I cannot believe that today is our last day in Qatar. This has been the most phenomenal week, and I am so, so grateful to have had this opportunity. Thank you, Qatar Foundation International and UT-Austin for everything you have done to make this possible. Our first stop today was the Msheireb Museums, a collection of four houses (now museums) around which this neighborhood (including the hotel where we’re staying) was built. Each of the four houses cover a different topic: Company House (narratives of pioneering petroleum workers), Bin Jelmood House (the history of the global slave trade, especially in this region), Mohammed bin Jassim house (the past, present, and sustainable elements of the Msheireb district), and the Radwani House (a showcase of traditional Qatari family life). It’s all situated in such a picturesque place. We only had time to peruse two of the four houses — and went through them quickly because we were somewhat strapped for time. At the Company House, we learned a bit more about the pearl-diving industry and a lot more about the oil industry. “It’s a complex story of a nation that managed with instinctive foresight to protect its resources from the self-interest of the world’s great economic powers. It is also a straightforward story of a small country that lifted itself from poverty through the hard work, perseverance, and courage of ordinary men.” Today, two-thirds of the world’s oil is from the Gulf region. Next, we went to the Bin Jelmood House, which “exists to promote reflection and conversation on important truths about historical slavers in Qatar and the critical issue of slavery around the world.” I wish we had had more time in this museum because there was so much to learn. Throughout the exhibits, I spent a lot of time thinking about modern slavery in the United States as well as the issues in Qatar that the World Cup brought to life. So much to think about — and even more to do. After Msheireb, we headed to the Al Jazeera experience, where we learned about the massive media outlet. Al Jazeera translates to “island” or “peninsula,” and the name signifies that it’s “an island of independent journalism” in a region that has not been known for media freedom. Its slogan is “the opinion and the other opinion,” meaning that they strive to offer multiple perspectives, in turn ensuring a more comprehensive picture. I also learned that Al Jazeera has a couple of podcasts as well as a youth-oriented channel, AJ+, that creates short-form storytelling content and focuses on marginalized communities. Teacher friends, this is available via YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. The area outside of the Al Jazeera Experience -- which is housed in a former firehouse -- was beautiful, and I spent a bit of time walking around the park across the street and admiring the skyline as well as checking out the street art in the courtyard. I also hung out with the sweetest street cat, whom I named Mitzi. I wish I could've figured out how to bring her home with me. I mean, she was filthy and probably flea-infested, but I love her. Also, I have gone through almost an entire bottle of hand sanitizer, mainly due to the number of street cats I've touched. Next, we went to the 3-2-1 Qatar and Olympic Sport Museum, which is next to Khalifa Stadium and houses everything sports-related — from past to present. First, I walked through a cool World Cup exhibit that featured the Victory Works collection by David Pflugi. These art pieces have been signed by the players of both teams participating in the World Cup final game from 1998-2022. I stole the following photos from my friend, Tyler, as I did not even notice all of these views -- the six photos below are from different angles of the same art piece. Next, I ventured to A Global History of Sport. I loved walking through the Olympic exhibit, as I have always LOVED everything Olympic-related. This particular section included torches, medals, mascots, and memorabilia from so many different Olympic Games. I also really loved the hall of athletes. There were display cases dedicated to some of the most powerful athletes of all time (as well as artifacts associated with them), some of which you can see here. I think my personal favorite was Mia Hamm, as she was a huge role model growing up. There were also interactive exhibits throughout the museum. At one point, Erik and I competed in a tree-climbing race by moving our arms at ridiculous speeds to reach the top. I think my favorite part of the museum overall, though, was its inclusivity. It showcased male and female athletes, it celebrated the Olympics and the Paralympics, it included sports from football to cricket to skateboarding to auto racing, and it incorporated athletes from countless countries. I really, really liked this museum. We also had lunch at the museum -- at Naua, a restaurant run by Michelin-starred chef, Tom Aikens. Y'all, this meal was unreal. The server explained to us that there aren't centerpieces on the tables because the food itself was the focal point -- and omg, he was not kidding. On our way to our next stop, our bus happened to pass the royal camels out for their afternoon stroll. So, it was basically just another normal day. Our next stop was the Persian Gulf, where we went for a dhow ride. A dhow is a traditional Qatari boat, originally used for pearl-diving, fishing, and transporting goods. Dhows are made out of wood and need to be removed from the water every three months for updates: for instance, cotton mixed with coconut oil is stuffed between the timbers to prevent leaking. Small dhows can be made in about three months, but larger ones take up to nine months, and believe it or not, they can last about 120 years. There are currently about 500 dhows lining the corniche in Doha, and they are absolutely beautiful, evoking a rich maritime heritage. Our dhow ride was incredible, and such a lovely experience together as we readied ourselves to say goodbye after the absolute best three-and-a-half years together. It was such a fun experience. After our dhow ride, it was time to head back to the hotel and freshen up for a super fancy dinner at Bayt El Talleh, a restaurant atop Katara Village and overlooking Doha. The food was good, and the views were incredible, but the best part of all was the company. The 20 of us have spent the last three-and-a-half years together. We supported each other through a global pandemic, we sent long-distance love as people shouldered deep losses, we navigated job changes, we traveled across the country (and now the world), and we laughed, laughed, laughed.
