Possible move to qatar

I cannot recommend DESS enough - amazing school!

"I would also suggest that negativity breeds negativity. I know of some people who are miserable, and they hang out with people who are also miserable, and while they are together all they do is gripe and complain. It's almost like they are engaged in a secret contest of "who can have the worst day/experience." YES, by all means avoid these people! Keep an open mind and remember that your experience in Doha is what you make of it :)

I would caution people about dismissing the experiences of some people just because you think they are being too positive. We all have our own experiences here in Qatar. Some of us have had experiences which are very positive, and some people have experiences that are negative. The same occurs in any city in the world at any time. I have been here for 7 years, and I love living here. The only negative experience I have had would be dealing with Karwa taxis. That isn't to say that there aren't bumps in the road, but I recognize that the bumps along the way and those days when I want to pull my hair out also are the same things that would make me want to pull my hair out back in Canada. I would also suggest that negativity breeds negativity. I know of some people who are miserable, and they hang out with people who are also miserable, and while they are together all they do is gripe and complain. It's almost like they are engaged in a secret contest of "who can have the worst day/experience."

I wasn't being sarcastic. Generally when people come on and post here saying 'how is Doha life' they get very few responses. Go and look back through the threads and see the difference in the number of responses when people have asked very broad general questions and when the questions have been more specific. DESS only has space in that age group because everyone leaves in droves because they're worried about not having a secondary school place. This has been the case at DESS for the two years since Doha College opened its West Bay campus. It's a good school but if your child is going into year 6 in particular that should not be the only school you're looking at (unless of course you have no intention to stay more than a year). They'll probably pull off their year 7 opening in 2016 but I wouldn't personally risk it if I had another option. Speak to them and see what they say. Doha College has just announced additional year 4, 5 and 6 classes at its West Bay campus which will put more pressure on its secondary school places. I'd be looking at Doha College for a late primary aged kid as you are close to guaranteed a secondary place. I disagree that there are lots of good kennels here. Pampered Pets is the only decent kennels and that gets booked up a year in advance for peak periods (Christmas and the Summer). There are various people offering pet sitting services but they can be unreliable. I'm happy to be contradicted on the kennels point if anyone has another option. Generally happy with the quality of the vets here though. The kennel issue is because the kennels need to have AC and are so indoors and tiny. How does it work bringing dogs in if you don't have an RP? I know with shipping you can't collect it without an RP. Not sure if it is the same for a dog? Most people I know who have brought dogs have had their husbands start first and so the husband had the RP before the wife and kids arrived with the dog. If that's your plan then great. I imagine (but haven't checked) that most short-term accommodation won't take a dog. I agree with marycatherine (as I generally do) - you need to make sure you have the costs 'banked' for the long quarantine Aus will require to bring the dog back in. Otherwise you may face the heart breaking decision to have to put your dog down if your husband loses his job at short notice (and that happens out here a lot). My dog (and cat) are fully vaccinated up and could relocate with us tomorrow. We would have to come up with the travel costs but my country (the UK) will let us bring them in on the pet passport scheme now. I don't think we would have adopted the dog if quarantine still applied. I've put a dog through quarantine before and it's (a) horrible for the dog - it's not like normal kennels as they have to be kept separate from all other animals at all times; and (b) flipping expensive. My dog at the time was never properly toilet trained again after the experience. The cat didn't really care!

Lets not start attacking people for the way they post. I for one was very happy when someone told me how it really was here before I arrived rather than some of the sugar coated answers I was reading on this forum. Great news that you have got your daughter into DESS, if she is of an age then fingers crossed that she will be able to go up to the year 7. What lalala says is true that you should plan 5 years ahead and keep in mind that she may eventually have to find another school now that DESS no longer have assured places at DC. The compound life here is very good for kids, they usually have friends on tap. Do not assume that all compounds are the same though. Some of the smaller ones will not have all the bells and whistles but most will have a pool (hopefully) and some sort of club house. Also be aware that on some compounds there will be mixed nationalities which can lead to culture differences. Some families will come home from school, feed the children and then all want to sleep so they will not appreciate your children kicking a soccer ball outside the house at 3pm but will see nothing wrong with their kids doing the same at 10pm. Choose your compound carefully (if you are given the choice and not placed in company housing). I too am from Australia (Brisbane) and can I tell you that the heat here is nothing like back home. Imagine heat wave conditions (45 plus) but for weeks on end (from about May till October). Sometimes the wind is like standing in front of the open fan forced oven. It's doable but it's pants really. Fortunately most places are air-conditioned but there are times like when you stand around at school waiting for the kids that you can't avoid it. Usually the evenings are better and the kids can get out and play but with school usually starting between 7 and 8 they will need to have earlier bedtimes than what you may be used to. It's also hard on the dogs (and yourself) if you are used to being able to go for a walk outside. We took the dogs for a walk at 5am this morning and it was lovely but already heating up by 5.45 when we got home. My friend has taught them to walk/run on a treadmill which is good for exercise but not as much fun as sniffing at bushes and frightening cats like they do at home. Winter here is great, we haven't really needed any warm clothes apart from a light polar fleece for the last few years. Bring light jumpers and cardigans though as the malls are chilled to the point of freezing. It''s fun to camp in the sand though not quite what you would be used to if you camp in Aus. On the plus side less biting/stinging/chomping things here. You can buy heaps of stuff here but if you are anything like most people I know you will have a shopping list as long as your arm the first time you go back home. Some of the things on mine for this summer are split peas, sharpies, soluble panadol, a giant jar of Vegemite (they have it here but only in small jars and then it can disappear for weeks at a time) and tropical strength aerogard (here they have mosquitos in winter because it's too hot for them in summer). For the most part though you can find substitutes for your usual stuff, you might just need to go to 3 supermarkets rather than do 1 shop. I'm sure you have heard the horror stories about the traffic here. The driving is pretty bad but if you are a reasonably confident driver then it's ok. People will try to kill you on a second daily basis but fortunately they aren't always successful. Driving on the other side of the road is ok too. You may find yourself semi living in your car so try and get one that has a fridge thingy so that you can store drinks and snacks. Happy planning for your big move.

