is also nearly time for the holidays, Christmas and the new year, shops and malls are decorated in this way…

Eid Mubarak and Happy Holidays!