I am so grateful for this opportunity I was granted -- I have learned so much and, perhaps even more importantly, I have made some of my best friends. I will miss everyone so, so deeply.
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Fridays are the day of worship in Islam, so everything is closed until after services. We thus had the morning free, so several of us spent it wandering to Box Park (an influencer’s dream due to its Instagramability), to Flag Plaza, and along the Corniche. We then went to the hotel pool -- which was absolutely stunning -- and lounged while we ate lunch, chatted, updated social media, and read books. After our free morning, we headed out of Doha again — this time north, almost to the tip of the peninsula — to Baladna Park. This was an interesting place, largely because it is both a massive dairy farm as well as an amusement park. I know, right?! Baladna supplies more than 95% of Qatar’s dairy products. Its business quickly boomed in June 2017 following the blockade on the country. (This “diplomatic crisis” was when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt banned Qatar from using land and air space — and blocked Qatar’s only land border with Saudi Arabia. They claimed that Qatar violated an agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council, and they were critical of Al Jazeera and Qatar’s relationship with Iran.) Because Qatar had no access to their normal trade routes and could no longer rely on other countries, they had to develop other options, and Baladna was the first step in them becoming a self-sustaining nation. Qatar Airways flew more than 4,000 Holstein cows from the United States and the UK to Baladna, and this started the massive operation. While the blockade ended in 2021, the push for self-sustainability has continued, and Baladna now has more than 20,000 cows. Check out this excellent documentary for more information: The cows on the farm are all female and are artificially inseminated after they mature, and they give birth once each year. They are led three times a day to the “rotary milking parlor” in these photos and are automatically milked for eight minutes. I’m not going to lie: I didn’t love seeing this, and it made me almost want to go vegan. While it is an absolutely incredible and meticulously organized system, it was hard seeing sentient beings going through such a mechanical process. It’s similar to how I feel about petting zoos (also on site at Baladna Park), pet stores (like at the souq), and camel rides (at the desert). I also recognize that this is super hypocritical since I eat meat and cheese, drink milk, etc. Simultaneously, I recognize how important Baladna was during the blockade and how it continues to be a necessity in self-sustainability. I clearly have some more reflecting to do. Like I said before, Baladna is also an amusement park. It's so interesting. Next, we headed to Purple Island, just east of Baladna. Despite its name, the space is not at all purple and is instead green, green, green. I am really glad we visited here because it helped me understand that Qatar is much more than just Doha and that rural Middle East is not all sandy desert. I mean, check out the gorgeous mangroves, the lush green flora, and the crystal clear water. (Can you spot the crabs in this photo?? And yes, that photo is looking into the water!) Purple Island got its name because it was a production site for purple-red dye (from shellfish) a long, long time ago. It has likely always been uninhabited — by humans at least — but has served as an important trade post with Bahrain as well as a site for pearl divers and fishermen. Now, it’s a great spot to see nature, have a picnic, hike, and spend time outdoors. On our way back to the hotel (I almost just wrote "home"), we stopped by McDonalds. It sounds weird, but it was really cool. It’s a GIANT Mickey Ds and is shaped like a Bedouin tent. (It’s right next to Al Bayt Stadium, the World Cup locale that also looks like a traditional tent, which you can see in the distance in the last photo below.) It was an experience: there’s a massive outdoor space: families were gathered about, and kids were playing across the lawn. I tried the McArabia — chicken in a pita with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and garlic sauce. It was DELICIOUS. I also tried the cheddar jalapeño poppers (YUM) and the McShaker fries, which were way too spicy for me. I don’t eat much fast food, but this was awesome. And because of that aforementioned FOMO, I went to the souq again this evening -- and then enjoyed the most delicious sorbet ever with two of my besties. I'm sure going to miss them when our program ends.
