Whenever an expat writes a piece in which he criticizes “us”, we get angry and suggest to him that if he doesn’t like it here he can leave! His response, usually, is that we need to get educated about constructive criticism and we need to open up to different perspectives, and in short we need to grow up and stop thinking that we are always right.
Criticism can be harsh. I think that criticism should be harsh, and that burying one’s head never changed anything. It is only when some one exposes the problematic status quo, critiques it and provides alternatives that a situation changes. In order to progress, we need to constantly evaluate our present to better our future. Yet, the criticism needs to come from a good place within us—one that hopes for the prosperity of one’s country.
What makes us angry isn’t the criticism in specific but its language! There is a negative rhetoric that is spreading among the expat community, conjuring up an Orientalist one. This kind of rhetoric that uses English as a powerful and worldwide language is used to describe the “Others”- in this case “us”, their mentality, their life style and their beliefs as the total opposite of the “modern western” paradigm that these people subscribe or belong to. When they criticize a situation, they talk about the ignorance of the people involved, and ignorance triggers a chain reaction! How many times have we heard about the lazy, ignorant, super-wealthy Qatari who has no sense of responsibility or commitment! This myth that they have created has been employed in every piece of critique I’ve heard or read, reproducing such stereotypes and multiplying them within different discourses and under different topics. This ‘Orientalist’ approach has become the basis upon which every piece is built, and instead of repeating it, all they need to do is allude to it. Such condescending rhetoric is what gets us mad and not the actual criticism.
How many expats think that the years they have spent in Doha qualify them to become anthropologists who have credibility to comment on the ‘people’? Some of the people I know have “absurd” assumptions that they forward as “accurate observations”, which in fact can make up not so bad fictional work, especially about aliens! Most of those people do not know one single Qatari on a personal level, they haven’t visited a Qatari home, and they didn’t even bother to learn our language! Still, they act like ‘experts’ on Qataris!
If you have noticed, I am also using the same language they use and that is the binary opposition of “us” and “them”. Yet, I won’t assign each reference with any specific attributes. I will never identify myself as Qatari and thus more civilized, international or educated than others. I will never group others under one false homogenous identity like some do to make it easier to criticize all of them in one go. But I won’t keep silent each time someone criticizes Qataris and I will point out the pitfalls in their argument.
There are some expats that really care and truly mean well. For those I hold the upmost respect.
Bleu
Thanks, You should come to QatarLiving, it's like that 24/7...December 20th, 2009 @ 12:23 pm
Amal Almalki
Oh dear God!! This would be a full-time job!! :)December 20th, 2009 @ 1:01 pm
genesis
Dr.amal, Great post. If you don't mind,I'd like To share your post on qatarliving. Thank youDecember 20th, 2009 @ 9:46 pm
Amal Almalki
Dear Genesis, sure. And I hope it opens a healthy debate with others.December 20th, 2009 @ 10:39 pm
SAUD
I was afraid that you have joined the party of qatarliving ، and those who criticize all what is Qatari. But thank God you're jealous for your country.December 20th, 2009 @ 11:13 pm
Amal Almalki
I'll never do that Saud!!!! But let's differentiate between those who critique out of love and concern and those who criticize to only sound important and intelligent!!December 20th, 2009 @ 11:16 pm
Modawi
I'd love to know how this started. Great writing Amal, you definitely are Qatar Living material.December 20th, 2009 @ 11:29 pm
Bin A7mad
Just some of the responses by expats on QatarLiving that sparked this 'circus'.. {Amal: Thanks for updating us- I actually didn't know that this was the kind of language used- seriously, I'm shocked!!!!!! I chose to omit the responses you quoted. I would never accept such language to be posted here- but again thank you for bringing it to my attention!}December 21st, 2009 @ 12:05 am
Amna Al-Hetmi
Thank you for posting this Dr. Amal.. A lot of expats wrote their thoughts and opinions about Qatar on QatarLiving. Some posts were insulting in some ways; however, none of them hit me the way Lisa Clayton’s post did. She is a VCU art history professor. Her post on QatarLiving was called “Shame on Qatar National Day.” She shared the same post on Facebook and called it “Qatar National Day: A Day of Shameful Behavior.” The titles alone are very offensive, disrespectful and racist. Her whole post was written in a very sarcastic tone. Her last sentence was “Ya Qatar, you really did yourself proud today.... :-(((“..... We don’t hate expats.. They are our friends, teachers, coworkers and they constitute a big part of Qatar’s population. We appreciate, respect and accept “constructive criticism” to improve our country and ourselves. BUT, the way Lisa and others wrote their comments is totally unacceptable.. *She deleted her QatarLiving post today.December 21st, 2009 @ 5:30 am
Kissifur
What a pleasure to stumble on this blog! I have my reading cut out for tonight. More strength to your arm .....and your keyboard Dr. Almalki :)December 21st, 2009 @ 10:23 am
Amal Almalki
Amna: I have to admit that I was troubled by her post too! But why are we so angry at her? Is it because after 11 years, we consider her one of us and therefore think that she would have developed a sense of cultural relativism maybe or some kind of belonging and loyalty! I don’t follow Qatar living, but I was sent some awful examples of the responses posted there. Yet at the same time, I haven’t read any degrading or insulting comments on this piece that was posted there by Genesis. Lisa has emailed me this morning. And I would like to say to her: I do feel for you. The backlash is harsh but I seriously think that a simple apology is a must in these circumstances- all you have to do is to set a good example to others in Qatar Living. Qatar is a welcoming country and no one wants you or has the right to ask you to leave. But you are an educator, and we do expect more of you- a simple rule that should go without saying, don’t hit people during grief or celebrations. If you have something to say, reframe it to suit an educated audience. Regarding students in EC, I don’t think they are developing any kind of hatred or anger; on the contrary we are setting the basis for a multicultural dialogue. Yet, we are modifying the rules here. American or western culture is not the core- the dominating one in this case!! This is the first time in our history that such dialogue is taking place on our land between equals. Our students show an enormous respect to their professors, and I think it is just fair that professors reciprocate. For all out there, remember one of the derivatives of Islam is Salam- Peace.December 21st, 2009 @ 2:06 pm
Lisa Clayton
Amal, I have repeatedly apologized on QL and on the Anti-Lisa Clayton FB group, as well as privately to many of my attackers. I have been banned from QL and can't write anymore. I am destroyed by my own poor choice of words and my life here is over. I have nothing left to give.December 21st, 2009 @ 4:17 pm
Amal Almalki
An appeal to all readers: Please forward Lisa's comment above. قال تعالى : (وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِين )December 21st, 2009 @ 4:46 pm
REEMA
lisa,, please stop acting like a poor victim and defend yourself :) u wr banned from QL not QF .. its just a site,, u can create another account,, what u said on the other hand is very rude and u didnt issue an apology i believe.. i saw the group and i have to say they are 70% rightDecember 21st, 2009 @ 5:13 pm
Douaa Dalle
when I saw the blog I was really hurt because unfortunately most the comments involved "us" verses "them" this just made me feel that I'm stupid because I actually think that at least educators in the EC have developed some sort of belonging and love towards this country and the people of this country. the comments didn't involve Qataris only there were comments that accused all Arabs of being reckless spoiled and irresponsible. yes the community here maybe filled with flaws but that is just the way most communities are. and just like professor Amal said those flaws could be fixed with constructive critiques that is presented with love and worry. however, I don't think that Professor Clayton's life should end here Qatar for this mistake. specially that unfortunately many people had backed up her post, so it wouldn't be fare to throw all the punishment on her. I truly wish that she should be given the chance to live among us so that maybe someday she will no longer see "us" and "them".December 21st, 2009 @ 6:25 pm
