Here are a list of things people say often in the ex-pat community in Qatar which underline the inability to categorize the transience of bein an ex-pat (an expat is someone who is living outside their country of origin).

“When you’re living here permanently for a while….”
Translation: We are here but we aren’t here forever, so that is an in between that is undefineable.

“Go to X….. you won’t even feel like you are in Doha.”
Translation: A few places in the city will help you escape the reality of being here.

“We should really get together.”
Translation: We keep bumping into each other and you know everyone I know, so I’m making small talk.

“Now X… that’s a real city.”
Translation: This is not a real city but there are real cities out there, I just don’t live in one, but I have money to travel to them (which is why I live in this not-real city.)