Our first stop today was to Tariq bin Ziad School, one of QF’s sites. (And like we have been at every place we’ve visited thus far, we were met with the most gracious hospitality — and left with swag bags). This is an International Baccalaureate (IB) dual-language (Arabic and English) school that is currently serving primary students (pre-k through fourth grade) but growing with the students (so next year will expand to fifth grade as well). This is a private school — and is quite expensive at 60,000 Qatari Riyal. It started as a boys’ only school in the 1960s, and it’s where the emir attended. In the early 2000s, however, it was demolished; the emir mandated it to be rebuilt and announced a new vision (that also maintained Qatari culture); the tagline is “guided by heritage, transcending with knowledge.” Today, the school is coed, and there has been a strong marketing campaign to enroll more girls in the school. There are currently more boys in the upper grades since it started as boys only, but there are more girls enrolling now, especially in the younger grades. The school incorporates globalization, community and family engagement, and absolutely beautiful pedagogy. For instance, today included a celebration of books (and characters) students have been reading. They showcased literature in a dress-up parade, and each class presented a summary to the school. Speaking of books, one class realized that the story of Goldilocks didn’t really represent them. So, they figured out how to see themselves in books: write their own! The teacher elicited feedback from her scholars, and together they created Brownylocks and the Three Honey Badgers (a Qatari animal). I'm so excited to read this. After the school, we stopped by the Villaggio, a mall modeled after Venice, complete with gondola rides. It was very similar to the Venetian in Vegas. This was somewhat of a pit stop to have lunch and change for the desert, but it was also intentional, as going to the mall is a super popular thing in Arab culture — this is where many families gather, especially during the hot, hot, hot summer months. I loved seeing stores with which I am familiar -- but with the names in Arabic, too. Even with all of the familiar sights, there were still a few things that were region-specific, which was really cool to see. We had lunch at Dunia, a Lebanese restaurant in the mall, and it was super good. I sadly didn't take any photos, but I had the chicken taouk, which was delicious. We then hopped on the bus and drove about an hour south of Doha to THE DESERT! I was SO excited for this adventure because I have never seen a desert before! I'm from the Midwest! After we arrived in the desert, we hopped on this monster bus and went flying through the dunes. To see a hilarious video of this experience, check out Instagram or Facebook. We then enjoyed a photoshoot in the dunes overlooking the sea. The views were incredible, the sand was so fine and so soft, and everything was absolutely beautiful. After dune bashing, we headed to Al Majles Resort, a little oasis in the middle of the desert and next to the Persian Gulf. Some people rode camels (I did not because the camels looked sad), some hung out with the oryx (my new obsession and Qatar's national animal), some swung next to the sea, some kayaked, some laid on lounge chairs, some smoked shisha, and all relaxed. We also hiked up a dune to see a desert sunset, and it was, as you can imagine, stunning. Finally, we ate dinner, said goodbye to the desert, and headed back to Doha. I was so exhausted on the bus and wanted to just crash when we got back to the hotel, but I have major FOMO and instead went to the souq with some friends. Nighttime in Doha is beautiful, and the Gold Souq was very interesting -- and not at all affordable. Naturally, I found cats. And, per the picture next to that, my friends were not as excited as I was. We also stumbled upon a date and honey festival, which was super cool. There were distributors from all across the MENA region and beyond -- Syria, Morocco, Azerbaijan, Jordan, etc. We sampled several different varieties, but when we heard the prices (like, 50 USD for a jar of honey), we politely declined. It was an incredible day.