Amna Al-Hetmi
“Is it because after 11 years, we consider her one of us and therefore think that she would have developed a sense of cultural relativism maybe or some kind of belonging and loyalty!” Yes Doctora, I can’t believe that even after 11 years, she still refers to the act of “waving traditional swards” as “showing off”! Or even saying “…only Qataris matter on Qatar National Day”..... I shared the link to this page on FB... Thanks again for posting this amazing piece Doctora :DDecember 21st, 2009 @ 6:38 pm
Kholoud
it's my first time to visit your blog ( and my first time ever to leave a comment on a blog !)..i want to sincerely thank you and applaud you for your outstanding well-thought-out post. cheers, kholoudDecember 21st, 2009 @ 9:17 pm
HAJAR
THANKKS ,, I HAVE SHARED YOUR POST TO MANY EXPATS THAT I WORK WITH EVERY DAY AND COULDNT REPLY TO MYSELF OR THEY WOULDNT UNDERSTAND MY POINT OF VIEW. PEOPLE LIKE THIS ALWAYS ARGUE AND THEY THINK THEY ARE RIGHT AND BETTER . I HAD HARD TIME EXPLAINING MY POINT OF VIEW, BUT I TRIED MY BEST. THEN I HEARD THEM TALKING BEHIND MY BACK IN A VERY BAD WAY AS IF I AM NOT EDUCATED OR CANT UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE SAYING. IT MAKES ME FEEL VERY BAD TO SEE THEM TREATING AND JUDGING US IN OUR HOME LIKE THIS... VERY SAD !!! THE QUESTION IS DID WE GIVE THEM THE RIGHT ??? THANKSS AGAIN,, ALL THE BESTDecember 21st, 2009 @ 11:00 pm
Hessa
I was thinking the same while reading the article :) that there is some truth in it...but the language didn't help....the words used and the way it was written gets our blood boiling before we realize it You have written an excellent reply in my opinion :) mashallah And it's true no one can judge a whole country based on some young people on a festive day! Thank You Amal :)December 22nd, 2009 @ 12:19 am
Amal Almalki
Thank you Hessa, Kissifur, and all friends for your kindness. Kholoud “lovely sketches”. Hajar: “I think they mistake our politeness for being passive! You need to respond to their comments and make them realize how offensive they could be. Don’t be apologetic and don’t justify yourself- the dialogue should be between equals. Thank you so much.”December 22nd, 2009 @ 12:40 am
Nada Al-Mahmeed
Amna: I really don't understand why you were surprised by Professor Clayton’s post. It doesn't matter if she spent 11 or 20 years in the country, some expats have certain stereotypes that they just can't break over the years, and the same can be said about almost everyone in the world. We all form some kind of image and stereotypes about other countries and cultures, we either break them or keep making ourselves believe that they are true. And besides, professors that severely attack Qataris are all over education city. From the top of my head I can think of three of them; 1 is in GU and the other 2 are in CMU!!! and I’m sure you have dealt with those from CMU, and if you think about it for a moment I think you can easily figure out who I'm talking about. However, as professor Amal said, there are those who criticize us out of care and love. I do truly hold great respect for them because they always deliver what they have to say in a very respectful manner and language. --------------------------------------------------- I never read professor Clayton’s post, so I am not in a place o reply according to what she wrote but I do have the following to say to her: I am really disappointed by reading your reply, is a post ( which obviously reveals your true opinion about us, Qataris) is going to drive you out of the country?????? Don't you think that you owe it for yourself - and not us - to stay in the country for at least few more years and try to understand our values and culture??? Have you ever tried to sit down with some of your Qatari students and discuss different matters with them??? Did you ever try to learn and understand why that "sward waving" dances and other traditions are so important?? Maybe you did, maybe you didn't. Either way, I think you should give yourself another chance to get to know Qataris, real Qataris, those with strong opinions, huge dreams and real identity. It doesn’t really matter if you do change your opinion about us or not, because at the end of the day you will always have the complete freedom to think and express whatever you think of us. But professor, you should not undermine us and insult us and our culture without expecting to receive massive disagreement and attacks!December 22nd, 2009 @ 12:47 am
Sadeem Al-Mahmeed
Dear Dr. Amal, I would like to greatly thank you for your post as it meant a lot to all of us. I would also like to inform you that Mrs. Clayton has posted a proper apology message finally on the Anti-Lisa Clayton group. And most of us has accepted her apology as after all she admitted her mistake and we should all forgive each others' mistakes as Muslims. For those who haven’t seen her apology message yet. Please allow me to post the link to it.. Thanks again Dr. Amal and may Allah bless Qatar and its people :)December 22nd, 2009 @ 7:18 am
Sadeem Al-Mahmeed
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=12733&post=58235&uid=209632513836#post58235December 22nd, 2009 @ 7:19 am
eva
Just a small fact: Expatriates come and work in Qatar or any other GCC country because the locals don't want to work or the talent is not available (although the resources are). Expats should mind their business and locals (not all but most unfortunately) should take life seriously and start working hard (it's not a shame to work right? )December 22nd, 2009 @ 8:26 am
Kissifur
Hajar - We will always find people around us who will CHOOSE not to listen nor understand the perspective of others. They are all the poorer for it. Despite the fact that some of the people you work with have been small minded and have not listened and even stooped low enough to laugh at you - you have my respect for continuing to share your opinion. What that shows is a lack of education on their part Hajar - not yours :) So keep talking. I'd like to share something with you that I read once and have held on to since. 'No one can make us feel small without our consent' So don't let a few people get the better of you - Keep going! The ones with an interest, courage, heart and spirit WILL listen to you and that group is greater in number than the rude ones!December 22nd, 2009 @ 10:15 am
phoenix2009
Dear Dr. Amal, I loved your post, allow me to say that it was a bit too late. i believe as a REaction to what was going on lately your topic is enough to calm down most of anger and harsh words towards "us" and "them" But, i think after living more than 8 years in Qatar, the ice has not been melted yet between locals and expats. Keeping expats away from interacting daily with Qataries on several aspects is increasing the hole and raising doubts. I've suggested one time on Qatar Living, as a proactive step, to appeal for an english speaking live show on Qatar national radio similar to the arabic show "watani al habib sabah al kheir", to hear the non arabic speakers, to convey their problems and to listen to what they want to say. I believe Qataris should reach out to expats, since this is their home. We should find more interaction spaces in Qatar not only by greatly showing the traditional Qatar in the events and exebitions, but also to speak with the "today" Qataris, the youth, and allow each party to show their pros and cons Best RegardsDecember 22nd, 2009 @ 12:02 pm
NESREEN ISMAIL
What identifies us as human beings? As an Egyptian Muslim, living in Saudi Arabia, I refuse to let it simply boil down to a national identity. I love Egypt with all my heart and will naturally be offended if anyone insults an Egyptian or Egypt. But then again, what qualifies as an insult in my opinion might be an acccurate judgement by an outsider. What makes the difference is whether or not it is true. And that comes from my Muslim identity which teaches me to accept criticism and work on it to better myself as a human. How will we follow Allah's teaching in "calling for goodness and advising against evil" if we ourselves dig our heads in the sand and throw stones at anyone who dares criticize us? So, is Lisa Clayton a racist for highlighting our bad points? Then what does that make us if we are too proud to acknowledge them? Any National Day in any country should not mean more to us than what Allah SWT ordered us to do.. have we forgotten Prophet Muhamad's " la darara wa la derar"? Smashing other people's properties and risking people's lives does not fall under that. We need to grow out of this stage, be it in Egypt as a result of winning (or losing!) a football match or in any Muslim country. We are better than this..or at least we shoud try to. Love to all Qataris.December 22nd, 2009 @ 1:18 pm
