Canada to Qatar... now what?!

Hi everyone,

I’m Sandra, originally from Calgary, Canada, and my husband and I made the move to Qatar earlier this year. We’re living in Lusail and, several months in, I can genuinely say that moving here has been one of the biggest adventures of my life.

Like most expats, there was a lot we had to figure out along the way. Getting our QIDs, navigating driving licences, finding our favourite grocery stores and restaurants, making new friends, learning the little cultural differences and eventually figuring out what everyday life in Doha actually looks like.

One of the best things to come out of the move has been starting a podcast with my friend Tova, another Canadian expat here in Qatar. It’s called Postcards from Doha, and we talk about the things we wish someone had told us before moving, along with our experiences of starting over, making friends, navigating life here and discovering Qatar beyond the usual tourist recommendations.

We definitely don’t claim to have all the answers. We’re simply two expats sharing what we’ve learned, what we’ve gotten wrong and what has surprised us along the way.

If you’re thinking about moving to Qatar, have recently arrived, or have been here for years and enjoy hearing other expat perspectives, you can find Postcards from Doha on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio or wherever you normally listen to podcasts.

Looking forward to getting to know more people here and hearing everyone else’s Qatar stories too.