It has now been a few weeks since we returned from Doha and life is beginning to get back to normal. Although I would not classify the trip as “life-altering,” I do believe I learned a tremendous amount during the trip. I want to reflect on a few of those areas:
Travelmates – The group was excellent, a perfect mixture of backgrounds. I met a number of people and became closer with others still, so on the “people” front, the trip was a resounding success. The trip even indirectly inspired a Sloan Follies video, 100k Fail (coming soon).
Looking beyond Black and White – I have a much more nuanced view of the Middle East after visiting Qatar (and Dubai). There is clearly a spectrum of conservatism among Muslim countries, which I did not fully appreciate before. On the conservative end is Saudi Arabia, while Dubai occupies the opposite progressive end, and Qatar resides somewhere comfortably in the middle. Al Jazeera was another excellent example – the perception in the West certainly differs from Al Jazeera’s own view of its mission. Al Jazeera has fostered democracy in many (non-Qatari) parts of the Middle East, though does appear (at least have the power) to be a tool in Qatar’s foreign policy.
World Travel– The Qatar trek reignited my desire to see as much of the world as possible. There’s nothing quite like embarking on a trip that will push you out of your comfort zone.
Until the next time, Qatar Heroes, this is Alex signing off.