I'm not saying this to be mean or accuse without facts. Just want to add that you should educate yourself on when you return to Oz what it will entail for your pup. I know Australia has very strict quarantine laws and sometimes some people, when they have to leave (and that's everyone of us and it can happen with very little warning despite having a contract) feel forced to leave their pets. It is extremely difficult to rehome pets on short notice - right now all the rescue services are over capacity and more and more dogs/cats are being abandoned by people leaving for good. I know I wouldn't have come if I couldn't bring my dog. But my country has different rules than Australia and returning on short notice would be a lot easier for me to arrange. I am only asking that you seriously consider your situation and circumstances so that you make the best choice for your family and your pet.

Yes, we brought our dogs on the same flight as we were on, as 'extra baggage' (and they are big dogs). It was cheaper this way and we were able to pick them up at the same time as our luggage :-) They were very very happy to see us! We came from Europe, so not as far away as you, but still over a 6 hour flight. They did great. Also, before we came, I was concerned about vets in Doha and where we could board our dogs when we went on holiday, etc. There are some very good vets and very good kennels here. So, you don't really have to worry too much about that. You will be fine... there are a lot of new people moving here all the time. It's easy to make friends. Once you're done dealing with the government '****' -- resident permits, etc. -- and you settle in, you will find there are lots of people who want to meet up for coffee and explore the area. You'll meet other moms through school and you'll be busy :-) You should try to find housing close to DESS for the time being. That's one of the bad things about Doha -- the traffic is really bad. It's a city under construction and the traffic situation during rush hours is awful. The last thing you need is to be in the car for hours every day doing the drop off and pick up.

Wow, I wonder if some people on this forum remember the first time they moved abroad or the early days before getting to Doha and how overwhelming everything seemed... So, Sallyalice, to answer your questions without sarcasm... Life in Doha is okay. I think it can be anything you like it to be. Living in a compound is like living in a big neighborhood. It's great if you have kids. It's a good way to meet people. Usually compounds have pools, gyms, playgrounds, little convenience shops, etc.. kids are outside riding their bikes and playing. You will probably meet other parents with kids at the same school in your compound, so it's possible to find a carpool situation, etc. Most compounds allow dogs and usually there are lots of dogs around which expats have brought with them or adopted here. Qatar allows you to import 2 dogs, but does have breed restrictions. Qatar Vet Center is a great resource if you are bringing your dog(s). They will help you with the permits you need and vaccination requirements and the general paper work. They will even meet you at the airport and pick you up in a van that fits the travel kennel and drop you off at your door! They are great, we used them for our dogs and I highly recommend them. I can't comment on DESS, my children go to a different school. But I think DESS is one of the preferred British Schools here. I've heard good things about them. Qatar is a safe country. It's very very hot for part of the year, but very mild and nice for the other part. It's a pretty "modern" middle eastern country. You can find most everything you can find at home -- food and clothing/wise. Women don't have to 'cover up', but modest dress (covering your shoulders and not wearing too short shorts or skirts) is appreciated. Well, I hope that helps a bit. Good luck with everything!

In which case it's a good option! Assuming this means she's year 5 or 6 check what options for secondary are and whether they can guarantee a place at Doha College.. They have no year 7 at the moment and plan to open one in 2016 but plans in Qatar don't always happen! I would recommend also sitting on waitlists for schools with a secondary stream - the reason DESS has spaces at that age group is because of the concerns over secondary,

Can I suggest you have a look back through previous posts and come back with some more specific questions? Everything you've asked (except maybe the dog point) has been asked over and over. For the dog contact a pet reolocation or join the facebook group Doha Dogwalkers (or similar, can't remember the exact name). People will be helpful but you won't get many responses to 'how is life in Doha' because it's been asked 5 million times! If you post something specific then you'll get answers. DESS is a good school. You probably stand very little chance of a place (assuming you're looking to start September) although to be fair a lot of people are leaving this year. I would assume you're not going to get DESS and count yourself lucky if you do. Most of the 'big name schools' will be full and you may not be able to get onto the waiting list at this stage.