Today’s first stop was the National Museum of Qatar, which is “dedicated to bringing to life the unique story of Qatar and its people in an innovative, holistic, and immersive way.” It was designed to look like a desert rose, a cool formation of sand crystals in the desert. We saw some really cool exhibits here, and I learned a ton — especially from Maryam, our guide for the week. For instance, I learned about the tapestries in the fifth and sixth photos: these are sadu, an embroidery created by Bedouin women. There are only 52 women left who know this craft, and Embrace Doha is trying to keep the art form alive by offering workshops to children. Each sadu takes a long time to complete, not because the women work slowly or because it is challenging but because they have to wait for the animal’s fur to grow in order to brush them and get enough to continue. Speaking of Bedouin, these are “people by the land,” a nomadic group who live in one area for no more than 15 days before moving to the next spot. They live in tents (like this replica in the courtyard of the museum) and rely heavily on camels, horses, and falcons. Travelers needing a place to stay would look for sadu that had a lot of white in the weaving — the more white, the more camels the family had, which meant the more wealth they had and the more likely they would be to have the means to share. The museum also talked a lot about the pearling industry that drove Qatar’s economy until the early 1900s — when a man in Japan discovered how to create cultured pearls. Pearl divers would be on the sea for 5-6 months at a time and would do countless dives each day — without the aid of SCUBA and instead with a heavy stone attached by rope to their body to help them reach the floor faster. Check out the Pearl Carpet of Baroda, which is “embroidered with around 1.5 million Basra pearls” and which “was originally intended as a cover for the tomb of the Prophet Mohammed at Medina.” This photo does not do it justice. This is one of my favorite photos of the day: the museum was filled with school kids, and these girls were, much like myself, trying to decide which tiara was their favorite. Here are some other artifacts from the museum: There was also a beautiful outdoor area (around the Bedouin tent): Lunch at Jiwan today was the most incredible dining experience I’ve ever had. First, it was at the top of the museum, and it had a balcony with the most amazing views. Second, it had approximately a gazillion courses. I mean, just look at this culinary journey. Y'all, we had pre-dessert, dessert, and post-dessert. Like, what?! Is this real life?! Are you interested in knowing what each of these dishes is? Me too. I didn't know until after I ate them, but I tried both camel and barracuda today. After lunch, we went to the Museum of Islamic Art, which “represents Islamic art from three continents over 1,400 years” and aims to “shed light on our origins to illuminate our future.” The building itself was stunning — designed by I.M. Pei — and had incredible views. The museum holds a huge collection of jewelry, tapestries, calligraphic panels, woodwork, glass, and more. The necklace below is from the 18th century and includes seventeen large diamonds, likely from the Deccan, and green emeralds from Colombia; it would have been worn by a man at ceremonial functions. The artifact below contains the entire text of the Qur’an. Y’all, the script was TINY. And this is a textile that decorated the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad inside the mosque in Medina; according to the placard, it “includes religious inscriptions mentioning him and the first four caliphs.” Here are some other pieces of art I really liked. I'm pretty much obsessed with Arabic calligraphy and the intricate (and beautiful) patterns in Arabic art and architecture. Finally, we went to Al Wakrah, an old souq (that is clearly not as busy as Souq Waqif). Our main purpose for going here was to visit Embrace Doha, our gracious hosts, for more learning as well as a traditional Qatari meal. We were first served a date with Arabic coffee — as it calms the stomach. Traditionally, this is served by the youngest male of the family, and all communication is done non-verbally. While it is often done without request, if you want more coffee, you hold your cup out to the young man; if you do not want any more, you shake the cup to signify that you are done. Speaking of coffee, it is served only a little at a time. First, this means that it is always hot. Second, it means it doesn’t burn your fingers (since the top of the small cup will be without coffee). Third, it shows attentiveness and generosity to guests — if their coffee is being frequently refilled. At Embrace Doha, we also learned how men greet each other (with a handshake as strangers, with two kisses on the right cheek for acquaintances, and with two nose taps for close friends), how women greet each other (with a handshake for strangers, with three kisses on the right cheek for acquaintances, and with hugs for close friends), and how members of opposite genders greet each other (with the more conservative/Muslim person deciding). We learned, too, about the different clothing. In some of my