I agree with you that many Westerners, especially those who are new to Qatar and overwhelmed by the glitz, fall into the trap of assuming ALL Qataris are ridiculously rich.

However, as you say, “rich” is relative. To me, the very EXPECTATION that a fresh college graduate ought to be able to single-handedly support a non-working spouse is indicative of a higher level of wealth than I’m used to in the US. A scenario that’s “life is pretty ok” to you sounds rich to me!

As for the high cost of living in Qatar, it’s true that housing is pretty expensive, but not disproportionate to other developed countries. When I graduated from college (1999) I was paying just over QR5000 a month for housing (and made QR8500 a month, before taxes!). It would have been impossible for me to support myself if I hadn’t had a working spouse.

Wait, Khalifa, you have a diamond encrusted toothbrush? If I complement you on it, will you give it to me?

In all seriousness, thanks for these reminders. Everything needs to be balanced. Qataris are facing serious disparagement from within their own country. Some of the criticisms are fair, some are outrageously unfair. And if you remove justice from the equation, then what you are left with is a situation where I’m not convinced that a privileged western expat really needs to be opening their fat mouths to criticize when we certainly have problems of our own in our countries.

Rock on, Khalifa.

Hi.

I’ve heard similar statements on many occasions. Problem is every time an earnest Qatari has beseechingly insisted that he’s not rich:

- He’s always had 2 Blackberrys ostentatiously left on the table
- He’s always had a Mont Blanc pen poking out of the top of his pen
- He’s always worn glitteringly, gaudily expensive cuff-links
- He’s always got into a Merc, a Range Rover sport or some other top of the range car as we left (with me off to get the bus!)

I find it hard to believe that the Qatari government did not pay your UK tuition.

Where did you get the statistics on debt from? (Which I can well believe)

Qataris get boat-loads of perks in their jobs. In Education City, in lieu of foreigners getting return flights home every year, Qataris were given 3 (possibly 4- I can’t remember) months pay to compensate them!

You don’t pay any taxes (yet).

So, are Qataris rich? Certainly. As rich as people often assume? Perhaps not. But I will not be joining in a whip-around for a poor Qatari any day soon!

Thanks

No where do I say that all Qataris dress like that. In fact I am quite clearly referring to the Qataris with whom I’ve had this type of conversation.

1) We’re NOT all the same – obviously
2) Richness is RELATIVE – certainly
3) Cost of living increases affect us AS WELL – naturally
4) I was busting some MYTHS – hmmm…
5) People should stop being jealous at the fact that the government supports its people, rather get annoyed at their own governments for not doing as much –

- not so sure it’s jealousy. Don’t misunderstand me; it’d great if the UK government didn’t take tax etc but I’d not swap my passport for any other.

Tuition – I see. I’ve known a few Qataris who studied in the UK and they all had their tuition paid. But, as you say, they then worked for a Ministry or other for a year or two. (Not that this is the kind of vague insidious thing that you’re hinting at.)

Stats – alas, I was hoping to be able to use them myself in the future. As I say though, I can believe them.

I most certainly was generalising. That is, alas, what one needs to do to a reasonable degree in these sorts of discussions. So I still stand by my original generalisation that Qataris are ‘all’ rich.

Do you think that any Qataris ever have to be concerned as to where their next meal is coming from? Or about where their next roof over their head will come from? I just don’t think that any Qatari has to ponder these things. Ergo, as far as I see it, Qataris are rich. You may disagree with my notions of what ‘rich’ does and doesn’t mean, of course. But I think that Qataris would pass the next ‘threshold’ of poverty too.

After basic concerns as I’ve mentioned (food, shelter) there are things like (nice) clothes, transport, means and opportunities (jobs etc). On this scale too, I don’t believe that there are any Qataris scrabbling around for clothes or utterly without any opportunity to education or work. Ergo, Qataris are rich. A generalisation; yes, but a really ‘good’ one, I’d say.

If, say, a member of my football team has had all his stuff stolen, then we (the team) might have a whiparound for him – i.e. we all put in some cash for him.

Can I ask you about another Qatari cliche?

– The ‘lazy’ Qatari.

I’m sure that I don’t need to tell you that Qataris along with most other Gulfies have an awful reputation in the workplace. Public work (Ministries etc) are reputed to be the worst places for this. I.e. ‘A Gulfie’ will turn up late, have a long lunch, do little work, go home early etc all because he cannot be fired because he is a Gulfie and doesnt have much motivation for work.

What are your thought on this? Do you think that it’s a fair cliche? Whilst there are, of course, such people in all work environments across the world, would you say that it’s fair to say that there is a far higher percentage of ‘lazy’ Gulfie employees in companies in the Gulf?

Thanks for your time

David

I promise to be on my best behavior…

I never knew about the development center. I will certainly visit it next time I’m in Qatar, thanks for pointing it out. Do these people tend to be hadar/bedu/of Iranian origin?

Can you links some articles discussing this in the press?

Certainly there are many lazy Americans or Europeans.
Yet in the West where family connections are usually neutralised by institutional procedures there really is not the scope for laziness (i.e. they’ll be fired, get no promotions at all or not be hired in the first place).

