the do's and don'ts of doha!

i thought since it is such a miserable day out there again today that i would take advantage of being stuck inside and post 2 blogs today. just looking out the window now and it is 'chucking' it down, as they say in the uk. the temperature is still only around 16-17 degrees which is considered cold here...rightly so, I am freezing!!! you would laugh if you saw me now - sitting in bed in a wool sweater and scarf with the duvet pulled over me!! you wouldn't think i was in doha! the villa gets very cold when the temperature drops as the entire place consists of tile because of the average climate conditions. there's drywall in the living areas and bedrooms but the kitchen and bathrooms consist of complete tile, walls and floors - makes getting out of the shower extremely dreadful. the tile reminds me of the hotel rooms found down in the caribbean - it's to keep things cool. works in the hot months but not during these chilly days! we can't even turn on the heat as heating does not exist here! i laughed when jo emailed me just before christmas telling me that she had bought a portable foot warmer, but now i can relate! where is that thing anyways...

as you are all probably aware that Doha is a very different place with its own culture/customs. some may have no tolerance for their way of life however, mike and i love being part of a place that is so diverse. there is a lot to be learned here and we are like sponges trying to absorb as much of it as possible. i thought it might be interesting to share some of what we have learned thus far by summarizing it in the do's and don'ts of doha....

do's

• do dress modesty - qatar is a muslim country with conservative dress codes. women are not required to cover their hair however, they should avoid shorts, low-cut tops and see-through/transparent clothing. out of respect women should cover their shoulders and knees when out in public. bathing suits are acceptable in hotel pool areas and private beaches. gym attire is also acceptable at health clubs.
  
• do use greetings and formalities - they are particularly important when dealing with arabs. it is considered impolite to start any conversation/request without greeting them 'good morning' or 'good afternoon'.
• do watch out for separate counters for women only in banks and utilities (i am fine with that as long as the lines aren't as long as the ones in most bar bathrooms, hehe).
• do bargain with shopkeepers - it is the norm especially in the souqs (markets). joanne said she even witnessed shoppers bargaining in a sports shop and ended up getting 10% off.
  
• do enjoy qatar at night - apparently it is one of the safest places in the world. scott and joanne don't even lock the doors to the villa if they go out. they say you could leave a laptop on the seat of an unlocked vehicle and it will still be there when you get back. i don't think i could ever put that much trust into people having been used to living in central london.

don'ts (a lot longer of a list than the previous)

• don't look or stare at the locals closely no matter how fascinating their dress is. the traditional dress for men is a white (sometimes black) full length shirt dress called a 'dishdash' which is often worn with a red and white check scarf as a headdress which is secured with a black cord. women wear a long black loose robe called an 'abaya' which covers their normal clothes plus a headscarf called the 'sheyla'. some women sometimes wear a thin black veil hiding their face and older women sometimes wear a leather mask called a 'burqa' which covers the nose, brow and cheekbones. by wearing the traditional dress there is no way for them to show their individuality or wealth for that matter. this is done by wearing flashy, expensive watches, sunglasses, mobile phones and designer handbags!
• don't ask an arabic lady for directions if you are a man.
• don't be offended if your handshake is refused by a muslim as handshakes are often refused to members of the opposite sex. a good rule of thumb is to wait until they extend their hand before you extend yours. it is not to be taken personally as it is a religious prohibition.
• don't take photographs of arabic men/women/armed forces without permission. many strongly object to being photographed. hence why there are no pictures posted of the souq when we were there the other day. you even have to be careful getting them in the background of your picture.
  
• don't be annoyed if your guest is late as qatari time is pretty relaxed... perfect!!! :)
• don't use your left hand for contact with people or eating as according to muslim conventions the left hand is reserved for bodily functions only. *many of the middle eastern dishes are shared and are eaten with your hands (i.e. hummus/pita). i have already tried getting into the habit of doing so however, it is difficult to change your eating habits after all these years.
• don't sit with the soles of your shoes or feet pointing to your qatari hosts or with your back to the other guests as it is considered insulting.
  
• don't drink too much alcohol that your behaviour is affected in public. alcohol is strictly regulated and there is zero tolerance to rowdy behaviour and drinking & driving. alcohol is served in all of the hotels as the hotels here are huge and equipped with many restaurants and bars. however, alcohol is quite pricey as it is the only thing here that is taxed. there is ONE liquor store for the whole of the country but you must have a residence permit in order to receive a 'membership' to purchase from the store. they highly recommend that once you purchase your alcohol to go straight home to drop it off - no stopping at malls, grocery stores with it in your car. seeing a bottle in public is just as bad as drinking it. during the month of ramadan, you cannot find alcohol anywhere, so stock up!!!
• don't go barefoot in some parts of the sea where stone fish lie along the shores. although rare, their poisonous defence mechanism causes much pain and a trip to the hospital. having said that - we were in the sea last august barefoot and didn't have a problem with them at all.
• don't show public displays of affection between sexes. must admit, this is taking a bit of getting used to as mike and i enjoy holding each other hands and giving each other the occasional 'peck' in public. no more :( however, you will often see 2 males holding hands as a sign of friendship not homosexuality as it is illegal here.