photos, you may have seen men wearing white thobes. The white is symbolic of the sails the men saved from ships when they burned them out of anger for the decline in the pearling industry. They also wear a ghutra (white head covering) or a shemagh (red and white head covering) with an exhale — a black cord, which was originally used to tie down camels at night and then held atop the man’s head during the day. Most Muslim women in Qatar wear black abayas and black shelas (head coverings). Some women cover their face with niqabs or battulas, but some do not at all; this is a cultural and/or personal preference, not connected to religion. Interestingly, the battula — a leather face covering — also serves as a facial, particularly for older women who put indigo powder in it. The traditional color is black because at one point, an Iraqi store owner had trouble selling black fabric and asked a poet for help — he wrote about his beloved lady wearing black, and the next day, many women showed up to buy black fabric. The color then became popular due to practicality. Finally, check out the incredible meal they served us. I’ll tell you what, though: my hips don’t really love floor-dining. Oh! And before dinner, we walked through the souq and to the Persian Gulf -- where I met a cat and waded in the water. It was so cool. It was another phenomenal -- and busy -- day. This whole experience has been wonderful so far. I'm so, so grateful for the opportunity -- and excited for what tomorrow will bring!
We spent the morning and afternoon today in Education City, which is a part of Doha that focuses on learning and research. Our first stop was the Education City Mosque, which was absolutely beautiful and full of incredible symbolism. First, it is absolutely massive — able to house 1,800 worshippers in its main prayer hall as well another 1,000 in the courtyard (that becomes part of the prayer hall when the glass doors are opened). The building is supported by five columns, each inscribed with Arabic calligraphy. These symbolize the five pillars of Islam on which the religion stands: Shahada (profession of faith), Salah (prayer), Zakat (giving alms), Sawm (fasting), and Hajj (pilgrimage). There are two minarets — that look very modern compared to the minarets you might be used to. These are like lighthouses, guiding people to the mosque. The pair symbolize a place of worship and a place of learning. There are also four water ways that run throughout the mosque and its gardens, and these symbolize the four rivers of paradise: milk, honey, water, and wine, each denoted with a different colored pebble. (Interestingly, the one representing wine — with red stones — is outside of the building.) The Education City Mosque is all about accessibility: not all Arabs are Muslims, and not all Muslims are Arabs. Thus, the services are offered in Arabic, English, Urdu, and Arabic sign language. There is also the capability to provide up to 12 additional language offerings, based on community need. Because there are no depictions of life forms in Islam, there are four ways to beautify the space, all of which the architects utilized: calligraphy, geometry, light, and color. The prayer niche is lined with gold and silver and a verse that talks about the direction of prayer. Our guide also showed us a cool app that helps Muslims find the direction of Mecca wherever they are at the call to prayer. The verse on the ceiling in the prayer hall talks about people submitting their face in prayer and doing good — that they will receive favor with the lord, that they should not worry, and that they should not grieve. How beautiful?! Next, we headed to Qatar Foundation headquarters. On our way there, we took a tram ride and wandered the area. As you can see (and as I mentioned yesterday), there’s still a lot of World Cup energy. Our presentation at QF was cut short (and our tour of one of the stadiums canceled) because of a VIP visit. After being kindly redirected a couple of times, we discovered that our itinerary coincided with that of the Vice President of Burkina Faso. (Also, Jane Goodall is staying at our hotel.) Briefly, QF encompasses seven universities (six of which, like Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon, and Northwestern) are from the United States. These are partner schools, not satellite campuses: students can access courses and degree programs from more than one school at a time since they are just blocks apart. There are also research centers in areas like biomedicine, AI, environmentalism, and technology, as well as policy centers that give recommendations to the government based on the work of the research centers. Additionally, there are 18 schools for younger children, including one that is for autistic students, one for students with special needs, one that is an integrated school with neurotypical and neurodivergent students, one that is Montessori-based, etc. In the school system, there are 134 nationalities represented at the college level and 86 in the “peewee” schools. The demographics range from school to school insofar as the ratio of Qatari to ex-pat is concerned. Qatar Foundation has a total of 58 entities including the aforementioned as well as a theatrical