“Smiles are passports through deserts and visas to all foreign countries.” - Robert Darrah
This information guide is designed to provide you with information to help you enjoy living in Qatar, and help you to adapt quickly to your job so that you can contribute in making the College of the North Atlantic-Qatar (CNA-Q) a truly world-class institution. We know that we can’t cover every subject and that things often change rapidly. Therefore, we invite you to help us keep this orientation guide current by giving us suggestions for improvement and providing us with new information as it becomes available. Please send your comments, suggestions and questions to employee.life@cna-qatar.edu.qa.
This guide is not a contract and the information contained herein is not to be considered contractual promises. The information is subject to the legal documents that pertain to each benefit plan and the appropriate contracts. This guide can be changed unilaterally by the College at any time. The College will make every effort to inform employees of changes in a timely manner. In cases of conflict, the official documents and revised policies in effect at the time in question will prevail.
This guide contains summaries and general overviews; it is not all-inclusive.
Welcome aboard to a community of friendly expatriates - Canadians who are living and working outside of Canada. If you need something and you ask someone but they cannot help you, try, try again. Someone will be more than willing and able to help you!
“What gets most people into trouble is that they don’t know what they don’t know.” - Anon.
[top]What should you bring with you? You can purchase wide variety of items in Qatar, albeit sometimes a different brand than you can purchase in Canada in terms of clothing, toiletries, food, kitchen utensils, household goods, toys, computers, tools, equipment, etc. The prices, including food prices, are about the same as in Canada overall, with some things being more expensive and some things being cheaper.
You may want to ship some of your household goods to Doha before you leave Canada. You must keep in mind that your accommodations are pretty well fully furnished and you are not permitted to remove the landlord’s furniture from your accommodations. You may want to bring some of your personal possessions to make it feel more like home. There are companies located in Canada and here in Qatar who will pack up, transport, ship and/or store your belongings. For example, Qatar Logistics www.qatarlogistics.com. Your contact is Ashley Stagg. Email: ashley@qatarlogistics.com
You should bring enough prescription medication to last you until you can get back to Canada (see the Prescriptions section), and bring the prescription for your glasses. And while you are waiting for your own telephone and mobile (cell) phone numbers, you may want to leave the phone number of the CNA-Q Qatar Relations Officer +974 5835660 for an emergency contact.
Keep in mind any activities you might want to do while here in Doha or while traveling on school breaks from Doha. For some, that means their warm weather or ski clothes, for others it means their rock climbing gear, for others it means their sailing gloves or snorkel and mask. The Marhaba Information Guide which is part of your orientation package has an extensive list of activities in Doha. So many people travel far and wide during the school breaks that it is not too difficult to find a group of co-workers who are going to a destination that you are interested in. There is a travel agency on campus and it is best to check with your neighbours to get advice on the best way to book your travel plans.
You should not bring any electrical appliances with you from Canada as each one will require a transformer or converter in order to be used in Doha. Laptops and shavers are the few exceptions as they often have a converter included.
You cannot bring any alcohol nor pork products with you to Qatar. They are not permitted for importation into the country.
You probably will be flying to Doha on Qatar Airways. This probably will not be the last time you fly Qatar Airways and you may want to consider signing up for their Q-miles Privilege Club - the program that enables you to collect points that you can redeem for additional flights or upgrades. Qmiles.com is the website you should visit for additional information on joining.
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Building |
Co-ordinates |
Co-ordinates |
CNA-Q Main Campus |
25 20’ 40.55” N |
51 28’ 55.92 E |
CNA-Q Al Rayyan Campus |
25 16’ 40.70” N |
51 25’ 56.30” E |
Al Jazeeraland Compound 1 |
25 20’ 40.55” N |
51 27’18.07” E |
Al Jazeeraland Compound 2 |
25 20’ 37.53” N |
51 27’ 06.84” E |
Al Jazeeraland Compound 3 |
25 20’ 39.38” N |
51 26’ 57.06” E |
Sports Roundabout Apartments |
25 17’ 25.02” N |
51 29’ 48.76” E |
C Ring Apartments |
25 15’ 52.65” N |
51 31’ 59.07” E |
Immigration Roundabout Flats |
25 19’ 18.69” N |
51 28’ 11.67” E |
You will be greeted at the airport by a uniformed person from Al Maha Meet and Greet Services who will facilitate the immigration paperwork and luggage collection for you. You will then be turned over to CNA-Q staff who will take you to a hotel (depending on availability) where you can sleep after your journey. The next morning you will be picked up and taken to view your new accommodation. Use this time to see:
A metric measuring tape, a small notebook and pen are essential for the first months in Doha.
After the brief visit to your new accommodations, you will be taken to City Center Mall where you can start to purchase supplies. (A suggested list of supplies is part of this document.) This is the biggest shopping center in Doha, but only one of many. If you do not see what you want, wait until you can shop elsewhere. You will probably be suffering from jet lag and may not be making the best decisions so it is best to just purchase the bare minimum - plastic plates, etc. so that you end up with supplies that you actually like. There will be lots of opportunity to shop after you are better rested, and lots of shopping centres to explore.
Many new employees shop at Carrefour and/or Home Centre and both shops are located at the City Center. Carrefour has generally lower prices and is the best place to buy groceries, bath and cleaning supplies and miscellaneous items. Home Centre has generally higher prices and better quality. It does not carry groceries or cleaning supplies.
Hotel pick-up: 8:00 a.m. approx.
Shopping Centre pick up: 2:00 p.m. approx
Move to Accommodation
After your second night at the hotel you will move to your new accommodation. CNA-Q staff will pick you up at the hotel at a time agreed to on the previous day.
What to Expect the First Few Days in Doha
The first full day in Doha will be spent shopping. On the second full day, you will move out of the hotel and into your accommodations to start setting up house. You may find it all a little overwhelming at times until you are able to recover from the jet lag. You are encouraged to knock on your neighbours' doors and ask for help. We have all been through this in varying degrees and are a wealth of information. If you are arriving before the main body of the employees, this may be a bit more challenging. Most instructors return to Doha only a day or two before their first work day. Get to know the other newcomers as you will be able to figure things out together.
Once you have met some of your neighbours, you will have enough information and assistance to go shopping again to purchase more supplies. You should progress through these days, and even throughout your whole time in Doha, with a sense of adventure. Some liken it to camping, to making do with what you have. It is important to focus on the positive, the half full. You are not living in Canada and everything will not be the same as if you were living in Canada. It is best to not compare everything you experience with Canada.
[top]The civic addressing system is relatively new to Qatar. Most people do not know their civic address. Mail is not delivered using your civic address. Emergency vehicles, taxis and take out delivery services do not use civic addresses but rather a description of where you are located.
Most people give directions according to the nearest landmark which is often a roundabout. The roundabouts have interesting names such as Parachute Roundabout, Smelly Roundabout, TV Roundabout, Burger King Roundabout, and so on. Business cards often have a map on the backside to help the new customer find the business. A map of Doha is something even seasoned expats carry with them. Finding a specific location can be challenging but we all get by with a little help from our friends. Asking for help is common and of course, you’ll be delighted when the person you ask actually speaks English.
Apartments:
Sports Roundabout
Sheika Ameena building #71
11094 Jawar Street, Al Saad area
Near Grand Regency Hotel
C-Ring
25 Yalthrib Street
Al Mansoura area
Immigration
Gharafa Flats
10 Khalid bin Zaid
Street 34
Near Immigration flyover
Villas: Al Jazeeraland 1, 2
Near Al Khartayat (North Road) flyover
Al Dar 2 Compound
near Landmark Mall