I do think that you nonchalantly if not woefully underestimate the power of Qataris. Over 8 months I interviewed (I’m doing my PhD ‘on’ Qatar) countless foreigners of all nationalities (and, obviously, Qataris) in all sectors of Qatari businesses and the replies were more of less universal to the leading statement ‘please describe your office’

- Qatari men are usually (of course, not always) woefully lazy. Qatarisation mandates a certain level of Qataris, ergo they cannot be fired.
- Qatari women are usually (…say 95%) excellent, diligent, tireless workers.

I would also direct you towards the ‘rentier state’ theory regarding Gulf countries. This predicts that when a country has external rent (oil, gas) and the state is commensurately ‘rich’ through no actual exertion of its own (educating, training, employing citizens in service/manufacturing etc industries), then there is no incentive for its citizens to work. Add in the ‘no taxation for no representation’ model and it’s a paradigm that is widely accepted. (I’ve also spent a lot of time in Kuwait where it was equally true).

I’m sure you’re a diligent worker. I’m also equally sure – alas – that you and perhaps your office, if that is the case, are in the vast minority.

Why are Bharainis ‘a great example’? Because they are losing/have lost their external rent, ergo they need to start operating under ‘normal’ (i.e. non oil and gas dependent) circumstances.

Whilst, of course, everything that I’ve just said could be wrong, the evidence is, as far as I see it, just too compelling.

I hope that this has been a suitably civil conversation!

Thanks for your thoughts.

Nope, I am not certainly not an anthropologist living in Abu Dhabi.

Sorry I can’t oblige…

And my reply was deleted because…

Oh. I guess I did something stupid then. Apologies for besmirching your good reputation!

I definetly did post a comment here that did disappear, I guess I did something stupid as well.

I clearly stated :

There is are various contradictions in your opinions between this article and this one :

http://blog.iloveqatar.net/2010/05/i-envy-bahrainis/

i am agree with you that if a person who is not belong from qatar and do the job their he waste almost of his salary in accommodation but i think employee will have to leave in group so that he can decrease his expenses

Hi,

I’m very interested in what you do and was wondering if you would be up for an interview about your blogging. I’m a journalism student in Northwestern University in Qatar so that is where the interview would land.

Please contact me at oladeyab2012@u.northwestern.edu if you’re interested. I would love to hear from you!

Thanks!

I just came across your article, it made me laugh (in the good sense). It is true, expats can have tons of misconceptions. Good piece of writing!

David is really a pain in the ass, if he was sitting next to me, i would walkaway. 

David.. You’re not a Qatari, you don’t know what it means to be a Qatari.. and you will never understand, because you weren’t brought up like one! Those stereotypes which you’re provoking and supporting with your VERY ignorant statements are harmful to Qataris, likewise any stereotype about any culture or nation. On thefreedictionary.com rich is defined as: well supplied with wealth, property, etc.; owning much. also, rich - people who have possessions and wealth. NOT ALL QATARIS ARE RICH (WEALTHY) Yes, there’s no single Qatari that is wondering naked in the streets and eating crumbs off the garbage. which may be amusing for someone like yourself. but that’s because we have WELFARE, LIKE THE US AND UK. and yes Qataris don’t pay tax.. but we pay ZAKAH! since we’re muslims we contribute 2.5 of our possessions to the society. MAYBE you often see lazy Qataris, but that DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE CLAIM that ALL Qataris are lazy! that’s just wrong and it sickness me. I am born into a Qatari Family. Both my parents are hard workers, somewhat my brothers are not, but my sisters and me are VERY hard working. YES almost every Qatari household has servants, but HARD WORK is NOT ONLY related to housework. My mom’s friend became a widow at a young age, she had four kids from her husband, and he was a police officer, so he didn’t make much, and she was a teacher, so she didn’t have much money either in her possession. she moved back to live with her family with her kids. imagine how hard that must have been on her. she couldn’t afford a maid, and couldn’t ask for the help of her parent’s maid. So that’s a Qatari who suffered because she didn’t have enough money, which makes your statement FALSE. Regarding driving Ferrari and stuff, my brother rides an expensive sport car, but the bank cuts off from his salary and he is left with only 4000 QR a month. if he was married and lived on his own, he wouldn’t survive! Most Qataris are showoffs, that’s because the Qatari society and ppl like yourself stress on those stereotypes that ALL Qataris are rich, which puts the pressure on them to make that ridiculous statement applicable. Like any other society, there are economic classes in the Qatari society, there are the VERY RICH families, such as AL-Thani, AL-Attyah, AL-Emadi, Al-Jedah, AL-Manai..and so on… there is a medium to rich class, whom can afford a luxuries life, but can’t technically go yacht shopping, and there is the medium class, whom represent the majority of Qataris, may possess luxurious stuff, but are either in debt or are in debt. (not a mistake)Al-Thani are very rich because part of the income of the oil and gas industry is distributed to them. The rest of the wealthy families are into business, and own most of the businesses in Qatar, can’t you see Al-Emadi signs in every corner? The medium to rich have either sucked out a lot of money from the government in the early days because of the good relations, or because they’re into business, or a little bit of both. and because of their good relations, they always get the best positions in the country. The Medium Class, earning from their jobs, perhaps some inheritance, and sometimes from very small businesses like an electronics store, which its income gets robbed off by their own employees. Maybe Qataris have some kind of “governmental care” that can’t be found anywhere else, and Qataris have accepted that care, but they gave up on so much more things, things that are more valuable than money. Cheers Mate, Emadadhi. 

Wow. I love your writing. Thank you for restoring my faith in the male Qataris. I thought there was none decent left… at least not to my knowledge.