Bent Al-Suwaidi
Very nice and thoughtful writing... I'm a student in one of Education City branch campuses and I experience this kind of racism everyday...in fact sometimes the comments are that harsh that you just want to do anything to stop it but you can do nothing because other Qataris accept those comments... But thanks for the post it is very nice...December 22nd, 2009 @ 1:31 pm
Bent Al-Suwaidi
can anyone give a link to the article that was written by the professor...December 22nd, 2009 @ 1:32 pm
Amal Almalki
EVA: I woke up to find an email from you asking me to come out of my buble and go and see a Psychiatrist because you thought I deleted your comment!!!!! EXCUSE ME!! I had a dozen of comments waiting, yours is only one. Eva, chill out dear.. and just in case for next time you comment- and please don't feel obliged to-, I'm a busy women and have an editor for the blog, so there is no need for the attitude here!December 22nd, 2009 @ 2:33 pm
Amal Almalki
Dear Sadeem: I'm so proud of all of you, you showed an amazing solidarity and ability to come together in a very organized manner, you made sure not to align yourselves with those who are ignorant and curse for the sake of cursing, and after her apology you showed what you are truly made of. I would love to see you all doing this more often: coming together to defend a cause and I really hope that the causes would be related to us and our problems and concerns. You guys can do anything if you want to, so do the right thing for all of us and be our spokespeople. With love, AmalDecember 22nd, 2009 @ 2:49 pm
Amal Almalki
Phoenix2009: I think it is never too late to build ties between people. But I agree- much more should be done! One thing we should all understand, we have more commonalities than differences. Most people magnify the differences and invest on them. Also the gap between locals and expats is due mainly to the linguistic barrier- and as you may have seen in the previous days it was possible to communicate, debate and find a middle ground among those who speak English. Locals are becoming a minority in their own country, so try to put yourself in their shoes and then you’ll understand their skepticism of others. Expats are our colleagues and friends, and I do sympathize a lot with them for being away from their countries and families. All we need here is a ground for our interaction and I hope that it would be respect and understanding. You really don’t need to agree with someone or to adopt his culture or religion to respect him- and this goes both ways.December 22nd, 2009 @ 3:20 pm
Punita
Is someone willing to answer some tough questions? Everytime an expat says there is a problem, no matter how nicely he/she words it, gets a standard reply... Get out of here if you don't like it.. Which basically means we will not improve even if you make sense and before you tell me to do it, I already left qatar after living there for 9 years. Lisa was one of the few people who always told me how nice Qataris are in real life and it's shocking to see the way you guys have treated her. You should be proud of your country and your heritage but harassing a woman is not in any of our heritage.. Allah taught us to forgive and forget.. Maybe she used offensive language but instead of asking her to correct it, we started abusing her and threatening her. So much so that I hear she is leaving Qatar.. well Job well done.. Money can't buy everything....December 23rd, 2009 @ 3:12 am
eva
I lived in Qatar during 2008 and overall i would rate the quality of living at an 8 out of 10. My advice to the Qatari people: stand up for work! Has anyone seen a Qatari sales man,taxi driver,construction worker, garbage man, post man,etc...? Never. and it's not about Qatar only but rather the whole GCC. Expatriates are called so because they need the money and Qataris make it easy for them because they don't want to work the ordinary blue-collar jobs. Instead , most (not all because i know many educated Qataris) Qataris want managerial posts. A simple glimpse at the demographic statistics shows that Qataris are a minority among the population of the country, which by all means is something not healthy and people should realize that (wake up people). Finally, the only difference between Qatar and Dar-four in Sudan is the abundance of oil&gas. These two resources will expire sooner or later. Honestly, will anyone be interested to come and work in Qatar when the oil fields close? That's why it's up to the people of Qatar to choose their destiny and start relying on themselves.December 23rd, 2009 @ 6:43 am
Nigel Gourlay
Your criticism of criticism is in danger of swallowing its own tail. You've used stereotypes of the critics that surely bear comparison to the stereotypes you claim they use against Qataris. When I hear academics here complain about "Orientalist" thinking, I'm tempted to believe it is a defence against any external criticism. Certainly, you have used the term in your post as a shortcut that your intended audience understands without further thought. Your plea to long-term residents to assume a cultural relativism is also a shortcut that I'd like to flag as problematic. While I've been in Doha, I've found a greater variation of moral belief within the communities than between the communities. Are you saying that it is intellectually supportable that we to treat behaviour differently depending on the ethnicity of a Doha resident? Or, is this relativism just an academic pursuit that has no practical consequences? When I read Lisa's QL post, I was not surprised by its content. It contained criticism of this country's youth that I have heard many times, not only from Western expats, but also from the top tiers of Qatari academia and government. Her crime seems to have been to have her identity known and to air her grievances in a public forum. Encouraging mob justice, which has been the effect of your post, even if it wasn't the intent, is despicable from any member of the Enlightened society.December 23rd, 2009 @ 8:35 am
phoenix2009
Dera Dr. Amal, Thank you for your reply, "Locals are becoming a minority in their own country", it's so true, yet so scary fact. who's gonna work on this issue? are the qatari politicians aware of this? is there any plan to change this? so many questions can be raised out of your statement. I'm enjoying reading all of your blogs and poems. I should thank Genesis for introducing us to your knowledge. Take care. Best RegardsDecember 23rd, 2009 @ 10:54 am
Nada Al-Mahmeed
Punita: I for one, have never told any expat to leave the country if we ever argue about Qatar, and I had so many arguments and discussions with my professors, and I know a lot of people who are welling to discuss matters rather than blurt that “standard reply” you refer to. Though I never read professor Clayton’s post nor the replies and “harassments” she got, I do agree with you, if the feedback she received was severe, then people should have reacted more calmly then they did. But Punita, and don’t think I am making up excuses for those who “harassed” her because they shouldn’t have, people will always strongly react if you ever strike them in a moment of peak. The country was celebrating its national day yet they read a post that insults them, their celebration and their traditions. Do you think it was fair how Muslims all over the world, and not just the USA, were (and still are) treated after 9/11??? What about Marwa al-Sherbini, who was stabbed to death in a German courtroom because of her hijab??? I believe that all of those incidents are unfair reactions to Muslims because some guy decided to hijack planes, kill innocent people and blame it on Islam! And you might be thinking what does 99/11 have ANYTHING to do with this professor Clayton’s post? I think the reactions do relate, both happened at a moment of peak: Qataris were attacked while celebrating their national day and innocent people were attacked for no reason at all! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eva: We need to step up, wake up and work in more of blue collar jobs? you said it yourself, Oil and Gas will not last forever in the country or the world, so why would we, young people, would find collar jobs more attractive? Thank god, we have the chance to get educated and serve our country back using our brains and education. so if anyone had the chance to either receive education and have a good paying job rather than a low paying one, why would that person ever choose a low paying job rather than education? If you ever faced such situation what would you choose? Education or a blue collar job? Besides Qataris are beginning to accept non-managerial jobs, many work at hospitals, the airport, the traffic force and so on. And remember, we are a minority in our own country, I think it is pretty normal that we aim for whatever we think is best for us. And please don’t think I am degrading or looking down at those with blue collar jobs. I’ve said it before, and I’m going to say it again, after all, they have massively contributed in making the country better and they do deserve to be provided with better work contracts, living conditions and treatment. But don’t tell us that we need to “step up” because we already have, who do you think worked on the fields of the petrol when they were first discovered? It was the locals, our grandparents. They have “stepped up” many years ago, and today we are “stepping up” through education.December 23rd, 2009 @ 6:43 pm
eva
To Nada Al-Mahmeed: So what you are saying is that the locals are capable of running the oil fields because your ancestors did it before. I'll refresh your memory a little bit with facts and not just talking: First: The largest Gas to Liquid project (Pearl GTL) being built now in Ras-Laffan area is owned by SHELL (Netherlands) and not Qatar. So all the revenues will go to a European country. Why? Because SHELL have the exclusive technology for the GTL process. Qatar will only benefit from this project after maybe 15 or 20 years when the plant dies anyway. How sweet ! Second: 90% (if not more) of the workforce at Qatar Petroleum and Qatar Gas are expatriates. Third: 99.99% of all retail stores are run by expatriates . Just go to any shop and see with your naked eye. I swear i am not bluffing. And yes you might have guessed by now that I work in the oil and gas business. The locals only seek governmental jobs because the pay is good ,which is common sense. The real problem will be when the oil and gas runs out ( the major source of money for the government to pay its employees) . If you wanna really step up the pace, then start utilizing your "education" and "knowledge" in securing long-term solutions which includes the reduction of foreign workers and diversifying your economy because the oil will run out one day. I hope i didn't make it hard for you to understand but hay, you are an "educated" person so you should grasp it well. Back to the post of Lisa Clayton which i didn't even read but rather figured out its content, all expatriates around the whole wide globe should mind their business only. PERIOD. If they want to give their opinion about their host country , they should either leave that country (like what i did ) or keep their mouth shut . Expats have no right to interfere in their host countries' traditions,values,politics,etc...December 23rd, 2009 @ 9:28 pm
Nada Al-Mahmeed
Eva, you missed my point. I am fully aware of the facts you mentioned, and I am not saying that the country, nor the petrol fields can fully function only by locals, expats are an essential part of Qatar, and GCC, that’s undeniable!! I hold nothing but respect for all of those who worked or are still working here in Qatar. I’m saying that Qataris (either in the past or currently) in general do work hard for the country. And you don’t need to help me understand how to employ and utilize my education and knowledge, I have a pretty clear picture.December 23rd, 2009 @ 11:06 pm
sandeepkadian
I really think people over reacted against Lisa on this one. I am a regular member of qatarliving and I do accept that sometimes people post negative comments about Qatar but Lisa wasn't one of them... She loves Qatar... I am relatively new to qatar, The only qataris I have met till date are very nice.December 23rd, 2009 @ 11:56 pm
Amal Almalki
I’m writing to let everyone know that I haven’t written the post in response to Lisa’s. Her post was a reason- I can’t deny that- but it was more of other pieces that I’ve read recently by expats. I believe my post did no harm- as some indicated- on the contrary I’ve been told that it made people calm down and think. The reactions to her post were exaggerated indeed. But I sincerely think there was a suppressed anger, which I hope would go away once we begin talking with each other rather than shouting and accusing each other. For those who write to criticize Qataris, please do it in a polite way and rid your words of the condescending tone attached to them, or there are other sites that would embrace your comments- not mine though. If you want to converse with us- then here is the place to do that- if you want to trash us then go somewhere else. And please let us stop dragging Lisa’s name. I think she had a lousy week already and I hope she feels better now. I do hope that she would join our conversations in the near future. PEACE.December 24th, 2009 @ 1:23 am
Gospel
Prof ... I think that this subject has tended to be quite different from what it should be; what I read it really harassed me, but I will only say. "" Facts are many, but the truth is one "" .December 24th, 2009 @ 1:30 am
sandeepkadian
Dr. Almalki your blog is one of the most sensible things I have seen in the past week, carry on the good work...December 24th, 2009 @ 1:31 am
Kissifur
Eva - Though you keep saying you have 'left' Qatar your anger seems to be bringing you back here. Lisa's issue looks like it was just a doorway. Listen, there are so few places where we can have a decent, respectful conversation and this space is one of them. Maybe you intend it...maybe you don't. But it really sounds like you are in a fury and it's difficult to hear you let alone listen to what you have to say. So I am respectfully, gently, hopefully, sensibly, smilingly, peacefully, reasonably and 'I wish we could all sit down and have a coffee together-ly' appealing to you: can we just talk - instead of yell? Have a Blessed and Wonderful New Year!December 24th, 2009 @ 8:36 am
Marjorie
Here's what I find disturbing about the Us/Them divide, from an expat's perspective. In my home country, I criticize things all the time. I criticize my government loudly and incessantly; I criticize the parts of the culture and religion that I think are destructive. When I've lived in other countries, I've done the same, and people may have disagreed with me, but nobody ever told me to shut up. Somehow that's not true here in Qatar. No matter how long I live here, or how careful I am with my language, ANYTHING negative that I have to say about local politics, culture or religion is going to result in me being told that if I don't like it, I should go home. If it's OK for me to say that some Americans act like jerks on the 4th of July (which I have said) and that some English people act like jerks after football games (which I have said) then why does saying that some Qataris act like jerks on National Day result in calls for DEPORTATION? So that's the Us/Them divide from my perspective. No matter what I do, no matter how long I've lived in Qatar, I will always be one of "Them," and any criticism I have will automatically be written off as coming from an ignorant outsider.December 24th, 2009 @ 6:25 pm
eva
To Kissifur: why would you think i was angry? I only stated the facts but unfortunately no one dares to reply to the points i raised. If you are an expat living in Qatar (which is most probably the case because your tone sounds defensive), then you have to agree with me that you don't interfere in Qatar's customs,traditions,politics,etc... You only came to Qatar for a living so don't hide behind this fact. If you are a citizen of Qatar,then you must make sure that expats residing in Qatar do not influence the demographic picture ,even though their numbers are much more than the locals. To Lisa: I don't know your nationality but I am sure you did a big mistake by giving your opinion about your host country while you are in that country. It's not about Qatar only but rather anyplace where you will be hosted for a living. To Amal : I appreciate your openness.December 24th, 2009 @ 7:39 pm
Amal Almalki
