The start of this trip was outstanding, and the amazing peers I met have exceeded my expectations about the reasons to travel with other Aggies. Doha is a vibrant city with restaurants and shops that are more active at night due to the extreme summer heat. The heat, small size, and major lack of fertile land showcase how Qatar’s self-sufficiency objectives and investments into new agriculture technology are crucial to protecting future food security. My initial impressions of Qatar have shown me that family and tradition are important, and lavishness is expected. Family names still carry weight from the early Qatari tribes, and the family you are born into has an enormous impact on your potential to achieve high status. Qatar protects the interests of its local citizens and places them at the top of their businesses and politics. These local citizens make up a minority of the population, with the bulk of the country being built by several young, male, South Asian laborers. Qatar limits foreigners’ ability to advance, but they receive generous government benefits such as guaranteed housing.
Oil money has allowed Qatar to build extravagant structures with both a sleek, modern feel and a near-complete disregard of practicality. Everything in Education City is gorgeous and takes up lots of space, but it feels underutilized. The traffic is much better than in College Station… On the rest of the trip, I hope to gain a better understanding of Islamic culture and tradition, learn more Arabic phrases, and discover how Qatar’s business practices differ from those in the United States. I am also excited to further my new connections with other students at Texas A&M who are willing to expand their horizons and challenge their assumptions by directly experiencing a country very different from the United States. Many of the differences in culture include traditional Islamic attire being commonplace for Qatari people and an overall lack of tolerance for crime, disrespect, etc. There are cameras monitoring traffic violations, criminal activity, etc. and punishments are severe. Ultimately, I cannot wait for the upcoming company visits, desert safari, and cultural experiences.