program, centers focused on women’s rights, an equestrian center and horse spa, and more. You can see many of these buildings from the balcony, high above Doha. Our next stop was the Qatar National Library, another super cool building with incredible architecture and so much symbolism. First, the architect designed it to look like two pieces of paper that are pulled apart and folded together — a sort of origami structure. The space is so bright, symbolizing “more light, more knowledge,” and interestingly, all of the light comes from outside; while I did not look too hard, I did not see one lightbulb in the facility. The outskirts of the library are super modern — stainless steel and state-of-the-art technology — while the middle of the library looks like an archaeological site. This is where the heritage collection is located. Our guide told us that they “carry the history of our ancestors in our hearts, which is why it’s at the heart of the library.” This section of the library holds 3500 manuscripts, 1400 maps, 500 calligraphic panels, 80,000 photos, and lots of other things that I couldn’t catch because he talked really fast. The library houses physical books in 17 languages and online resources in more than 70 languages — WOW. It also has “innovation stations” like a computer lab, music studio, 3D printing, a green screen, and more. Our guide told us several times that the library is “unquiet” and a space for all. It was really cool. Throughout the day, we also saw a lot of different animals, and if you know me at all, you know I'm obsessed with animals -- particularly those of the feline variety. I had to respect their boundaries, though, because some did not want to say hi. Here are some more animals, this time at the souq — royal camels + falcons. The guy with the falcons told me he’d sell me my favorite — the one on the left in the eighth picture (wearing the little pants) for only 5,000 Qatari Rial. So now I have to figure out how to get that AND a street cat through customs. Wish me luck. Our last stop of the night was the incredible Souq Waqif. This site has been used as a souq (market) for centuries for Bedouin. Over the years it became run down, but in 2004 was named a historical site and renovated. According to my research, it may be the only traditional souq left in the Gulf region. There were sites to see at every turn, and it’s a-maze-ing (see what I did there?) that we didn’t get lost in the labyrinthine alleyways. We then ate dinner at Parisa, a Persian restaurant in Souq Waqif. We ate family style and enjoyed a variety of appetizers and meat -- and, of course, a mint lemonade. Everything was delicious. Today was a full day of learning, of laughter, of love. I am so excited to see what tomorrow brings.
Whew, the last gazillion hours have been LONG. I got to the Minneapolis airport at 1:00 on Sunday for a 4:00 flight to Philadelphia. It was a fairly turbulent flight, which wasn’t amazing, and then the jet bridge wouldn’t work, so we were stuck on the plane for a while. Thankfully, I made it to my gate in time for my flight to Doha, where I met my friend Matt (from North Carolina). Except, I was assigned a middle seat. And the flight was full. And it was a twelve-and-a-half-hour flight. I slept as much as I could, but the plane wasn’t super dark (my eye mask helped), and the little kid behind me was using my chair as a punching bag while his dad seemed to have a full-length conversation with no one and every one. We made it to Qatar, though, at 5:45 p.m. Monday — which was 8:45 a.m. Minnesota time. I basically missed an entire day. Time zones are weird. The airport was huge and beautiful but pretty tough to navigate, namely because we were on a wild goose chase for the concierge service that was assigned to us. But again, we made it. It was quite the travel day(s), but tonight’s posts will be brief because I am absolutely exhausted. Nearly 24 hours of travel will do that to a girl. Check out our awesome hotel. We’re staying at the Mandarin Oriental in downtown Doha, and omg, it’s unreal. I legit feel like a princess. I’m sharing with one of my besties, Lindsay, and we have two queen beds, a floor-to-ceiling window that opens to a courtyard, a marble bathroom with two sinks, a walk-in shower that makes it feel Iike you’re being rained on. Also, the shampoo and conditioner smell soooooooo good. We were also welcomed with a platter of dates. So far we’ve only sampled one, and it was utterly delectable. The arrow on the ceiling points to Mecca so that Muslims who stay in the room know which direction to pray. There’s also a Koran in the nightstand as well as a prayer rug — not a fancy blanket, as I initially thought. After freshening up just a teeny bit, we walked just a block away to dinner at Nourlaya, a Sri Lankan restaurant. I had a mocktail (like all other drinks in Qatar), and I'm pretty sure it was pomegranate something. I also had lamb biryani, which was incredible. It was so, so nice to reconnect with some of my besties -- clockwise from me is Tara (California), Brielle (Minnesota), Erik (Illinois), and Susy (Massachusetts). Our view at dinner was also wonderful. Obviously, there are still a lot of World Cup remnants around Doha.