Marjorie: The problem is some criticize what they have no knowledge of and with an assumed higher moral standing! If you have questions about issues you don’t understand, then ask and don’t criticize because simply “it is not the way it’s done at home”. There are many experts in different fields here whose sole job is to criticize. We appreciate that and accept it. We know that there are many areas that we need to work on, and considering that it has been only 38 years since we got independent, just being where we are now is a success story! I appreciate you trying to communicate your feelings here- and maybe in some instances we do overreact. A cultural rule here is we need to treat visitors with respect, and they need to show respect as well. I have heard all sort of unjustified criticism about Qataris, some by people who were trying to prove to newcomers that they “really” know “the country and the people”. There is also a major issue here and that is generalizing- and some do generalize a lot! Why does it always turn into personal attacks! When did we ever get mad because someone criticized driving in Doha for example? This is a shared criticism among all. So why would it turn into “Qataris are incapable of following any rules and that they drive this way because they were used to ride camels, etc.” I for one refuse to be dragged into a conversation where people would say “Americans are this” or “Brits are that”. So all we ask here is to stop generalizing and when you criticize consider the setting and the people.December 25th, 2009 @ 1:30 am
Mohammed Alhamadi
Many people say that it is ok to criticize, and that it is something normal, and natural. Free speech grant it, and we do it all the time and supposly it is healthy. The problem here is not that, just think of it from a different prespective. For the American fellows, would one dare to go to longhorns or yankees fans and tell them to their faces that they are stupid, ignorant and that they're team is crap, what would the reaction be? well, ok.. Some people would say no but this is different! well, what about telling americans to there faces in the 4th of July that its stupid, and that getting drunk and playing with fireworks while celebrating is dangerous and stupid and only comes from irogent and uneducated people! what would the reaction be! I bet that whoever says that would be spending the night in a hospital with few broken rips.. No one goes to people from a certian people from a certian nationality, race, identity, or even a fan club and tell them to their faces that they are so and so " specially in a special day for them" in a mean and irogant manner expecting them not to react. That does not make sence. Before judging, try to put yourself in the place of the person being judged and think for a minute, "How AM I going to react"... unless you were seeking such reaction so that you would be able to say "look these people are savages!!!!" that would be a different case... By the way, I heard people saying that locals say " If you don't like it leave".. well this reminded me of "If you don't speak the language, then leave!!!" Which I heard over and over again, in the US, UK, Germany, France and the list continues!! I can talk about this all day long but I guess by now you get the point..December 25th, 2009 @ 11:38 am
Nada Al-Mahmeed
Marjorie, language does matter when you criticize anything. What professor Clayton did is that she insulted the whole country rather than criticizing those “jerks” who celebrated on the streets. If professor Clayton wrote her post in non-insulting and non-sarcastic manner, then the post wouldn’t have caused what it had caused. You said it yourself, you already have said before that “some” American and British people act like jerks if they were to celebrate certain events, your criticism was limited to the “some”. We do not mind to be criticized, but it should be done in an acceptable, non-generalized and respectful manner, because if it wasn't then that "criticism" is nothing but insulting attacks.December 25th, 2009 @ 3:50 pm
Lisa Clayton
Mohammed, As someone who knows you personally and who has had many open discussions about political and cultural issues with you, I would simply point out that while there is truth in the backlash one might expect to receive over difference of opinions regarding sports or politics, I would certainly would not condone that behavior and would speak out against it. What has surprised me (and disappointed me) the most in all of this is how very few Qataris have stood up publicly against those who carried their disagreement with me and anger at me too far. I have received immense PRIVATE support -- even from some posting on this blog and taking me to task-- but VERY FEW people who would take a public stand against the lynch mob mentality. The few who have supported me publicly have been disrespected and ostracized; and in a few cases of non-Qataris reminded that they are not Qataris and could be kicked out of the country. That is what saddens me the most. Salaam Alaikum, LisaDecember 25th, 2009 @ 8:57 pm
punita
The backlash was too extreme though it is hardly surprising that it came mostly from college students. They have too much free time on their hands. Lisa don't worry about them, I am sure older and wiser Qataris still respect you.December 26th, 2009 @ 4:04 am
sandeepkadian
Lisa you were the first Non-Qatari I met in Qatar who really loved this country. Keep up the spirit.December 26th, 2009 @ 6:08 am
Amna Al-Hetmi
Marjorie: I don’t think that “if you don’t like it, leave” is a Qatari-related expression as you explained ☺ … When female students at CMU-Q (American university) asked for a female lounge on the new campus, a staff member (non-Qatari) said: “Students choose to attend CMU knowing full well that it is a co-ed university, so if they have issues with going to classes with or socializing with classmates from the opposite gender, then this is not the place for them. They should go to Qatar University, or someplace else that will support their choice …” --- I hope I made my point ☺… ThanksDecember 26th, 2009 @ 9:25 am
Fatima
Punita, FYI most of the girls who created the replay to shame on Qatar National day are QATARI'S WITH FULL TIME JOB!! and NO we DO NOT respect what she said about Qatar. STANDING UP for your own country doesn't mean you have LOTS OF FREE TIME but YOU HAVE LOTS OF LOVE for Qatar. There is a BIG difference between constructive criticizing and attacking the Qatari citizens in their National day. I’m sure if she does respect the Qatari citizens she wouldn’t use such words, living in a country doesn’t give you the right to criticizes the whole nation, we are sick of foreigners coming to our country for there own benefits and attacking our culture and way of living!!December 26th, 2009 @ 7:17 pm
punita
Fatima it is a symbiotic relationship. Both parties are reaping the benefits, not just expats.December 27th, 2009 @ 6:36 am
Fatima
Punita, I’m sure there are lots of foreigners experts who LOVE Qatar and respect the Qatari citizens that would love to have the chance to work in our country. I’m also sure that these are the only ones that are welcome in our country. At the end of the day only the boss gets to choose who works for him, as I’m sure the boss also got thousands and thousands of CV’z to choose from if one goes the other thousands will be waiting in line for this job. I hope you got my point ;)December 28th, 2009 @ 12:53 am
Kissifur
Greetings Eva...I'd like to remove any doubt from your mind. I am an expat and I of course came to Qatar to earn a living. Why would I ever need to hide behind that fact - last I heard, it is the most decent way of making a living :) I also think people have done more than dare to reply you. You are absolutely right about one thing - I don't 'interfere in Qatar's customs,traditions,politics' because I'd rather have a conversation any day, over 'interference.'December 28th, 2009 @ 8:13 am
Rashid
