Newcomers’ Guide South Labor Camp Dear Team, Welcome aboard! We are pleased to have you working with us. You were selected for employment due to the attributes that you displayed that appear to match the qualities we look for in an employee. We are looking forward to see you grow and develop into an outstanding employee that exhibits a high level of commitment and compassion for others. We hope that you will find your work to be rewarding, challenging, and meaningful. Please take your time and review the policies of our Labor Camp so that you can know what is expected and make a positive contribution. The State of Qatar Qatar is a sovereign Arab emirate, located in Western Asia, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf. A strait in the Persian Gulf separates Qatar from the nearby island kingdom of Bahrain. Arabic is the official language of Qatar, with Qatari Arabic as the local dialects. English is also widely spoken, and is considered to be a rising lingua franca, especially in commerce. Reflecting the multicultural make-up of the country, many other languages are also spoken, including Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu, Tamil, Nepali and Tagalog. Before the discovery of oil, Qatar was noted mainly for sea trade and pearl hunting. Nowadays it is known for having the world's third largest natural gas reserves and oil reserves in excess of 25 billion barrels, which has fuelled Qatar to become the world's richest country per capita and achieve the highest human development in the Arab World. In order to promote tourism, Qatar has invested billions into improving infrastructure. It held the 2006 Asian Games and will be the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first Arab country to host either of the events. ALYSJ JV South Labor Camp 1 | P a g e About Qatar . The nation celebrates December 18 every year as Qatar National Day to commemorate Qatar’s independence from Britain. Some of its other annual national holidays are Qatar National Sport Day celebrated on the second Tuesday of February. As it is primarily an Islamic country, Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha are widely celebrated every year too. All of these festivals and events are celebrated throughout the country in a very grand manner. World-renowned architect I M Pei designed the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, with its magnificent geometric architecture. It was opened in 2008 and its building is a blend of both Islamic and modern architectural styles. Although Qatar is originally a desert, it has a diverse range of flora and fauna. Purple Island is an example of this. Located in 40km from Doha near the township of Al Khor, Purple Island is a fish-shaped island dotted with several low limestone cliffs throughout it and a mangrove forest that has a range of fish, shellfish as well as birds, including pink flamingoes which transit through Qatar during their seasonal migration. Every winter, traditional camel races are held in Al Shahaniya, which are not to be missed. Officially, weekends in Qatar fall on Fridays. Most stores are usually closed on Friday mornings until the Jumu’ah afternoon prayer. Most stores and other places begin to open for business around 13:30. When in Doha, dress modestly as a sign of respect to local customs and culture. Both women and men should refrain from wearing clothes that go above their knees and women should preferably cover their arms. Men and women should avoid social intimacy at public places. The summer in Doha is usually quite harsh with temperatures flaring up to 50 degrees Celsius. Most people like staying indoors but evenings are slightly cooler. With sunscreen, a hat on and by keeping yourself constantly hydrated when outdoors, you should be fine. However, winters are much cooler and although the nights can get a little chilly, it is the perfect season to sit outdoors, enjoy camping and a BBQ at the beach or at the desert, or sit outdoors at the city’s many parks and enjoy a picnic or people watching. Karak tea is one of the most popular beverages among local and expatriate residents alike in Qatar. A number of eateries serve this delicious, milky tea, which is infused with cardamom and ginger in some places. Some popular places that serve Karak and have even served variations of this are Tea Time and Chapati & Karak (in Katara Cultural Village). If you’re feeling peckish, a number of small Lebanese outlets serving shawarma (for the meat- eaters) or falafel (for the vegetarians or vegans) are easy grab-and-go options. ALYSJ JV South Labor Camp 2 | P a g e The Holy Month of Ramadan Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Every day during this month, Muslims around the world spend the daylight hours in a complete fast. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims all over the world abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs during the daylight hours. Respect the local culture of Qatar and show courtesy and consideration for those who are fasting. Do not smoke or drink in public. If you are not fasting, only eat in designated areas during the day. Do learn a few Ramadan greetings can show your respect for the Islamic culture. In Arabic, it is customary to say "Ramadan Kareem" or "Ramadan Mubarak", which basically translates into "May you have a generous/ blessed Ramadan". Dress modestly. Women should wear loose, long-sleeved tops and knee-length skirts or trousers, while men should wear long trousers. Do not play loud music either in cars or in private residences. Work hours for most banks, offices and government organizations will be reduced by at least two hours, so make sure you find out the new timings. Public transport schedules and paid parking hours will also change during the month. Holiday’s in Qatar . National Sports Days (Second Tuesday of February month). Independence Day (18th December). Eid Al Fitr – Marks the end of Ramadan (3 days off), Moveable feast (Dates are based on lunar calculations). Eid-al-Adha – Feast of Sacrifice in Islamic tradition (3 days off), Moveable feast (Dates are based on lunar calculation. ALYSJ JV South Labor Camp 3 | P a g e South Camp South Camp started its operations in September 2015 and we would like to take this opportunity to wish you a warm welcome to our labor camp. We expect you to remember and adhere to the policies and procedures genuinely. We are here to make your stay with us as safe and as pleasant experience as possible. Hopefully you will find all of the information that you need about the camp and what is provided in this handbook. Should there be anything else that we can do to make your stay with as comfortable as possible please do not hesitate to ask, we will do our best to accommodate you. Facilities Other services and facilities that are provided in camp includes room cleaning, laundry, satellite TV as per nationality, internet café, sports facilities and a mosque. Internet Communication is very important to all of us; although we’re far away from our families; modern technology helps to bring us closer to them. Internet capability is therefore available in Internet Café and Wi-Fi connection is available in the common areas. Recreation Hall Recreation halls are considered common areas. They include Gymnasium, Table Tennis, Table Football, Wi-Fi and Internet Café. Residents can relax and enjoy their free time. Food is not allowed in the recreation hall. Sports facilities Outdoor facilities include Cricket Pitch, Basketball & Volleyball courts. Residents are expected to keep the facilities clean. Laundry Laundry services are provided on weekly basis (ALYSJ JV South Labor Camp schedule: collection on Friday and Tuesday, morning hours, to be delivered back on Monday and Thursday respectively). First Aid Should you be unwell during your stay here at Camp, medical facilities are available 24hours a day 7 days a week. If necessary an isolation ward is also provided. Faith There is Mosque available in the Camp for all Muslims. Housekeeping All common areas/halls will be cleaned on a daily basis. Rooms are cleaned twice per week during regular working hours (except on Fridays and on Public Holidays). 4 | P a g e Mess Hall You should note that there is a No Smoking policy inside the mess hall. Please do not take food out of the dining facilities. If you have any food allergies please inform the Catering Coordinator or the Camp Boss to discuss email with the attachment of medical certificate. Canteen facilities are to be used as per nationality. We constantly strive to provide a varied cuisine and innovative dishes among continental, Arabic and Asian cuisine. Breakfast: 04:30 – 07:30 Lunch: 12:00 – 14:30 (Fridays and Public Holidays 11:00 – 14:30) Dinner: 17:30 – 20:30 Please note that sleeveless shirts/t-shirts are not allowed. Camp office Camp office is the focal point of the Camp. The reception is open 24 hours, 7 days per week and it should be your first point of contact for any assistance that you require, or issues, queries and concerns that you may have. Administrator: Mr. Rupert Batara #7029 5636 HSE: Mr. Gobi Kumar #3016 6346 Visitation policy You are responsible for the conduct of your guests, regardless of who they are, when they are present in the Camp.