During our time in Qatar, our family owned a total of 6 cars, 4 of which were bought used. Buying a pre-owned car is always tricky, no matter where you are, so it doesn’t surprise me that it’s one of the most common questions I’m being asked. And so I gathered everything I’ve learned from […]
If you’re a parent in Qatar, chances are that at some point you found yourself obsessing over your kids’ birthday party location. Throwing a party in an outside venue is definitely not cheap, but it’s always so much fun for the kids, and a perfect bonding opportunity for parents too 😊 I’ve done some research […]
Celebrating anniversary in Qatar without spending tons of money- is it possible? Many people would say “no way”, because the most obvious ways to spend this important day involve heaps of money. Dinners in fancy restaurants, 7* cinema trips, staycations, treatments in spa… The list goes on. There are, however, other ways to celebrate which […]
And what do you do for annual Sports Day? When I asked this question in my Instagram poll, most of you replied that you’re planning to stay at home and relax. This is understandable, especially if you’re working full time (Qatar has very little public holidays compared to other countries!), but I’m here to offer […]
Ladies! Remember when we were young, freshly graduated and (most probably) childless? I do, although this memory is becoming more and more vague each year. That was the time when we were making Grand Plans for our future life. Mine was: “I’ll have two beautiful kids, an amazing fulfilling job, and some extraordinary time-management skills […]
Have you been to this year’s Doha International Book Fair yet? (If you haven’t and wonder whether it makes sense to go, read HERE). Seeing how much buzz is the Fair creating, I’m surprised (and overjoyed!) to acknowledge that there are actually more book lovers in Qatar than I have suspected! It might also mean […]
One of the amazing things that all families with small kids appreciate in Qatar is the abundance of outdoor playgrounds, most of which are free for all to access! My boys got so used to visiting a different one each time that when we went to live in Poland for a while, they were upset […]
New Year, new me? Naaaah… New Year, new series of articles on my blog! It’s called “Keeping it real” and it’s meant to be exactly that: my honest views and real life experiences. The purpose? To let you know that if you struggle with certain things – you are definitely not alone! And to vent […]
Hello December! I love this time of the year in Qatar, for two reasons: the weather & Festive vibes. Yes, you read that right! Many of you might think that you will have to forget about celebrating Christmas once you live in Qatar, because in the end: a. It’s a Muslim country, and b. December […]
Breakfast. The most important meal of the day. Or the most unnecessary one, according to my husband 😉 . Are you all about breakfast, or do you just grab anything you happen to have in your fridge? Or maybe you skip it altogether? I can definitely live without it, but also take immense pleasure in […]
So you just moved to Lusail and probably started realizing how far you are from Doha. You noticed that places which were within the reach of your hand now require a 1-hour round trip, and that many of your favorite restaurants don’t deliver to you anymore. But what if you look at it from a […]
This post was inspired by the very many people who don’t travel on Doha Metro only because they don’t know how to go about it, and the misconceptions they have about the experience! I’m a great advocate of traveling on the metro, especially now when traffic inside Doha gets crazy! It’s easy, comfortable, and hassle-free. […]
Raise your hand if you’ve embraced the concept of working remotely. Now, keep it raised if you’ve also discovered that it became increasingly difficult for you to focus on your work! In an office environment, it is much easier to stick to your daily work tasks. In the end, it’s a workplace. You’re surrounded by […]
“A BuJo Junkie” is a term to describe a person obsessed with bullet journaling. I am NOT that person. A bullet journal is not my obsession, but it definitely is my hobby. I don’t try to force everything inside a bullet journal – I treat it more like a tool to achieve my ideal planning […]
EDIT: As of April 2022, Children’s Library is open. However, an in-library ticketing system is currently used during weekends and school breaks to control capacity, on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are free and can be obtained inside the Library. When the Children’s Library reaches full capacity, visitors are asked to wait. Did you know that […]
If you’re anything like me, you have probably welcomed the concept of “work from home” with your arms wide open. Because of the current situation, more and more companies are allowing their employees to continue working remotely, at least for a part of a week. Luckily for us, work from home does not actually have […]
Those of you who follow me on social media already know that back in June we’ve moved out of Doha, and we are now living in Lusail. One month in, I’m keen to share with you my insights about how the experience has been for us so far. Was it worth it? Or maybe we’re […]
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably figured out that having a coffee in Msheireb has recently grown to become my #1 morning activity. I absolutely adore Msheireb Downtown. It’s calm, sophisticated, walkable (!!), NOT located a million miles away from my house (sorry, Lusail Marina!), and bursting at the seams with hip eateries […]