Thanks Dr. Amal for your post. As stated above, Lisa made a mistake in her choice of words and in directing the criticism to the host country rather than to the behavior of some teenagers and young people, which might be common across the world under other “celebration” circumstances. Anyway she realized her mistake and apologized and as a Qatari I appreciate that and thank her for it. But to be more objective and looking at the positive side, let us talk about the points she raised; the negative behaviors demonstrated by a good number of young nationals on the national day and other days of the year. In fact, I was hoping that some day some one will address such behaviors. I believe this is the most important topic to be discussed, but maybe in a different forum. On the national day, I was happy to see the pictures and decorations they made to the cars and felt this is a reflection of how much they love their country. However, when I saw the speeding, abusing the cars and the roads, disturbing others, and doing stupid and dangerous things, I was extremely disappointed. And I wondered; why would they do that? Is this how they show their love to their country? Well, Qatar does not need that and actually we do not want it. There is a huge number of young Qataris who are killed every year in car accidents. I believe we have the highest fatality rate in the world in this category. If the Qatari youth want to demonstrate their love to this country, they should focus on their studies and becoming something useful in this society, not kill themselves and others in car accidents. They should learn how the car is built and how it works rather than destroy it. The second point I want to make is the Qatari-expat relationship. I have seen positive as well as negative views on both sides. I have dealt with lovely expats who feel part of this place and are honest but I have seen other not so positive examples too who think they are smarter and have superiority issues, despite that I do not see anything superior in them, they are normal people just like us and actually I have seen much smarter and hardworking Qataris (actually a recent incident was a week ago in an airport where a Western expat described Qatar as the “prison camp” not realizing that I am a Qatari and then was embarrassed and changed his attitude completely. Do not worry, I did not ask him to leave the country). This is normal and we probably cannot change it much. If I were to summarize this relationship, first, we definitely need, welcome, respect, and appreciate the contribution of all expats in Qatar; both skilled and semi or non skilled. For the skilled expats, we attract them by paying attractive packages, great benefits, excellent education to their children, etc. In addition, I am confident that majority of expats appreciate the career opportunities, working in massive projects (by the way, expats are learning and developing here too), tax-free income, the great and sunny weather, and the relatively safe environment for their children and families. For the non skilled labor, we create jobs so that they can make a living and support their families. In return, the expats, through their intellectual and/or physical efforts, contribute to the economy and to building our country and we appreciate that. The wealth created in this country is shared by all and I believe is a win-win situation. If you look at how many families lost their income as a result of the recent crisis in Dubai, you will realize what I mean. Bottom-line is the Qatari-expat relationship is a win-win one and must be continue to be built on mutual respect and trust. Reema, Mohammed Al-Hammadi, and Nada Al-Mahmeed; good posts. Hajar, do not even waste energy with such people or let them make you feel bad, they just want to argue not to listen or learn. Ignore them and smile, as Kissifur said. Eva, you seem to be an expert in project economics, Oil/Gas, and strategic planning. You also seem to think that you are smarter than the Qatari government. Your post is full of contradictions and wrong information. You say there are very few Qataris and we cannot even run our Oil/Gas business yet you want us to work as taxi drivers. And who told you nationals seek government jobs! Not anymore trust me. And who said we have not started diversifying our economy, don’t you read the news! Oh and by the way, Shell is not the only company with that technology; have you ever heard about Oryx? I think you were too smart for us and that’s why you probably left Qatar to do better things. Actually your attitude is much worse than Lisa in my view, so I won’t argue with you further.December 28th, 2009 @ 10:43 am
eva
to Kissifur: OK so now that you agree with my points, then why is everybody so angry? I just stated the facts. And I strongly stand by the fact that when oil and gas run out of Qatar or any other oil reliant country (so that hardliners will not hit back at me ), no expats or foreigners will be interested in that country UNLESS that country has strong foundations like a diverse economy , toursim, freedom of speech,full human rights,etc... To Rashid: I am a chemical engineer working in the oil and gas field. I am no planner and I didn't say I am smarter than anybody. You should be more democratic and listen to others even if they have different views from yours. here are the facts one more time and i hope you prove me wrong: The people of Qatar are a minority among Qatar's population ( so is UAE ,Kuwait,Bahrain) . I said I didn't see Qataris working blue collar jobs and this is true. The GTL technology is exclusive for SHELL. The Oryx company is a service energy company . If you have a diverse economy, so what does Qatar export apart from oil and gas? Don't get me wrong but change needs time . I'll be coming back to Qatar during the first Quarter of 2010 because my company (don't worry it's not a national company) requires my services again to do better things.December 28th, 2009 @ 10:12 pm
Kissifur
Whoops! Not so fast Eva. I said you are right about one thing. That one thing I referred to was an assumption you made about me - that I don't 'interfere' in my host country's customs, traditions and politics. Anyway, I'm going to take a leaf out of Rashid's book and hit the mute button on this.December 29th, 2009 @ 8:57 am
Rashid
Thanks Eva. Looks like I will need to reply to you one more time. Whenever we confront you we are accused of not being democratic and not listening to the others point of view; how classic. “Why is everybody so angry?”, Eva, you need to go back and read your own posts again. You accused Qataris of being lazy and not working hard. You stated that most locals do not take life seriously (you are an engineer, did you run a survey or conduct a study?). You equated Qatar with Darfur. You indicated clearly that Shell is taking Qatar’s revenues and that this investment decision is wrong. You accused others of not listening and not being democratic and you addressed some in sarcastic way. Now we are the ones not listening and not being democratic. Anyway, some of the facts you stated about the population numbers and diversification of economy are not unknown, they are very obvious. And of course why would expats come and work here unless they see a chance to make a good income and have a good life style? This is common sense. We know very well that we are not perfect, but we are working hard to get there (and yes with the help of many intelligent and sincere expats), and I am sorry you do not seem to realize nor appreciate that. All what we expect from expats is respect to our intelligence, culture, and values. But if you wish to comment on specific wrong youth behaviors objectively, by all means! By the way, you are welcome to come back to contribute to this welcoming country anytime, why would I worry?! We need engineers! As an engineer, I am sure this is a great opportunity for you to work on massive projects that are unprecedented anywhere in the world, even in developed Western countries. I truly wish you all the best and hope your second stay in Qatar will help you revisit some of your views about this great and growing place and its people.December 29th, 2009 @ 10:47 am
eva
to kissifur: i understand why you should hit the "mute" button because you live and work in Qatar. it's as simple as that because you just confirmed that you cannot interfere. DUH!!! To rashid: You should read my comments one more time but with care: I didn't say Qatar was Dar-four. I said if there wasn't oil in Qatar, then the situation would definitely have looked like Dar-four. And let me be more frank with you and i hope you reply me in an honest fashion: Do you think Western nations and there affiliate companies invest in Qatar or any other GCC country for the sake of the locals or the sake of their profit? That's why the people of Qatar should rely on themselves more and try to free themselves from expats and foreigners. Expats are definitely needed in any country when the skill is not available. But expats shouldn't be given high priority on behalf of the locals. This is the case unfortunately. And yes , many foreign companies abuse the natural resources of the country they work in. Do you know why? it's called greed!December 29th, 2009 @ 3:32 pm
Kissifur
