It’s not easy to stay active in a place like Qatar. The weather keeps most of us scurrying for cover, while near-constant road construction makes the journey to dedicated gyms and play areas daunting.Sometimes, you just want to curl up in front of the telly and promise yourself that tomorrow will be different. But don’t give up—being active, even in the height of summer, is very doable. Qatar is pushing to make sports accessible for everyone: young and old, male and female, ex-pat and local. With plenty of local options to keep fit and healthy, here are some ideas to…
Author: Lisa Gay
Sending money home via your bank is quick and easy. But, you are probably not getting the best rate, as there are usually some hidden fees when converting foreign currency. These are not usually disclosed up-front, so you are often only made aware of them when you have slightly less than you expect in your home bank account. There is no one perfect tactic for getting the best deal, and different strategies will work better for some foreign destinations than others. Nevertheless, here are a few options you can explore.1- Ooredoo Mobile Money (OMM)Hosted by Ooredoo, this digital wallet can…
HerbsThis is as easy as it gets, as long as you don’t start by growing herbs from seed (surprisingly difficult!). You can grow herbs practically anywhere that gets sunshine: in your kitchen, on a windowsill, or a balcony. It’s best to use starter plants from the Plant Souq in Abu Hamour (near the Wholesale Market). However, in a pinch, you can use potted supermarket herbs. These tend to have a mass of roots, so you may need to divide them into several plants to ensure optimum growing conditions. While herbs are cheap, it’s also hard to use them in a timely…
The spaceFirst, you need a spot set aside for yourself. “Everyone needs their own little corner, even people who live in small spaces, to make themselves happy,” says Nurin Abdul of Massage Kangaroo. If you are lucky, you might have a spare room that can be converted into a relaxing space for various beauty and wellness rituals. But as Nurin says, you don’t need an entire room—just a cosy corner is enough. Pile comfy cushions and rugs, and set up a small bookshelf stocked with your favourite reads. “Invite natural elements, like live plants and natural sunlight,” suggests Jade Roseman…
Expats can especially find themselves in need of extra help due to the lack of traditional support networks they may have back home. At the same time, awareness of mental health has grown in Qatar across all communities. There are now plenty of resources to help you or your family members during troubled times. Here is Doha Family’s guide to accessing mental health services in Qatar: If you need immediate help, visit one of Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) emergency departments. For non-emergency consultations, call Hamad at 16000. Mental health professionals working in a variety of languages are available between 7…
Mindfulness is having a moment—from colouring books to yoga, to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). The benefits of mindfulness are especially pronounced for children learning to deal with big emotions. Giving kids the tools to calm down and refuse to allow anxiety to control them will reap dividends their whole lives. Read on for our top books to teach mindfulness to kids.1- Crab & WhaleBy Mark Pallis and Christiane KerrAges: two to eightCrab & Whale is a poignant story that reinforces the value of empathy and love. This gorgeously rendered book follows the adventures of a little crab whose mindfulness techniques…
Aliya Qutub is a coordinator for the Doha Mindful Community and has worked with families as well as schools to teach mindfulness to children. Here, Lisa Gay asks her more about discovering mindfulness in Doha, its benefits, and easy ways to incorporate the practice into family life. L: Tell us a bit about your background.A: I entered mindfulness, as we say, through the yoga door. I came to Doha 12 years ago with three young children. I didn’t have a lot of support, so I started practising yoga to cope. Soon after, I took an MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) course…
Adult education is often spurred by a major life change or maybe even a crisis. Job loss is probably the biggest motivator, but serious illness, divorce, or relocation abroad (particularly as a trailing spouse) are all common reasons to undertake further education. But you shouldn’t wait for a life (or, indeed, global) crisis to hit to start updating your skillset. Keep current with your industry, or add a useful skill from another field to future-proof your career. And since we all have a little bit more time at home due to the ongoing pandemic, why not take advantage of these…
Expats are spoiled for choice when it comes to secondary school options in Qatar. But, with all that flexibility, it might be concerning for students and their parents that they will not have the proper qualifications to study at the university of their choice. So, Doha Family has put together this guide on applying to universities in some of the most popular destinations across the globe.QatarQatar University is the leading public university in the country and is listed among the top 500 universities in the world, according to Times Higher Education (THE). The medium of instruction is either Arabic or…
It’s been over a year since Covid-19 spread across the globe, and it has changed nearly every aspect of our daily lives. While it’s unclear what “back to normal” means yet, the relaxation of restrictions from the beginning of the outbreak has put some semblance of normality back into our lives.Still, children—the age group least affected by the disease—have been negatively impacted by the changes caused by the pandemic. Social distancing (literally) puts friends at arm’s length, masks cover up their facial cues, and lockdowns thrust them into social isolation. Naturally, parents are worried that these experiences may permanently affect…