The TAMUQ study abroad global business program has proven to be an enlightening experience based on our first week. As a group of 18, we’ve begun forming connections and creating new experiences unlike anything before. It’s an exciting time as we graduate and undergrad students step into a new environment and look into potential ventures or businesses within the country. We’ve had the chance to hear guest speakers and take company visits to talk about their experiences, how they became entrepreneurs, and how to engage with the Qatari people and ever-changing market trends.
People looking for better opportunities, careers, and ways of life have traveled far and wide to Qatar. The city of Doha is large yet manageable to explore. It is a hot spot full of diverse individuals from across the globe. Markets full of spices, materials, and essentials thrive in the evening hours, metros constantly come and go from station to station, and people always seem to be on the move.
Compared to the United States, religion is highly predominant, and Islamic worshipers seem to carry themselves with a sense of pride in their faith. Men walk the streets in white throbes, and women are dressed in black abayas head to toe. The adhan (call to prayer) calls out, and the people of the Middle East rush to prayer.
The program itself has allowed me to alter my Westernized perspective and look through different lenses to better understand the environment and people that I’ve decided to immerse myself in. By maintaining an open mindset about the world around me, I hope to broaden my horizons and cultural awareness. Also, I hope to better understand the way of business, how to start one successfully from a international standpoint, and whether or not it would be feasible in the future.