Eva - oh - Eva! YOU should read other people's posts with greater care. I didn't say I cannot interfere. I CHOOSE not to interfere in customs, traditions and politics. As an individual I find the prospect extremely distasteful; not to mention dangerous and dumb! Look around the world Eva - how many catastrophes can you count, that have started off as a result of interfering? Customs and traditions are things you can either respect or observe - NOT interfere in! As for politics - the people of Qatar will shape the politics of their country. I think they are doing a great job of it by themselves. Is there room for discussions and exchange of ideas? Absolutely - This blog is a wonderful example! (Thank you Dr. Amal! Right in the middle of all of this, let me wish you a wonderful New Year!!) Back to you Eva - This time I am moving beyond the mute button and firmly hitting the STOP. And before you attribute any motives to that let me tell you why - I believe in conversations but I'm an even bigger believer in respectful ones. I join Rashid in wishing you a pleasant time in Qatar when you get here again.December 29th, 2009 @ 7:13 pm
eva
Oh well I'll wrap it up in a couple of words for it seems it's a never ending story: it might be the case that I am comparing things in Qatar to any of the European Union countries (where I come from actually) ;nevertheless, I strongly stand by my beliefs and ideas because they are based on facts . I have to say that this is the first time I interact with Qataris (on this blog) even though I stayed in Qatar for 1 whole in 2008 and never had chance to talk to any , not even in my work domain because ,again, expats run the main show in the oil&gas field. I just don't get it why expats keep replying me. They should mind their business(personal and work related ) if they are living in Qatar. I will only post replies to locals if they address me.December 29th, 2009 @ 9:03 pm
Amal Almalki
Eva… Come on!! What about me, Nada and Rashid? Aren’t we Qataris!! Aren’t we the ones you actually targeted! What you said about not interacting with any locals is actually surprising and sad!! And I think this is the missing link here!! The tricky part is how to create respect among these people with all of these misunderstandings going on!! I actually love meeting different people. And I believe that we can always find things in common. But I can’t take it when their preconceived notions of who I am as a Qatari woman dominate our interaction!! I refuse to be looked down upon, and I refuse to be treated as a type!!December 30th, 2009 @ 12:38 am
eva
AMAL: I don't understand what do you mean by "targeted”? You can simply tell me, for example, that I may be right or wrong by showing me why and/or how. I'll give you an example: pay a visit to Ras-Laffan Industrial city and see who works there. If you don't feel like driving a distance of 100 km, then pay a visit to Qatar Petroleum main office near City Center Mall and you will see with your own eyes who is working there and why you shouldn't be surprised or sad that I never interacted with the Locals (I am talking regarding the O&G business which is the backbone of Qatar's economy) .Add to this: restaurants, retail shops, service shops, taxis, malls, supermarkets, Auto dealers, repair shops, etc. I never saw a local working in these fields. All what I saw were Asians doing these jobs (not that I have something against the Asian race). What I want to know (and only locals should answer me) is the following: are there any poor/jobless locals? If yes, then I think (and this is my opinion) they should be given priority over expats to do such jobs (there's no shame about work).I find it really difficult to be justified if some one tells me that the locals can’t find jobs in their own country yet expats do. If most locals are rich, then I think (again my opinion) it's not healthy from a social perspective because once the oil and gas run out, most expats will leave and the vacancies they leave behind will only be filled by the rich locals who weren’t used to do low or medium income jobs. I only posted on this blog because I wanted to interact with the locals and get to know their way of thinking. No one is looking you from the top or degrading you. I just stated what I experienced during my stay for 1 whole year in Qatar. And let's not forget the main subject of this blog: the Lisa Clayton thing. I said it before and I say it again: I don't sympathize with her because any expat working anywhere should mind their own businesses only.December 30th, 2009 @ 2:54 am
marwa serry
Dear Amal , after reading your lovely post , I’m proudly announcing that after 30 years of living in Qatar , I do consider myself one of “us” not an expat AT ALL , I’m never away from home cause it is right here =) I totally agree with the idea of opening up to criticism, taking into consideration that it is quite frustrating if you listen to people criticizing something without giving a proper proposition for a practical solution. Nothing changes over night! Even if you need to address any difficulties or disturbing issues that you might face on your day to day activities, it is the “way” you discuss them, it should be more sensible and pragmatic, not aggressive or discriminative. Never the less, I would give my heart and soul to the land and people that surrendered me with love, encouragement and mutual respect. .. Some one like you would totally understand words that I can’t put out is sentences to explain how I truly feel about being blessed to have such a peaceful life in Qatar, with all its ups and downs! Qatar is developing for sure and no one would ever deny such a fact, so acceptance , having a comment language about having one main target which is seeing this respectable country significantly growing is the thing we would look for within ourselves and in the eyes of expats as well.December 30th, 2009 @ 1:33 pm
Nada Al-Mahmeed
Eva, let’s share some facts about Europe for a moment; Fact1: Britain is 'designer drugs' capital of Europe, says EU agency. Fact2: Sweden has highest rape rate in whole Europe. Fact3: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the European Union (EU27) in March 2009 was 8.3% compared to 6.7% in March 2008. All of those facts can be found if you google them, I’m not bluffing, seriously. So, now, based on these facts it seems like if Europe doesn’t find solutions to all of the proposed facts and statements (which are actually problems), then it will simply be in great mess in few years, don’t you agree? I hope you do get my point this time, and just in case you don’t, this is my point: I am not attacking Europe so please don’t attempt to go down that road. I am saying that facts are mere facts, you can’t build arguments and assumptions and just say “I have facts”. You need actual examples and evidence to support your facts and you also need to look beyond whatever facts you have in hand. You said (your first example) that you never interacted with locals due to your job (the oil and gas field), sure -and as you said- 90% who work in your field are expats, that doesn’t mean that Qataris do not work at all in oil and gas field. For whatever reasons that didn’t allow you to meet the locals within your field, it does not mean that they do not exist in the felid at all. And to add to it, engineering is currently one the most popular majors among Qatari college and university students (this is based on the number of Qataris in Texas A&M university in Qatar, and the number of my friends who are studying abroad, so its not just talking). So within few years the number of Qatari engineers will increase and hopefully you might get the chance to meet some. You also said that Qataris don’t work as taxi drivers, or in shops and malls (your second example), yes, it is a fact. But at the same time that doesn’t mean that Qataris don’t “rely on themselves” or that they should actually work as taxi drivers simply because most of them have better options available (and to answer your question, yes we do have poor people, we are not all filthy rich); Common sense, an individual will always choose what is best for him/her, right? You said it yourself, this is the first time you interact with Qataris via the blog, so I really don’t understand how you came to such strong beliefs about the whole country only based on facts, plain facts, without any kind of personal communication with Qataris. I also don’t understand why you keep saying that expats should not voice there opinions while working in the country, they all should because it’s a healthy way to understand each other, as long as its a real discussion without any kind of ridiculous assumptions and insults to the whole country. Anyways, I do join the others and hope you have a good stay in Qatar.December 30th, 2009 @ 1:59 pm
Amal Almalki
