Adjusting to the culture in Doha

Hospitality

Qataris are very known for being a hospitable nation. The moment you step down in Qatar, you will be served with a warm cup of qahwa (authentic Arabic coffee) with sweets or dates. This tradition is practiced on any occasion, whether welcoming special visitors, grand family dinners, weddings, pre-nuptial parties, sohoor in Ramadan, etc.

Qahwa coffee is said to have been imported from Ethiopia and is believed to be one of the best types of coffees are rooted. Locals adore coffee so much that there are countless numbers of coffee shops around the country. Coffee has always been a part of their daily rituals; in fact, you will find some coffee shops open 24 hours.

The local cuisine

A wide variety of sweets, rice meals and kebabs are the country's benchmark and have shaped up the entire Qatari culture. Among the local foods that you should try are Machbos, the national rice dish, thareed, madrouba, lamb kebab, harees and many more. The local bread, called kubos, is most likely to be served in all types of meals. It is customarily paired with hummus, a type of dip made of olive oil and chickpeas. Arabic people have a distinct taste that spicy foods are unlikely to be served on their meals, compared to other South Asian or South American countries. Their love of meat is the reason why kebab and other meat dishes are always served during their supper or lunch. 

Other than these local dishes, Qataris love desserts on their menu. They never run-out of sweets in any occasion. They usually give a basket of chocolates and a box of sweets whenever they visit a friend or a family member, as a symbol of their love and affection for the person. It is another way of showing respect and being hospitable towards others.

Festivals

If you think Doha is a boring city, you have got it all wrong. Qataris love festivities. Over the years, they have created different kinds of festivals to promote tourism in the country. Some of the annually celebrated festivals are the Qatar International Food Festival, Dhow Festival, Art Festival, Sports Fest, Spring Festival, Winter Festival and Street Foods Festival.

Religion

Considering that Islam is a dominant religion in the country, an expatriate must be fully aware of the Ramadan month. This is a holy month for all Muslims. During the month of Ramadan, all premises are required to have shortened hours of work during daytime and must continue after the sohoor or when the sun totally sets. The scenario may not be applied to everyone. Hence, there are businesses that need to operate until midnight, such as restaurants, malls and other boutiques.

During the daytime, everyone is required to respect the conditions of Ramadan. For example, you cannot eat around public vicinities in respect of Muslim residents during their fast. On the 30th day of Ramadan or when the moon is declared full, everyone celebrates Eid. It is the time where all government premises and private administrations are given 3-5 days off for Eid. Malls, restaurants and hotels keep open.

Hence, the staff are given the opportunity to take their holidays in rotational conditions. Eidiya or money gifts are often distributed by Qataris among their children, workers or even friends. For them, it symbolises prosperity, abundance and the thought of sharing their blessings to others.

Partying in Doha

Qataris obviously love parties. Even though they aren't allowed to enter in any public bars, they organise their own parties at home or hotels, such as Henna parties for women, weddings, birthdays, Garangao festival for children and tea parties at their own Majilis.

Respect and decency

One of the most important things that an expatriate shall consider when coming to Doha is respect and decency. Local men usually shake hands with professionals. They also greet their familiar friends through cheek-to-cheek or tipping their noses to each other if it is a close relative. On the other hand, men must set limitations whenever they greet a local woman.

Greetings between different sexes are emphasised through (short) bowing gestures and followed by saying “marhaba”. Women must behave properly whenever they are in the presence of a man. During common conversations, local women are expected to speak only with a man's permission. However, in some cases, since some locals are attuned to Western culture and modernity, women are given a free-will to speak. 

Lastly, keep in mind that there are areas designated only for men and only for women. This is not interpreted as being a sexist measure. Instead, having designated areas for specific genders is a rule-clarifying the respect of privacy, especially intended for women and children.