I have spent the past five days in Doha, Qatar and have been enjoying my time here greatly. This is a beautiful country with a unique history. I feel very safe in this country, however, the culture shock is real. The most challenging cultural difference is the emphasis on segregation of genders. Qatar is a Muslim country that practices Islam. Other religions are allowed, but the conversion of a Muslim will cause you to be immediately kicked out of the country. The biggest differences I’ve noticed regarding gender is women will not be seen alone with a man unless they are one of her family members or husbands, all Qatari women will be covered, and all Qatari women are completely taken care off by either male family members or her husband. A Qatari women will never pay. In this culture it is believed that men and women are different but equals. Women are treated differently out of respect. A couple times on this trip I have walked around with my male classmates and have received many glares by Qatari women. This is something that is so normal in America, nobody cares if you are seen walking around with the opposite gender.
Business here is another concept that is very different from America. Qatar is an autocratic monarchy; this is not a free market. I have noticed many false beliefs by Qatari residents that they operate in a free market, but regardless the royal family controls everything. The country values native Qataris over anybody else. In this country you can’t tell a native Qatari no, which can create unique business scenarios where a company is required to hire a Qatari and can’t fire them regardless of their work outputs. Both culture shocks made me realize how privileged I am to live in America.
Going forward, I plan to continue to fully immerse myself in this culture, live like a local, experience everything I can, explore the beautiful desert landscape, shop for Persian scarfs, and continue to push myself outside my comfort zone by trying everything.