Eva: I think after several days of debating- our tones are neutralizing!! First of all, Lisa's is not the subject of this blog. I've started this blog last April. Lisa isn’t even the subject of the post- she was nevertheless one reason behind writing it. Eva- you make a good point! Still, you are trying to convince me of what is already known, the disproportion of local/expats demographics. But again these expats that as you say will leave once oil and gas run out are due to leave anyway. They are here to do a job for couple of years then leave. It is a win-win situation for both parties. Secondly, Our percentage as Qataris is too small to fill all these jobs. Texas A&M in Doha has been graduating Qatari engineers to join other locals who graduated from the States. Things will get better Eva but considering the country's young age, the number of locals, and the speed of change to modernize the country, it will take time. Thirdly, the question of having non-locals filling the jobs which locals don’t fill- whether because there is no tradition of them filling such jobs or because some find them demeaning is not a Qatari issue. For example, in London the ongoing debate is whether immigrants are stealing jobs from the Brits or that they are doing the stuff that the British wouldn’t do. Look at the streets in London and tell me who collects the garbage and who works in petrol stations!!!! And when you come to Doha soon, check the MIA. I was so proud to see Qatari men and women working as security and guides. Fourthly, the gap between social classes is widening as a result of modernity. Now are all Qataris wealthy? NO. Some don’t own a house! Are all Qataris educated? NO. So do you think those who don’t have a degree are in managerial positions? NO. Also, Marwa's comment just reminded me that we are only talking apparently about westerners here! A big percentage of expats are made up of Arabs, some like Marwa have been born here. Palestinians for example who lived here since the fifties and sixties have no other place to go. Qatar is the home for most of those people. Finally, I'm not calling for expats to leave! On the contrary, I think this is how people get to know each other rather than depending on biased media. Just don’t allow media to shape your perception of others, ruining your actual interaction with them. Have I addressed your concerns? Have we reached an understanding here?December 30th, 2009 @ 6:30 pm
eva
I'd say i got the picture somehow. Europe is not the Atlantis (the perfect city) nor is any other place on earth. The whole idea behind posting on this blog was to interact with the locals and I'd say it was impressive ,although I felt a sense of hidden hostility because some people simply wouldn't listen to other point of views with an open mind. I'll conclude by wishing everybody a prosperous new year and a small advice to the locals to focus and keep focusing on academics.December 30th, 2009 @ 7:06 pm
Lisa Clayton
Eva, I would never ask you to sympathize with me. I have lived here over 10 years an have interacted with a LOT of Qataris. I spoke up about something I found very distressing and apparently did not do it in the "proper" way. For that I apologized. But I did feel the right as someone who lives here (and has invested a lot of my time here for the betterment of the country that I have loved so dearly) so do not subscribe wholly to your idea that I am here to take a salary and get out. In fact, I couldn't live for very long in any place where I didn't feel I had the right to speak freely and critically when necessary. That said, I would do it differently if I had to do it again, and I would do it COMPLETELY ANONYMOUSLY (as I did on Qatar Living before being "outed" by alumnae who were on my Facebook friends list). I wouldn't risk bringing problems to my university in the way this has. I also think it is inaccurate to say there is "hidden hostility because I think there is huge hostility here between the expat and local community as a whole. The difference is, I don't think it is hidden. But maybe that is because I have been on the receiving end of a lot of it and I seemed to have opened up this can of worms that far overreaches my post on Qatar Living. Regards, LisaDecember 31st, 2009 @ 12:42 am
Mohanalakshmi
Thank you Dr. Amal for starting such an insightful and important discussion about what was clearly an event of greater implications than anyone realized. The important thing is that people are starting to talk (I hope) and really hear each other. Expats understand what is offensive to Qataris - and here I completely agree that language used is much more important than any message that is actually said in most human communication. I hope also that Qataris will themselves begin to address the social concerns that face society - in terms that are appropriate and useful. Those of us living in Qatar today have inherited a situation; just like any other society in the world. What we choose to do with it shows our true character. In the end, people are people. You love some, you'd rather not see others. Respect, the core value of any human relationship, seems to be missing when we get into our groups here. While I can have dinner with or share the secrets of my heart with Qatari friends suddenly all of this is erased when barriers pop up: "us" versus "them"; "expat" versus "locals". Groups give us the luxury of forgetting that we each bleed, laugh, love, and cry and make it all that easier to hate the other.January 5th, 2010 @ 3:01 pm
AJ
I find it very disturbing and frightening in fact to read some of the comments written on this blog. I'm a Qatari Engineer...I also have lived abroad for about 15 years....I visited nearly 30 countries....I speak three languages and I'm currently working on my forth. Out of those 15 years I lived abroad I had only 3 Qatari friends, so you could say my interactions were basically with the locals, and it's safe to assume that a Camilian...I can pretty much fit into any environment and survive with no problems....WITH THAT BEING SAID First of....to assume that there are no Qataries in the Oil & Gas field is absolutely ridiculous and misleading and I guarantee you stats in the company OFFICIALLY show over 50% Qatarization and RAPIDLY increasing To assume that all of Qatari income is coming from Oil & Gas operation is plain ignorant considering the MULTIPLE announcements made publicly by the Prime Minister about Qatari investments and how Oil & Gas factor less everyday into the Qatari Budget To assume that someone is incapable of doing something simply because you have never actually seen him/her do it.....well I do not really wanna dignify that with a comment!!!! Bottom line...throughout those 15 years abroad NEVER ONCE did I try to fix "culture"….THERE’S NO POINT IN TRYING OR GOING SOMETHING NEW IF YOU EXPECT IT TO BE JUST LIKE EVERYTHING YOU’VE KNOWN BEFORE HAND!!!!. The idea of trying to link culture to reasonable facts is like asking why something tastes good…..or why spices are desired. The best you could do is....try it, and if desired repeat!!!! I find it absurd that when some are exposed to a new and foreign culture…they somehow try to make sense of it and when they cannot they try to mold it into some kind of hybrid which might be more desirable by themselves!!!….and as if that’s not bad enough THEY START PROJECTING THEIR THOUGHTS UNTO OTHERS AND WONDER WHY THEY R NOT FOLLOWING!!!! If you move from Greenland to Kenya, you cannot complain about how horrible skiers they are!!!January 6th, 2010 @ 10:48 am
Rob
It is excellent to watch the interesting pace of this blog. Just to humbly add one point is regardless on how long the "train" of arguments will be (or even end one day,maybe!), the truth must not be ignored to the fact that a "change" is required. Maybe, we must be empathetic & sensitive to each other. The "expats" must be sensitive to "locals" and "locals" must be empathetic with the "expats". Each side will only understand when they become an expat and live in a foreign country or watch the foreigners living in their own countries. Let us not forget our basic duty (more our own conscience!) to feel like a human and treat the other the same as we treat ourselves. As we have very few time in this earth and many deeds to do, let us not waste in ignoring that we are humans, we also need to be corrected when it is needed. Education is not in getting a high profile university degree but to remind ourselves we have respect for ourselves and we MUST treat others with respect! I must ask everyone to remember a 19th Century (lovely!) poem of The Blind men and the Elephant by John Godfrey Saxe. (It holds an essence of wisdom which is hidden to the blind but unlocked to one with a human heart!)February 3rd, 2010 @ 12:17 pm