ONETOTEN: The Ten Pros

Finally. I never thought I'd actually come up with a PROs list but my "career" situation in Qatar does have some good points. I just needed some time to screen these and make them competitive when pitted against the CONs. A heads up: you won't find "Doha has the best shawarma" in the list.

10 Sucky as it may seem, I do have free accommodation. Normally, one might need to pay 800QR (Php 11,200) for bed space or 2,500QR (Php 35,000) for a single room plus electricity and water consumption charges. That, and you need to buy your own furniture.

09 My room is on the second floor of the office. While this can lead to abuse (ie long office hours), it also means that I don't have to pay for transportation, which is pretty steep as one taxi ride is usually around 15QR (Php 210).

08 Food is cheap here as long as you don't convert it to peso. In relation to a basic Qatar salary (which i don't have, by the way), one won't have a problem with food because it's affordable and they usually have big servings in almost every place.

07 Alcohol is restricted. I like to get drunk once in a while just to let loose, but lately I found the value of non-alcoholic drinks. I get to save money by not partying and save myself from embarassment.

06 I got back to my writing and reading. No TV and less movies, I have no choice but to go old school in the entertainment department.

05 Culture. Or the lack of it. To date, it's the longest time I've been out of the country. I've learned a lot in the months I've spent here from geography to sociology and to, most of all, dealing with people from different cultural backgrounds. It's priceless education.

04 Honestly, it's weird that for a self-proclaimed rebel, I find Qatar, aka Prohibition State, closer to home than any other foreign land I've been to, thus I would prefer working here than, say, Hong Kong (no offense mom, I love you but Hong Kong is too cosmopolitan for your laid back, Brokeback cowboy son LoL). I can blend in with the crowd. I can communicate better. The weather is like a hotter, sunnier Davao (no typhoon, yey!) And the food agrees with my system (no more chicken allergy, yipee!).

03 This is a rich country so there is always the possibility of a better job with a better offer. The only question is: when will it knock on my door?

02 My boss does make some sort of effort to make the office a better place to work in. Every week there is an improvement, interior-wise, so MAYBE the staff can expect some salary increase when he's done splurging on carpets and furniture.

01 I have definitely settled down here. I have learned their ways. I have gained friends. I have gained a family spin-off even and I am not lost (in Qatar) anymore. Although it wasn't hard to adjust, I still think that such adjustment period should only come once every decade or else risk being called a nomad.

There. It's done. PROs vs CONs. I need your opinion, dear reader. Help me out. Which side wins? The Pros or the Cons? Write your name, your answer "PROS" or "CONS" followed by your reason for selecting answer and other comments you might have. I'll raffle replies and pick out a winner. A special prize awaits. ;o>