Developing your social circle in Doha

Once you have settled in Doha, you will wonder how you are going to meet new people around and make friends. Knowing Qatar has an Islamic population with a conservative culture, you might think that making friends with Arabs can be complicated. Indeed, meeting people with a reserved type of personality can be awkward sometimes. However, there are some ways you can develop excellent social skills in Doha.

Meetups in Doha

Through the help of social media, searching for the type of peers you want to meet can be a lot easier and more fun. There are few websites and social media pages that can help you find like-minded individuals around in Doha.

Meetup, which started since 2004 is a social website that connects people from different social groups with common interests. Weekly and monthly events are usually organised for nearby individuals having similar interests. For example, if you are looking for some yogis, you may check on the website's yoga and meditation events, and surely you will find several schedules and groups organising yoga meetups.

If you like to read and write, you can find a group of Doha Writers and Book Lovers that usually hold fun-quick activities in cafes. You may also find a meeting for pet lovers and people who like to share and spend time with music. Keeping yourself up to date is easy. You can simply subscribe to the page, mark the activity that you wish to join, and you will receive automatic notifications.

Social media

Tinder has initially been created for individuals who are seeking either short term dates or long-term relationships. Yet, Tinder is more than just a dating site. It can be another way of meeting new people that might lead you to everlasting connections - it's all about your intentions. Just make sure to make your point clear to anyone who wishes to meet you in person.

Facebook has consistently been a dynamic social media platform used to get connected to the people you already know and those you wish to know. You may find several group pages as well, curated for specific activities and nationalities, depending on your interests. Some popular Facebook groups are British Expats in Doha, Spanish and Latinos in Qatar, The Filipino Community, Qatar Expats, etc.

Facebook is also a useful tool for discovering business events, conferences and workshops that might help you expand your network. Attending these workshops and events will give you the opportunity to meet professionals from other companies that could help you grow personally or in your career.

LinkedIn is another interesting way to find other professionals and job opportunities. Obviously, it has been designed to integrate business professionals who are successful in their area of interest and companies to showcase their services.

Religious groups in Doha

Religious groups. Although being known as an Islamic community, Doha has embraced people with different faith and beliefs. Attending weekend religious services of your own faith can also give you the opportunity to meet new people. For example, the Religious Centre in Doha is usually open on Thursdays from 4 pm until the last service at 8 pm.

Socialising at work

Lastly but not the least, consider socialising with your coworkers. You might like to make plans to go out with them once in a week or twice in a month. Keep in mind that every time you hang around with new people, be it your coworkers or their friends, it creates endless connections.