Qatar
As I write this in the closing month of 2019, I realise that I’ve now been living and travelling around the world for over eighteen years! It all began in 2001 when I left The UK for Qatar.
Actually my memories of that flight to Doha are crystal clear. The plane was half empty and I experienced an awesome desert sunrise as we gently descended into the Qatari capital.
There are so many reasons Qatar remains such a special place to me. After all, this is where I trained to become an English teacher and the city in which I landed my first teaching job. Furthermore, Doha was where I met Emma, one of the great friends of my life.
The Singing Sand Dunes, Doha. August, 2001.
However, I have to admit that it wasn’t an easy place for a twenty three year old guy to find himself in. There were a distinct lack of bars in those days the dating scene was almost nonexistent. The weather was brutal too, easily the hottest place I’ve ever lived in. Moreover, restaurants tended to be the exclusive remain of shopping malls and five star restaurants.
The Language Institute, Doha. August, 2001.
Happily, the positives certainly outweighed the negatives. My students were lovely people, I was earning plenty of money and I had some incredible experiences. To find out more about my life here, dive into my retro travel report from:
Doha
I’ve also written a short story series, The Qatar Collection, eight bite-sized tales from my time living and working in this fascinating country.
