The global business program is a magnificent opportunity to see the world, other cultures, and learn who others really are. There is a lot of time, effort, and planning put into making this trip happen both in the states’ and in Qatar’s offices.
I am impressed by the city and the country and how simplistic the metro and trams are, paired with the accessibility to reach all up the East Coast through Doha. The physical city has a lot of initial capital to erect buildings across the skyline in a wide array of shapes and sizes. Colors are also a major part of their architecture through the use of lights. It is very interesting that they will change the whole building’s color with lights to pink, red, white or blue. The cultural diversification between different races mix with each other but in a social sense, they are split to various jobs and roles in society.
I hope to gain a lot from this experience abroad in Qatar. First, I want to understand more about the Middle East, the culture, religion, and understanding/ feelings one might have towards someone else around the world. For religion specifically, as a Christian, I want to learn about Islam and the nuances behind it that I might not learn without being present and immersed. I hope to gain a better understanding on the cultural acceptance and hierarchy that Qatar has with the Amir, royal families, Qataris, and foreigners. Second, I would like to understand more about the physical environment of Qatar and the Middle East. Learn about the vegetation, the sustainability, and the methods humans use to survive in this different ecosystem. Lastly, I would like to learn how other American’s perceive the Middle East and how they learn from their experiences. Coming abroad with other students and Americans, we get the opportunity to see how each other responds to this other world.
There are many differences between the United States and Qatar. For starters, the governmental involvement in day to day life and monitoring of the people within the country. Next, the religious point of view, acceptance of other religions, and the call the prayer throughout the day. With the call to prayer and the heat in the country, people start to work earlier in the day and end around 2-4pm. My last major difference point is the lack of homeless and jobless individuals. This completely removes people living in parks which in turn creates areas which families can hangout outside in the evening. This creates an interactive social setting in parks.
