We moved to Qatar in 2015 and I have to say it was the best decision that we ever made! Desert Dad (my other half) was a bit sceptical at first, but it had always been a goal of mine to move abroad and when I was made a job offer that we couldn’t refuse, we grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

We knew virtually nothing about Qatar other than it was a Muslim country and would be hosting the World Cup in 2022. So we were diving in head first and blindfolded. We had said if it works out great, if it doesn’t then we head home.

But two years down the line I have no real desire to head home. I love it here. From the moment we landed (despite the suffocating humidity and the airline losing our bags) we fell in love with Qatar- the West Bay skyline, the total luxury and opulence of The Pearl and the adventures offered by the desert.

Since living here we have met so many different people from all walks of life. Our own circle of friends could easily resemble any meeting held by the UN- we come from all continents and corners of the globe. We have made friends that will become family, friends who are just there for the moment and said goodbye to people who we know will be lifelong friends no matter where they are in the world.

Another reason we love Qatar is it’s location. The Middle East is central to everywhere and flights that would usually be 10 or 14 hour flights from the UK are now 6 or 8. Since moving here, we have travelled to Oman, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Greece and I’ve also been to Tanzania with work. We have loads more places to tick off our list. Despite having a baby, we would still like to travel, we know that we just need to adapt our approach and the type of holiday we go on.  I would love to hear about any baby friendly destinations you recommend and any places you would absolutely avoid!

If you ever get the opportunity to work or study abroad, I would highly recommend it, even if it’s just for a year. You will need to be resilient, there will be times when you miss home like crazy or you struggle to grasp or understand certain cultural differences, however the overall benefits far outweigh the negative points. Qatar has taught us about the importance of social mobility and being able to move around internationally for work and your career. Living here has totally opened our eyes to different cultures not only Arabic and Islamic culture but also attitudes towards family life, education and faith from a whole range of cultures and backgrounds. With all that being said, I think it makes Qatar the perfect place to raise our family!

For those of you already living in Qatar either with children or planning to have a family, let me know your thoughts and feelings on family life here, the highs and lows and everything in between!

I will be adding more posts to this page that focus on my life in Qatar including events, food and maybe even a bit of fashion (not gonna lie fashion is not my strong point but I’ll give it a go) with the help of my blogger friend maliandmeqatar!

Enjoy

Desert Mama xxx