Hello after a long break! As some of you might already know, back in December I’ve had my 3rd (oh dear!) child. Baby Alex, aka our “Covid Baby”, is doing great! Since I am quite active on the birth-related Facebook groups in Qatar, it is clear to me that many ladies are anxious and confused […]
UPDATED: July 2021 So I have been thinking. Mostly about my future and how to steer my career now that I found myself without a job. I feel free, but honestly have no idea which direction to go. Diving into this subject made me think of all the amazing, talented, and passionate women out there […]
As I mentioned briefly in my previous post, I have recently quit my job. It was my own decision, even though I did feel forced to do it. I consider myself a dedicated employee and a person who doesn’t take their work responsibilities lightly (Type A, hellooo…). That definitely made me stay much longer than […]
I haven’t posted anything for a long while… This had a lot to do with my situation at work and all the unnecessary stress it has been causing me. Every afternoon after coming back home I would feel completely drained and the only thing I wanted to do was to lie on the sofa and […]
Now that you know what are our family’s beachgoing habits (if you missed my last post, you can read about it HERE), the time has come to reveal our favorite beaches this season! And, as a bonus, to tell you which one is totally NOT worth the trip. As a quick reminder, our family is […]
With the pandemic messing up our holiday plans, Qatar’s scorching heat, and many indoor establishments still closed, it’s not easy to find ways to spend time as a family. In the past, we would never even consider visiting any beaches in Qatar between June and September. With the heat and humidity reaching ridiculous levels, we […]
Hello after a long break! I apologize for keeping quiet. If you follow my social media, you probably already know that I’ve recently started a new job, and it keeps me busy beyond what I’d imagined! At the same time, I’m still a mom of two without a full-time helper around, so I guess you […]
Raise your hand if during the past couple of weeks you’ve reached a whole new level of appreciation for every teacher’s job. I know I have! Suddenly, you went from working full time and going out and about to voluntarily locking yourself up at home with your spouse and kids. The first few days were […]
There it is, my first post about the current crisis. I apologize to those of you who are sick and tired of reading about it. I do have some points to raise, though. It’s mostly because of people’s reactions to what’s happening in my life at the moment, and their follow-up questions 🙂 . Also, […]
So we are back in Qatar. Circumstances back in 2020 (namely: early lockdown in Poland and closure of the borders) forced us to make a difficult decision on the spot: should I stay in Poland with the kids and not be able to join my hubby in Qatar for God knows how long, or should […]
UPDATED: July 2021 During the peak of the pandemic, we’ve learned to avoid crowded places such as shopping malls, and the popularity of online shopping skyrocketed. Now, the situation is getting better, but the habit of buying stuff online stayed with us for good. I’m happily on board with that, as I believe that while […]
We’ve all been there: upon returning to our home countries, be it for vacation or for good, we immediately start complaining about certain things, because they are not how we want/expect them to be! What seemed completely normal to you before moving to Qatar is now bringing a deep frown to your sun-beaten face, and […]
Traveling can be tricky, especially with small children in tow. However, it’s now infinitely easier than it used to be a decade or two decades ago. I still remember how I had to navigate in a foreign country using a paper map, and booking a hotel was only possible either over the phone or via […]
Here are some events to keep you busy in Qatar, in the month of March 2020. FAMILY FUN Whiskers & Purrs Community Cat Show When & Where: Mar 7 (1pm-6pm), Tennis Courts @ The Pearl. Fees: FREE! About: a great family event dedicated to kitties! Apart from the show, there will be plenty of activities […]
Time management for moms is a topic really close to my heart. As a Type-A organizing freak, over the years I’ve developed a borderline unhealthy obsession with productivity, being organized, and doing everything in a structured way. 🙂 I’ve attended courses, learned by experience, and thought myself more or less an expert. AND THEN I […]
UPDATED: July 2021 In this update, I have removed some nurseries from the list. Some closed down, some were unresponsive and had no online presence. In case a nursery is active online, but did not respond to my request for updated information, I kept the last known information in the spreadsheet and made a note […]
In 2020 I’ve officially moved back to the desert, after spending 8 months in Poland. The year 2019 taught me a very valuable lesson: home is not always a place where you were born and raised. Home is where you feel most comfortable, where your family is, a place you long to come back to […]
So my previous post about Private Schools in Qatar turned out to be a huge success. I’m honestly overwhelmed by the amount of positive feedback as well as the number of downloads! Encouraged by the response, I decided to cover another topic very close to our hearts: house-hunting in Qatar! During the 9+ years spent […]
