On September 1 I celebrated the second anniversary of my arrival here
in Doha. I would be cliché and say “Time has just flown by!” but I feel that
wouldn’t be giving justice to the experience. Instead I will say “And I am still
just figuring things out.” I feel like this is a more accurate statement for a
few reasons. Mostly because as much as I have learned while I have been here, I
haven’t actually figured much out. Mostly because you can’t. Life here has some
many layers in a great way but also can be quiet confusing. Last year to
celebrate my one year anniversary in Qatar I wrote a Thank You note to Doha.
This year I want to give you a few of the lessons and reflections I think I
have gotten so far.
Patience
If nothing else Doha has taught me this. As someone who is very action
orientated and wants to see change enacted quickly Doha has taught me to slow
down. Change is both incremental here and simultaneously instant. Quick
decisions may be implemented overnight or you may have circular conversations
for months without impact. I often have had to take deep breaths, trust in the
process, and live with the fact that things will happen when they have to…and
not a moment before.
Resiliency
When we were recruiting some new staff members for HBKU last year I
would often be asked “What will help me be successful there?” The number 1
thing I always said is “Be Resilient”. Qatar will challenge you. Things rarely
go according to plan. You might not always agree with what is happening around
you. But if you are resilient, can overcome adversity, and maintain a positive
attitude it will not get the best of you. Too often I meet expats in Doha who
are bitter, resentful, and have given up. I think resiliency goes a long way
and makes for a positive Doha experience.
Shades of Gray
Before coming to Qatar my worldview was often black and white. There
was a right way and a wrong way. Having been here I have a better understanding
(still learning this) that there are an infinite amount of ways to do things
and to look at things. Another favorite phrase is that “It’s not better, it’s
not worse, it’s just different.” So often we think that our way of doing things
or perceiving things is best but this rarely is the case especially in such a
diverse society.
Entitlement and Humility
Qatar is an extremely entitled place. One advertisement campaign
captures it best, “Qatar Deserves the Best.” While some may say this is true, I
would push back and say that no one deserves the best. Human nature is that
entitlement is developed quickly. And it is amazing to see people move to Doha
and within months of arrival they begin to expect the 5 star lifestyle. The 2
bedroom apartment isn’t good enough and they need a 4 bedroom villa. The used
car can’t be trusted and they need a shiny new ride. Qatar has taught me to
appreciate all the small luxuries in life and to never lose your humility. It
is a privilege to live in Qatar in many ways and we must not lose sight of
that.
We are not all the same
This is one I have been wrestling with recently. In the diverse world
we live in we cannot minimize differences. When meeting people from different
backgrounds we often look for places of commonality, which is a great start.
But we can’t dismiss those core differences and say “Well look at that! We’re
from worlds apart but are basically the same!” Yes, humans have similar needs.
They can have shared language. Shared customs. But at the end of the day it is
the differences that make us unique. We cannot treat people all the same and we
must take the time to understand these differences in a deeper way. This takes
an incredible amount of time and effort. Something I am working towards but
have long ways to go.
On being a lucky duck
I am still incredibly humbled to think of what a privilege it is to
live in Doha. I feel like a broken record when I say that I have been exposed
to more “Once in a Lifetime” opportunities than I could have imagined in a
lifetime. For all its challenges, frustrations, and drawbacks Qatar is an
amazing place. I feel so lucky to call this home and upon completing two years
I am looking forward to the next two. When I first arrived in Doha I figured I
would work for 1-2 years and re-evaluate if it made sense to stay. At the end
of my two years I can say confidently I am still only getting started and can’t
wait to see what the next two bring!
As you can imagine there is plenty more where that came from but that’s
at least a snapshot. Looking forward to another amazing year ahead!!! For the upcoming
year I am going to try to do a better job of posting interesting happenings
from Doha and life here as opposed to just doing travel and life updates.
Sometimes those are the same but we’ll see how it goes! Thanks for those
keeping up with the adventure so far…more to come!
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