According to Google Trends, interest in veganism has increased seven-fold between 2014 and 2019—almost four times the interest in vegetarianism. It appears that the idea of following a plant-based diet is also on the up here in Doha, with more and more vegan products landing on the shelves of local supermarkets. To learn more, Laura Powell-Corbett caught up with Superheroes Eat Plants founder, Rebekah Gomez, to speak with about her journey into a plant-based lifestyle. Rebekah shares with Laura how veganism has made her more mindful about what she eats and how it affects the environment.It’s often said that there…
Author: Laura Powell-Corbett
When you embark on your journey to start a family, many things rush through your head: the physical aspects of trying for a baby, the emotional leaps and dips as you navigate through trying to conceive, and so on. All of which lead to the day when, hopefully, you get that positive pregnancy test. It’s an exciting journey, but for some women, it’s also one that is filled with mixed emotions, including anxiety and sadness. This is especially true if you have a history of mental health difficulties. According to the charity, The Maternal Mental Health Alliance, it is estimated…
No one could have predicted at the start of the lockdown that when the new school year began, it would be with a blended learning model. All over the country, students are now attending school for part of the week, with the rest of their learning happening from home.It’s been a big change. And it’s one where not only have children proven time and time again how resilient they are but also where everyone has had to adapt their expectations. Some parents have had to suddenly balance home learning schedules with full-time work. Others had to juggle part-time work and…
Putting yourself first doesn’t always come naturally, especially to parents. With the chaos of an ongoing pandemic, homeschooling, working from home, and life in general, it would be no surprise if you’ve slipped further away from the top of your list. As parents, we have become so adept at juggling all the things while keeping a smile on our faces, even while knowing that what usually gives first is our sanity. As the old saying goes, “you can’t pour from an empty cup”. Besides, our well-being directly impacts our children’s, so recognising when things are not sustainable, reaching out for…
The coronavirus pandemic continues to grip the world, with second and even third waves of infection starting globally. It feels as though the world is a long way from being “normal” once again, and it’s unknown what “normal” will look like when it comes.Then you step outside and look around Qatar, and things look more hopeful. Here, life had slowly started to look like how it once did, with restaurants reopening back in the summer and schools more recently. It feels like we’re living in a bubble away from the horror we see playing out in other countries, including those…
The definition of expat is a person who lives outside their native country. But the reality of expat life is much more complex than that—it’s filled with idiosyncrasies and differences that you grow to relish. In short, your adopted country becomes your home away from home.With a multitude of positive attributes, here are just some of the reasons expats love living in Qatar. The Job OpportunitiesThis is a big one. In fact, the ability to earn higher wages than you would at home is likely what brought you here in the first place. Many expats are lured to Qatar by…
In 1980, Qatar was a country of only 0.2 million people. Fast forward to today, and 2.8 million people call Qatar home.It stands to reason that as the population has grown, the country would change, too. So, we spoke to some long-term expats to get their take on how Qatar has changed for them.The InfrastructureImagine standing on the corniche, and the only building around was the now-iconic Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel. Julie, an expat living here since the 1980s, says that the most striking change she has seen is with the infrastructure of Doha. She remembers Doha…
The pandemic has disrupted the last two academic years with on-and-off school closures andthe transition to online learning. Reports by educational organisations have also indicated that primary school children have been especially affected by these changes. Limited classroom times, coupled with the need for teachers to move on with the curriculum in other areas, have left many children struggling to meet learning milestones, including reading and writing skills.In fact, the Juniper Education National Dataset Report, published in February 2021, reveals that children from all year groups struggled with meeting age-related goals and that the youngest children have been worst affected.Frazer…
*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality.The effects of the pandemic on education have been far-reaching for all ages. With education being interrupted globally—affecting nearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 200 countries—it is still unknown what effect the last 18 months has had on children’s learning.In Qatar, schools shut their doors on 10 March 2020, reopening on a blended learning basis the following September for the 2020/2021 school year. What followed months later was another lockdown, quarantines, and another round of blended learning. This uncertainty around whether children will or won’t be in school and the lack of consistency…
Qatar is home to people of many different nationalities. Within them is a growing community of home-based entrepreneurs who create intricately and wonderfully designed products ranging from home decor to children’s toys. But the question arises: if you are a talented person with a knack for business, how can you legally sell your products?Abiding by business laws is crucial for local vendors. In September 2021 alone, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry issued over 127 violations due to illegal business activities. Knowing this, many expats who want to start their ventures but are unsure how to do so legally may…