Each year, on the 2nd Tuesday of February, people in Qatar divide into two camps: “It’s Sports Day, no work today!” camp, and “It’s Sports Day, let’s go out and do something fun! (And, there’s no work today!)” camp. Please read on, if you think you might belong to the second group. 🙂 Qatar National […]
“Where are you from?” – I asked Adam once, quite curious about what will he say. He was 3 years old at the time. “Germany!” – he answered, without any hesitation. Wait, what!? I was expecting “Poland”, maybe “Tunisia”, but why on earth would he associate himself with a country he has no links to? […]
Welcome to the January edition of my Monthly Fun Stuff format! You might or might not have noticed that I somehow missed the New Year one… That would have been easy though: December fun stuff includes mostly Christmas spirit, Chrismas food, Christmas gifts and guiltfree trashy champagne on New Year’s Eve. Actually, it was organic […]
Here are some events to keep you busy in Qatar, in the month of February 2020. Please note that Sports Day activities are excluded! There will be a separate post covering those – watch this space! 🙂 KIDS ENTERTAINMENT Exploratorium: The Exploration of Sciences and Arts When & Where: Feb 22 (3pm-6pm), Oxygen Park (Education […]
UPDATED: July 2021 As some of you might already know, after moving back to Poland for 8 months, we had made a decision to return to Qatar!. We all love it here and can’t stay away! 🙂 This means that we had to look for a school for Adam (agaaaain…). Being an obsessive planner, I’ve […]
Did you know that the 3rd Monday of January is called “Blue Monday” and is claimed to be the most depressing day of the year? And even though I don’t really agree with labeling a certain day in such a way, I can’t help but notice that (in Poland) it kinda is sort of gloomy […]
A lot of people who I talked to in Qatar seem to have one thing in common: after a couple of years in the Middle East, somewhere between long working hours and questionable lifestyle habits, they managed to gain an impressive amount of weight. Myself included. One of my colleagues (+8 kg in 5 years) […]
If you google “vision board”, you will learn that it’s a visual tool that’s supposed to help you stay focused on a specific life goal. Personally, I treat it a bit differently. My vision board includes ALL of my 2020 goals. Each is represented by a picture (some by more than one!) that I found […]
Yesterday, while enjoying a cup of coffee and WAY too much cake, I had been looking for ideas for a new post (better late than never!). I knew I’d like to introduce you to celebrating Christmas in Poland, but I also knew I’d like to keep it light and wouldn’t want to bore you to […]
May your lives be filled with love and happiness, and your year be full of good vibes! Merry Christmas from our small family. 🙂
UPDATE: below is what it was supposed to be like. As we all know, covid had different plans… As you might have already gathered, I am a bit of a bullet journal junkie. Bujo has been a significant part of my life since 2015. I found it amazing to be able to set up everything […]
I might come across as this extremely organized traveling mama who plans her trips perfectly and loves to give people advice. However, my travels are definitely not all unicorns and rainbows! In MY PREVIOUS POST, I’ve included some tips about traveling solo with kids. Granted, that particular trip went pretty well. The way back, however, […]
Back on the travel wagon! Today’s post is inspired by a trip from Poland to Qatar which I’ve managed to complete solo, with two (!) kids aged 1 and 5. Also, we were connecting flights. Also, the first flight departed at 5:30 AM. Oh, joy! 😀 To be perfectly honest with you, I had started […]
Welcome to the second edition of my Monthly Fun Stuff format! Here are some things which caught my attention in the month of November! On the Web. — November gloom can really weigh down on us, and it looks like it won’t be any better in December. Unless, of course, you live in Qatar and […]
Here are some events to keep you busy in Qatar, in the month of December. KIDS ENTERTAINMENT Peekaboo Baby Theater – “Wendy Frost” When & Where: Dec 14, Sharq Village & Spa Fees: 180 QAR (children, inclusive of a small gift), 90 QAR (accompanying adults) About: a fairy tale about a little girl called Wendy […]
Good morning, world! As we are approaching the end of November, it is high time to think about completing this year’s Christmas gift shopping. I mean, seriously, if you’re planning to shop online, do it before the end of November! The only thing worse from getting reindeer socks for Christmas is getting reindeer socks after […]
If you visit any travel forum and ask about a perfect island getaway, you’ll notice an interesting thing. Commenters will instantly divide into two camps, trying to convince you to choose either the Maldives or Seychelles. A lonely voice here and there might suggest Zanzibar (which I’ve already written about HERE), Bali or Mauritius. Sadly, […]
UPDATE: before you choose your destination, check the current covid situation there to make sure you’ll be allowed to enter the country, and what documents you need to present! So this one is for all of you Qatar-based families who are still not sure where to travel for the winter break. Been there, done that! […]
