What would make someone who has the best job they ever had in their lives, working for the best boss ever (shout out to Raoul Ross) decide to throw it all in and move to the other side of the world? Good question!
There are many layers in the answer. Initially I was approached to consider a job in Qatar in 2008, I had the interview lined up and all but the week before a sudden and life changing event happened to one of my children and I decided that nothing could persuade me to leave them so I cancelled the interview. The recruiting agency was relentlessly emailing and calling me to ask me to reconsider, but I was firm and said no. Then out of the blue in 2011 this same recruiter emailed me and asked if I had changed my mind – that email on that day was the rope I was hoping for to get me out of a great personal hole that I was in. I grabbed it and said yes I am, when, what, how and where? In those three years from my initial interest to then my child’s hell became my own. You know when you think you are doing the right thing but it is nowhere near the right thing. So I saw this as a chance to press restart with everything. I called all my children together and said this is what I have been offered does anyone have any objection to me going because if you are not all on board I won’t go. All of them said GO!!!!
My children were 24, 23 and 16 at this time with my youngest in Grade 11. It was discussed if she would live with me over there but her final years of school were too important to risk so she stayed in Australia and the plan was that she would live with her brother and/or her sister until she finished school. I also had a 5 year old grandson who I was extremely close to and had never not seen him for more than a day or two in his entire life except a one week holiday they took to NZ.
So the reasoning for coming here was entirely personal. I needed to restart MY life and reset the relationships I had with all my children and my grandson. I had spent every day of the last 28 years of my life thinking of everyone except myself to my own detriment, personally and professionally. If I took this opportunity I would be alone, could I bear it? I wouldn’t be responsible for anyone but me on a day to day basis, do I know how to do that? I could travel to all the places I have dreamed of all my life, really? I can still support my family from afar but I can carve out my own identity and enjoy my life instead of suffering through it. Mentally it was a struggle with many back and forth decisions, anguished nights and conversations with my dearest friend, second guessing that it wasn’t really meant for me and so on. I was given a lot of time to do this but in the end I stuck with my decision.
As luck would have it my application was lost in HR during EID and it was six months later before I finally received a work visa for Qatar. It arrived on Friday so I had the whole weekend to plan my resignation speech and delivered it at 0700 on Monday morning. I had a wonderful boss who knew that me asking to see him first thing Monday morning with a note in my hand and tears in my eyes was not a good thing. He however wished me well and supported my decision in every way he could. The next month flew and before I knew it I was on a plane to the Middle East with little knowledge of anything except that this is my restart button and lots of hopes/dreams and plans to make the very most of this chance to change my life. Doha in October 2011 was a VERY different place to Doha 2020 but I took it all in, was frustrated at processes for sure but in the end on 12th January 2012 not only was I a resident but my youngest daughter landed in Doha to start her residency process too. The adventures we had awaiting us were many and so memorable that I could last the rest of my life on them, which I might have to if we can’t ever travel freely again!
So that is why I came here (the very abridged version) and this is the longest I have ever been in any one job or home in my entire life but all good things must eventually come to an end. Next week I will share my first months of culture shock.
Carolyn in Doha
