ummsana | ExpatWoman.com
 

ummsana

ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 October 2016 - 21:28
Hi We moved to Qatar in August for my husband's job, so I'm still new here. Don't have any family here or know many people. I'm also expecting in January. There is a very good group on facebook called Positive Birth group Doha. Lots of women on there who are expecting and some new to Qatar as well. Hope everything works out for you.
ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 September 2016 - 18:19
Thanks a lot. Very helpful
ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 September 2016 - 00:10
thanks. do you happen to know where I can get one of theses?
ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 18 September 2016 - 23:39
Hi, just wondering for those of you from the UK do you watch UK TV channels here in Qatar and if so how do you access them? We are currently staying in Holiday Villa hotel where the TV only has about 2 channels in English, kids are quite bored, not to mention myself! We have an amazon prime account which I tried to access online for kids/ family films but it says cannot play due to location, same with youtube - thought I might be able to pay to watch some movies or kids episodes but getting same message about restriction due to location?! Is there any way around this or way to access channels from the UK? Thank!
ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 September 2016 - 22:53
Hi bambi4, We arrived in Doha last month with 2 children - neither of them have had rabies vaccine, we were told at doctors in UK it isn't offered on nhs so we just left it as it was quite expensive to do private. Not had any issues here, kids have got a place at school and I have shown their vaccination records, no issues or questions asked so looks like all is ok and rabies vaccine not mandatory. I think it also depends what type of area you are going to live in, rural or city centre/ near or far from medical facilities, they asked me at doctors as I said city centre so they said it's low risk. Have only seen about 3 cats at souq and no stray dogs yet! Hope that helps.
ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 July 2016 - 22:07
hi, thanks all for taxi suggestions, I guess I'll have to try them out and see which one works out best for us! Yes I'll be staying in Qatar for baby number 3, in laws are not too far away so I'll have more support than I would in the UK plus I don't want to disrupt the girls' education again. They will be starting at Oryx on 4th September, yes it is a school for Qatar airways staff. We also have accommodation sorted through husband's work at Holiday Villa (not sure on the area!). Where abouts are you staying and which school do your children attend? Yes I can imagine the summer is very hot, hopefully will be starting to cool down end of August when we arrive. thanks for advice.
ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 July 2016 - 22:01
Hi, Thanks for the reply. We are moving in 4 weeks, just doing the final preparations now! Girls have got a place at school starting 4th September, I think school is about 20 mins away, will have to do a dummy run before they actually start I think! I don't currently know any other families in Doha I'm hoping there may be some children in our area attending same school but we will see. I think taxi is first option at the moment although I'm expecting late December so will only be able to do taxis for few months. May have to go with school bus after that. Are you in Doha now? Thanks.
ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 June 2016 - 21:31
Hi Tabathatoo, My husband has been in Qatar since May 2015 and we are still in process of moving over. Unfortunately the process is not that quick, for example when you apply for visas your husband will need to provide six months worth of bank statements to prove he has stable income and minimum is 10,000 riyal a month. You can apply for a family visa, both you, husband and children will have to submit relevant documents such as passports, birth and marriage certificates, and for your husband proof of address, income and a letter from employer stating position and salary. When your children do start school you will need copies of all school reports from current and previous years. Also, upon arrival in Doha to complete the family visa process you all need to under go medical examinations such as blood tests and x rays within 72 hours (can be done at local hospital such as Hamad). All in all for us it has been a lengthy and expensive process, unless of course you have the finance to speed things up a bit :-). This website was useful to me: http://www.lifeinqatar.com/Pages/en/article/living/getting-setup-in-qatar-as-an-expat.html Hope that helps and good luck!
ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 June 2016 - 20:42
Hi, my husband is first officer with Qatar Airways he has been there since May 2015 and living in company accommodation. We went over at Easter to visit and see country,we will be moving to Doha permanently from UK in July/ possibly August. I have 2 kids so currently sorting out schools places, visas etc and we will stay in company accommodation with my husband as they have given him a decent size apartment at Holiday Villa. Most of these apartments are for families of Qatar Airways staff. I'm yet to experience what our daily routine will be like as I don't think I will be ready to drive over there straight away and currently don't have any other family members or friends over there, so would be nice to meet some new people :-) Good luck with everything.
ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 March 2016 - 03:34