Today was already amazing (aside from that darn middle seat), and I know this week is going to be incredible. Our last morning was spent creating curriculum based on what we learned. I am super excited to work with four educators to craft a unit based on Everything Sad is Untrue, A Map of Salt and Stars, displaced peoples, and personal narratives. It's going to be dope. After the workshop, we had a few hours to kill, and it was raining -- and super muggy. Three of us decided to ride the streetcar to the Garden District, another neighborhood in New Orleans. It was such a cool experience. I don't know that I've ever ridden a streetcar before, so that was cool. It was also awesome wandering through neighborhoods and seeing the absolutely incredible architecture, such as these giant manors next to shotgun houses; the beautiful flora; and the extravagant Mardi Gras decorations. We also hopped into a few different boutiques for last-minute souvenirs, which was fun.
Finally, it was time to head to the airport. It turns out, though, that I could have stayed in NOLA longer, as I had all sorts of flight issues. First, we boarded the plane and taxied to the runway -- and experienced some random changes in air pressure. The pilot announced that they were going to try to troubleshoot from Atlanta, and when that didn't work, we returned to the gate so that a mechanic could come out and assess. We stayed aboard for a while, and finally deplaned when they determined our plane was out of commission. I was able to rebook myself on a later flight out of Atlanta, and thankfully that ended up being delayed, as I barely had time to make it across the terminal. Now, I have time for a three-hour "nap" before heading into work tomorrow. But it was all worth it. This was the absolute best. I can't wait to go back to NOLA, and I can't wait to see my friends in DOHA in just over a month! Today was by far my favorite day of the whole workshop series: we got to meet Daniel Nayeri, author of Everything Sad is Untrue. Interestingly, I randomly started reading this book in December, texted the coordinator of our program and raved about the author, and the coordinator responded, "OMG, I just booked him yesterday." I am grateful that I ran into Daniel -- we're on a first-name basis now -- in the lobby so that I could embarrass myself in front of just one person rather than the entire group. I fangirled hard. Y'all, he's amazing. In addition to talking to us about storytelling and his story in particular, he exemplified the Middle Eastern ideal of hospitality and shared a tea service with us -- including his mother's tea blend and many Iranian treats, such as saffron sugar and baklava. He also gifted me with a box of loose-leaf tea, likely because he could tell that I'm his number one fan (and because I encouraged everyone to pre-order his upcoming book). I cannot speak highly enough of him. Not only is his writing absolutely unreal and incredibly beautiful, but he is also the kindest, most generous person. I absolutely loved him. That afternoon, we had another session, this time with Andrew Gayed, Assistant Professor of Art History and Visual Culture at Ontario College of Art and Design. He taught us about queer art in the Middle East, and I learned so much -- so much, in fact, that I shared it with one of my art teacher friends in the middle of his session. Our workshop ended relatively early, and after dropping my stuff at the hotel, I took a mini break and then wandered the French Quarter by myself. I found this building -- and thought that it doesn't get more New Orleans / Mardi Gras than this. I took a bunch of photos and then saw a young woman trying to take pics of herself, and I offered to do a photoshoot for her. She reciprocated, and then I took a bunch of pics of what appeared to be a group of sorority girls. It was quite a sisterhood moment -- all of us reveling in the spirit and helping each other with photos (and with getting beads from balconies). I wandered over to Bourbon Street, which absolutely ridiculous since it was Saturday afternoon, and met up with Matt, a QFI friend. We wandered the street for a bit and then headed back to our hotel, where I got my sparkles on to prep for the pending parade. It was super fun being in New Orleans at the start of the Carnival season. We experienced the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus parade, which is apparently one of the smaller parades, but omg, it was incredible. I was living my best life, dancing and singing and shouting and getting all the swag. It. Was. Incredible.
