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Cultural Orientation – Lengthy but Informative
The Al-Dana Club – These chairs almost make one green with envy.
Dinner is served – Yes it was lunch, but effectively dinner too. I couldn’t eat another bite all day.
Relaxed Study – The conference room felt more like a dining room itself.
Realia Show – This display showed paraphernalia that one can find in and around Qatar. The restaurant guide was a particular favourite.
The Al-Dana Club played host to a Qatar focussed cultural orientation for newly-arrived faculty and family members of the College of the North Atlantic’s Qatar campus.
Facilitated by Suzanne Grant, Managing Partner of The Art Of Business, the event began with a lavish luncheon in the dining area, followed by exquisite desserts, served with coffee and tea in the presentation room, and finished with an enlightening orientation of the culture and customs of Qatar, paying special attention to the deep-rooted foundation of Islam within the society.
As a westerner, unaware of Qatar or Islam, it was somewhat overwhelming to be inundated by the expectations and cautions of which we were advised, but the information was very useful. We covered topics from the hazards of driving in Qatar, to proper foot etiquette in the majilis.
From the point of view of Islam, an overview was given with explanations of some of the motivation behind the Quran, which shed light on many aspects of Qatari culture.
It was interesting to parallel the ideals of Islam with those of other religions, and see that depending on ones interpretations of the texts, and whether one takes them out of context largely depends on the preconceptions of the reader. As any holy text, interpretation is the key to belief.
Of particular interest was the section on the Qatari and their families, It is not unapparent when one is out in Doha. Children seem to have an effect akin to fascination which was noted in the orientation. Family is sacrosanct.
As interesting as the subject matter was, there was a general feeling that the parts of the presentation were a bit over-emphasised, or repetitive, which pushed the timeframe of proceedings to well beyond the promised three hours, and left some of the audience feeling a little restive. One thing that would have been great to have was a handout that followed at least in point form, the presentation on the screen, as note taking was not always convenient.
There were some people who had been in Qatar for a number of months, who felt that the amount of knowledge gained was outweighed by the length of the lecture, so for those considering this type of orientation to the country, it was suggested that the best time for it to be would be soon after arrival. Any who have been in the country for more than a couple of months and have tried hard to learn about Qatar, and especially those who have made friends with Qatari or Arab expats may find it all a little like covering old ground.
Still, there was a wealth of information, and newcomers will surely find a lot of it eye-opening and the rest educational.
The presentation was an excellent introduction to life in Qatar, with some understanding of the general motivation of the people brought into light. A definite recommendation for the newly or recently arrived.
