Dear Sir,

I arrived in Qatar from the UK in 2007. My very first overseas assignment was in Doha, under the sponsorship of Yousuf Jassim al-Darwish. As a Western expat, this was all very new to me, different climate, environment, culture - this was a huge change in not only my life, but the lives of my wife and two children.
Some 13 years later, it is now time to leave and move back to the UK, the only reason I am relocating is due to the fact that my children have now grown up to adulthood and moved to university and my wife followed to help our children.
My time in Qatar has been one of the best experiences and opportunities in my professional career.
My children received top-end education from Doha College, whose examination table results are on par and even exceed some of the best schools in the UK. My children have now graduated with university degrees; my son is desperate to gain sufficient UK experience to enable him to come back to Qatar to support the country going forward.
We have received the best healthcare, my son underwent an operation at HMC for a broken wrist, first-class service healthcare with waiting times, scan results and examination waiting time, all faster than the UK.
I have witnessed a huge change in Qatar in relation to building, infrastructure and services all in line with the wise leadership of the country. Qatar is growing at an amazing rate. Even under difficult and unjust conditions such as the blockade, Qatar has continued to flourish, and these, in fact, pushed Qatar to be even more self-sufficient. Qatar is now not reliant on anyone or any country.
I leave with sadness as Qatar has been good to me. I have experienced numerous Ramadans, Eids, searing summers, desert trips, attended prayers, many majlis discussions, brunches, staycations, 5-star new airport - what an experience I have had, all together with the kindness and hospitality of the Qatari people, for which I will be eternally grateful.
I thank Yousuf Jassim al-Darwish, Bassam el-Masri and Steven Horn for helping make my time in this wonderful country a life-changing experience.
I am indebted to Qatar and wish Qatar everything good for the future, and look forward to coming back in 2022.
Barak Allah Fik

Mark Jordan
Estimating Manager
How United Services WLL