Thanks for the tips and information. It's useful to know someone who has been through same thing :)
ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 March 2016 - 10:35
I drive here in the UK and have been doing all the driving and school runs alongside everything else for the past year so I've become quite dependant on my car which I think is something I will miss. I didn't think about getting a driver to take them to school that's a good idea. Are you able to get female drivers over there? My husband will be travelling a lot for his job so he won't be able to do school runs, will have to be bus or driver. Mine will be turning 5 and 6 this year so should be finishing school same time and can travel together in sha Allah. Thanks for the tip of passports etc we have all renewed our passports in the past year or so so in sha Allah that shouldn't be an issue and I will also visit the bank before we leave. Do you need immunisations in order to travel just for 3 weeks or only when permanently moving?
ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 March 2016 - 03:11
Yeh it's not been easy, I've been wanting to move over there since my husband went but he had a very hectic training schedule and some assessments to pass before he could bring family over. So whatever it takes for us to make the move we will have to do it. Otherwise we only get to see him once every 2-3 months and it's tough. Yes hopefully it should be easier to get in and there should be less competition for places. Having said that it was this school that told me they couldn't comment on the home schooling scenario and we would need to put names down in advance to guarantee a place but I have a feeling they were just covering themselves on that as it's a new school so shouldn't have a big waiting list. I think I would also like to view other schools too just to compare. My husband has work accommodation where we will stay with him, I can't remember the name of the area but it's not too far from the airport as he has to travel there for work. As for traffic and driving... I'm not sure how I will handle that one yet! My husband travels a lot so I would be responsible for getting kids to school but the thought of driving in Doha feels quite daunting at the moment. Have you ever driven over there or plan to drive? How will your kids get to school? I think the school we are looking at will offer a bus service so I may have to take advantage of that.
ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 02 March 2016 - 21:55
Really, wow what a coincidence :-) where abouts in Manchester? I'm over Lancashire way, Bury. No we have never visited Qatar but will be going over for the Easter holidays to see the country and start the visa process. To be honest I've looked at and contacted so many schools recently online I've lost track of which ones! The one that is sticking out the most to me though is Oryx as this is a school exclusively for Qatar Airways staff (who my husband works for) so there would be less competition here, however it's a new school so currently no reviews available... I have heard Doha College and English speaking school are popular choices but I guess they come with a waiting list. I am also a bit wary of home schooling - it wasn't really my first choice but I've had enough of being here on my own so just needed to find a way for me and kids to move but I would prefer them to be in school.
ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 02 March 2016 - 19:18
Sorry I also meant to ask was there any period you tried home schooling or did you miss any time at school? I have asked at the school about the effect of home schooling for a while then going back to school but they said they don't really have experience on the matter but as my kids are native English speakers it shouldn't be an issue. I'm just scared to teach them at home for a year and the school to say that it's an issue ..
ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 02 March 2016 - 19:12
Hi hkhan, Thanks so much for your reply, it's a relief to know others are having similar experiences with the schooling system! I want my kids to go to a good British school and I also want to work. If we get the funding for school fees by January it sounds like there's hope for them to start earlier. I would also like to go round and visit schools as the choice just seems so overwhelming right now plus waiting lists! My husband has been in Doha for nearly a year now, if it was just myself to consider I would have moved already but got to consider kids. We are going over there in 2 weeks to start the visa process then permanent move will take place in June/ July all being well! So it's possible to get an offer letter mid way through the year and take it to the SEC? And is this located in Doha? I'm living in Manchester at the moment, where abouts are you?
ummsana
16
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 02 March 2016 - 15:30
Hi DesertExpat, Thanks for your reply. My kids are turning 5 and 6 this year so they are still early primary school. Ironically the school fees should be available from my husband's company by January 2017 but the schools I have contacted say they only take kids on in September (which is apparently the case with nearly all schools in Qatar) and not at any other time of year. Yes I think the next best thing is a back up plan which would probably be to continue home schooling if they didn't accept us into school. I have school reports from this year and the previous year for my eldest daughter which I will keep, just worrying they will turn around and say the home schooling for a whole year is an issue. Hopefully it won't be but I guess I'll have to take that chance!
 
 
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