I’ve been postponing this post forever, even though it seems like one of the most obvious blogging topics for me. Why hesitate? Partially probably because I’m such a chicken! 😀 So many friends of mine are Tunisian and I’m afraid of writing something they won’t approve of. Also, there’s so much to write about that […]
UPDATE, 2020/2021 – Cuban Hospital is currently assigned for Covid-19 patients and is not admitting pregnant women for checkups or delivery, until further notice! Hold your horses, I am NOT pregnant again! 😀 This post is completely spontaneous and refers to my previous experience with the Cuban Hospital in Qatar. Ok, there’s a risk that […]
If you are anything like me, congratulations, you must be a typical Type-A traveler! Wanting to have all the details of your trip sorted before departure becomes your #1 priority. You’re worrying about every single small thing that can go wrong and google millions of questions. Personally, my biggest issues always revolve around airports – […]
Sharing is caring, right? With that in mind, I’ve come up with the “Monthly fun stuff” format, to be able to point you towards all the awesomeness I’ve come across online and offline, throughout the month. Let’s start with my October faves! On the Web. — If you know me, you’ve probably already realized that […]
Hello, my fellow 30-somethings! Have you ever prepared for a trip and suddenly thought: “Damn, my 20-year-old self would not recognize or approve of what I have become!”. 😀 Yeah, me too! I had this revelation when I was packing for our road trip back in 2019. It really made me laugh out loud! I […]
Imagine you’ve landed your dream job. Trouble is, the job is in the Middle East and accepting the offer would mean that your whole family has to relocate. I had it easier – when I moved to Qatar, there were only two of us. We then smoothly transitioned into a family of five. 🙂 But […]
As you already know, back in 2019 we’d temporarily shifted from Qatar to Poland. And what better way to celebrate moving to a different continent than by organizing a road trip with kids, somewhere new? 🙂 It started quite innocently, a simple idea to visit friends in Hamburg, Germany. Sounds basic, right? We thought so […]
I never actually planned to write a whole post on job hunting in Qatar. I did, however, receive plenty of questions related to this subject. So, instead of replying to each message separately, I decided to do a bit of work-related FAQ on my blog. “So, what’s your story?” You can read about it all […]
I was sooo looking forward to sharing our Zanzibar adventure with you guys! It’s one of my favorite trips EVER, and definitely the most spontaneous one, to date. 🙂 Bored at work one day, I was randomly checking out potential holiday destinations when I noticed that, for some reason, the price of plane tickets to […]
As you might have already figured out, I’m a book worm and a travel junkie. Those two passions of mine are fueling each other. I always want to read about places I’ve visited and I want to visit the places I’ve read about. And so I thought to myself: why not to share my favorite […]
“Who are those guys?” – you might wonder. I did post about the beginning of our life together HERE, but that’s all that some of you know about us so far. So in order to introduce our family a bit better, I’ve decided to entertain you with some trivia. Enjoy! 1. Before Khaled met me, […]
Mamas! Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your beloved hubby gets to enjoy himself abroad on a business trip while you stay home on babysitting duty, with all the jealousy cleverly concealed underneath a “have fun, darling!” smile? Guilty! That was what triggered me and resulted in our Lisbon family adventure! When […]
If I got a cookie every time someone asks me about being married to a person from a completely different background, I would be a very happy and very fat mama right now. 🙂 Oh the joys of navigating a multicultural relationship! So what is our day-to-day reality? What challenges do we face? What’s in […]
Traveling with kids is challenging for so many reasons and in so many ways. Among hundreds of things that can go wrong, we need to do our best to make sure that whatever is under our control is executed perfectly. Packing wisely for a family vacation is one of those things. Below list has been […]
Those who met me know how crazy I am about everything related to bullet journaling, in addition to being a stationery junkie. It started as a love-hate relationship – I have absolutely zero talent in the drawing department, and setting up each notebook was an enormous challenge. Now, after over two years into journaling, I’m […]
Packing. Something I’ll probably never be good at. It literally took me YEARS to become a decent packer, which I don’t quite understand considering my obsession with time management and organizing (sorry, Marie Kondo!). Rookie mistakes still happen, frustration follows. Now, with three kids in tow, the bar has been raised even further. My list […]
“You’re moving WHERE???” asked another one of my friends, when I informed him that I’m planning to settle down in Qatar. Once again, I had to explain that I’m not planning to live in a village in the middle of the desert, rolling my eyes at lousy jokes about being sold to a savage desert […]
Once upon a time, one adventurous Polish girl met a tall dark stranger… The rest is history 🙂 My parents were both lawyers and, as it often happens in such circumstances, I was expected to follow the same path. Not that I had much against it. I pictured myself in an Ally McBeal-ish setup: smart, […]