Our workshop is at the National World War II Museum, which is a huge structure/complex. While we can only see the entrance hall without paying admission, it's pretty incredible: lots of aircraft are suspended above us. Today's morning session was facilitated by Tony Calderbank, who works for Qatar Foundation International. Prior to working for QFI, Tony worked for the British Council in places like Sudan, Bahrain, Libya, and Saudi Arabia. He also taught Arabic and translation in the UK as well as in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at the American University in Cairo. For us, though, Tony gave an expedited background on Arabic, including how the language is structured as well as how to say various phrases (like 'my name is'). Arabic is a challenging language! The second half of the morning session was focused on Arabic calligraphy, something I was super excited to learn. We each had markers, specialized pencils, and nice paper -- and experimented with writing the language. Tony also gave each of us our names in Arabic. Our afternoon was spent learning about Arabic music from Michel Moushabeck. He taught us about different instruments, including the oud, the qanun, the nay, the kamnjah, and the riqq, and he demonstrated various rhythms as well. The session culminated with an ensemble performance with Michel, his nephew, and his nephew's friend. It was wonderful. (For video of the performance, please check out my Instagram account.) After the session, a few of us wandered around the French Quarter a bit more, ending up at Jackson Square and the Mississippi River around dusk. After getting glammed up at the hotel, we headed to Brennan's for an absolutely incredible dining experience. We were led to the Queen's room, a private room that was decorated, well, royally. We enjoyed wine service, cocktails, and an incredible three-course meal. I opted for the seafood gumbo, the braised short rib, and the blackout doberge. Wow. We ended the night at BJ's Lounge, a local live music joint. It was about a 15-minute Uber ride from the French Quarter, so it was nice seeing a different part of the city, too. What a fun day!
It's hard to believe, but today started our last state-side workshop for the QFI-UT Austin Teacher Leadership Program. It's bittersweet, to say the least. The "sweet" part is that this workshop is in New Orleans, a place I've only visited briefly (when I embarked on a cruise via the port there). Y'all, I haven't even been here 24 hours, and I'm already obsessed. I mean, just look at these photos. We're staying just blocks from the French Quarter, and it's incredible. Tyler and I arrived mid-afternoon, and we met Brielle at the hotel prior to heading to St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. Established in 1789, this is the oldest cemetery in New Orleans -- and it is still used today for burials. A city ordinance was decreed in 1803, and while it was "not strictly followed, it did prompt the style of interment we are most familiar with today in New Orleans, above-ground tombs, an aesthetic tradition of memorial architecture that we inherited from France and Spain, with the added benefit of it solving the issues associated with a very high water table" (Source). There are several "wall vaults" in the cemetery, and this is where countless individuals are buried. Bodies are left undisturbed in their tombs for one year and one day, and after that time, the remains are pushed to the back of the vault to make room for another family member. Throughout the cemetery, you can also see several tombs have started to deteriorate, and others are sinking into the ground. Many famous people are interred in the cemetery, including the infamous voodoo queen, Marie Laveau; Homer Plessy (of Plessy vs. Ferguson); and, in the future, Nicolas Cage, in a giant, seemingly out-of-place white pyramid. The cemetery is only accessible via tour, and while our guide was super informative and entertaining, he was a little hard to follow -- perhaps because I had done zero research myself prior to the tour and did not at all know what to expect ahead of time. After our cemetery tour, we met most of the group at Napoleon House, a "200-year-old landmark that's as casual and unique as its French Quarter surroundings." The then-mayor of New Orleans was the building's first occupant, and he offered the house to Napoleon when Napoleon was exiled -- but Napoleon never made it. Now, it is "one of the most famous bars in America, a haunt for artists and writers throughout most of the 20th century" (Source). I had a Pimm's cup, a NOLA classic, and an alligator po'boy with red beans and rice. Everything was incredible. After, we headed to Cafe du Monde for amazing beignets, which we enjoyed on the street while listening to buskers performing great songs, and then to Bourbon Street to witness debauchery. On Bourbon Street, we wound our way through Pat O'Brien's, the bar that invented the hurricane, to a piano bar where we enjoyed more great music and, well, hurricanes.
It was such a fun first day in New Orleans, and the workshop hasn't even started yet! |
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