YOUSUF JASSEM AL DARWISH
SINDHU NAIR AYSWARYA MURTHY AARTHI MOHAN KEERTANA KODURU
VENKAT REDDY M HANAN ABU SAIAM
SANDEEP SEHGAL ALPANA ROY
FREDRICK ALPHONSO SAKALA A DEBRASS SONY VELLATT JASMINE VICTOR
MATHEWS CHERIAN IRFAAN A H M DENZITA SEQUIRA ANIS MANSOURI
ADITYA KARKERA SUAD ASHIMI
PRATAP CHANDRAN BIKRAM SHRESTHA ARJUN TIMILSINA BHIMAL RAI, BASANTHA
AYUSH INDRAJITH MAHESHWAR REDDY B
FEBRUARY - MARCH 2016 THOUGH THE NEW YEAR IS NOW FIRMLY ON ITS WAY, IT’S NEVER TOO LATE FOR THIS PIECE OF ADVICE – DON’T BE AFRAID OF CHANGE. THE BIGGEST DISSERVICE YOU CAN DO TO YOURSELF IS GET TOO COMFORTABLE. THIS IS THE UNDERLYING THEME OF THIS ISSUE – BREAK THE MOLD: ONE YOUNG TEENAGER HAS WRITTEN AN AMBITIOUS ADVENTURE NOVEL, ANOTHER UNIVERSITY STUDENT TRAVELED TO NEW YORK TO TRY AND HELP SOLVE THE WORLD’S PROBLEMS; AND YET ANOTHER GROUP SET OUT TO GIVE US NEW INSIGHTS INTO THE LIVES OF DOHA’S YOUNG EXPATS. ALL SEEKING CHANGE, ALL BRAVING THE NEW. FITTINGLY, NATIONAL SPORT DAY JUST WENT BY AND EVERY YEAR IT MOTIVATES US TO MAKE A HEALTHY CHANGE TO OUR LIFESTYLES. WE CHAT WITH YOUNG STUDENTS IN THE CITY WHO ARE CHANNELING THE NSD SPIRIT. ALL THIS PLUS OUR REGULAR FEATURES MAKE THIS AN INSPIRING, ACTION-PACKED ISSUE. READ ON!
Address all correspondence to CAMPUS, Oryx Advertising Co. WLL, P.O. Box 3272 Doha-Qatar. Tel: (+974) 44672139, 44550983, 44671173, 44667584. Fax: (+974) 44550982; Email: campus@omsqatar.com. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The publisher does not accept responsibility for advertising contents. Licensing/Republishing CAMPUS content: To obtain permission for text syndication in books, newsletters, magazines, newspapers and web or to use images/pictures carried in CAMPUS, please contact our syndication and licensing department on the numbers given above. Permission is also required to photocopy a CAMPUS article for classroom use, course packs, business or general use. Custom reprints: Any previously published article/s to be used as stand-alone pieces can be reprinted by us on special request. The reprint cost is based on the length of the article and the quantity ordered. Contact our custom publishing division on the numbers given above for more information.Previous issues (January 2004 onwards) of CAMPUS are available for sale, contact our library department. To subscribe to CAMPUS call our subscription department on the numbers given above.
Published by Oryx Advertising Co. , P.O. Box 3272 Doha-Qatar. Tel: (+974) 44672139, 44550983, 44671173, 44667584. Fax: (+974) 44550982. Email: campus@omsqatar.com website: www.omsqatar.com
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WISE WORDS
Veteran of the business world and Chairman of the Al Darwish United Co., Yousuf bin Jassim Al Darwish inspired business students at the College of the North Atlantic - Qatar with tales of his success.
13 HORROR NIGHTS IN CHINA ISSUE 31 FEBRUARY - MARCH 2016
A young detective travels to China and comes across a vengeful ghost with unfinished business. Azra, the storyteller, unveils a plot full of mystery and chance in her new book.
17 A TALENTED ENSEMBLE As the Doha Youth Choir gets ready to travel to Germany for their next performance, founder and conductor Alena Pyne gives us an insight into what makes them special.
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WAKING DREAM
YOUNG AND FREE IN DOHA
Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s Dreamer’s Club encourages students to pursue their dreams.
What do five teenagers in a place like Qatar get together and do? Start a YouTube channel exploring their options into making life simpler and more fun!
CHASE YOUR PEACOCK VOW! New Year’s resolutions have been a part of the human condition, for as long as that condition has existed.
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INTEGRITY IN CRITICISM AS AN ARTISTIC RESPONSIBILITY In this excerpt from Texas A&M Qatar’s 2015 edition of Best Writing, an Aggie talks about critiquing in the arts.
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SAVING THE WORLD Students from Qatar University participated in a five-day conference at the United Nations in NYC to draft the Sustainable Development Goals and ways to achieve them.
CAMPUS NEWS
HBKU HOSTS CAREER FAIR
Hamad bin Khalifa University hosted the second joint Education City Career Fair at the HBKU Student Center in collaboration with Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Texas A&M University at Qatar, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar, Northwestern University in Qatar, HEC Paris in Qatar, and sponsored by Qatar Shell, the Education City Career Fair offered students and alumni from universities across Education City the opportunity to meet with representatives from over 100 local, regional, and international companies and organizations. Sectors represented include finance, media, oil and gas, technology, education, and research, with a number of employers inviting students to take part in on-site interviews and company sessions.
QF GOES ALL OUT ON NSD
QATAR FOUNDATION PUT TOGETHER A DAY FILLED WITH BUSTLING AND VIBRANT ACTIVITIES FOR NATIONAL SPORT DAY. The jam-packed schedule featured over 60 exciting sports activities designed to promote health and wellbeing in Qatar. Under the theme of ‘Unlock Your Inner Athlete’, this year’s National Sport Day aimed to inspire men, women, and children of all ages and athletic abilities to lead healthier, more active lifestyles. Throughout the day there were a series of competitions and tournaments taking place across Education City, the highlight of which was the annual 3km walkathon, hosted by Sidra Medical and Research Center. Hamad bin Khalifa University’s Student Center also played host to a series of fun-filled activities, including bowling, table tennis, volleyball, basketball, football, traditional games, and group fitness classes. In addition, events for QF staff, those with special needs, and ladies only, were also on offer across both venues.
GETTING SPORTY
CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY IN QATAR STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF PARTICIPATED IN A FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL SPORT DAY.
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EXPLORING CAREER INTERESTS QATAR CAREER FAIR WRAPPED UP THE FIRST SESSION OF ITS ‘CAREER DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP SERIES’, AS PART OF ITS EFFORTS TO HELP YOUNG QATARIS ACQUIRE THE NECESSARY SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO PLAN FOR A SUCCESSFUL CAREER.
The two-day workshop, entitled ‘Discover Your Dream Career Workshop’, provided participants with hands-on experience to help them understand and navigate the career development process, which includes the selection of a career path that is compatible with their skills, interests, values and personality type. During the workshop, participants took career assessment tests and participated in a variety of career exploration and construction activities, enabling them to develop an action plan that will assist them in implementing and enriching their chosen careers.
HBKU LAUNCHES MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM ISLAM AND THE SCIENCES Qatar National Library launched a public lecture series which explores the Golden Age of Islamic Sciences and the narratives of decline and science and technology in the modern Middle East and Islamic World. Hosted at Georgetown University in Qatar and titled ‘The History of Science and Technology in the Middle East and the Islamic World’, the lecture was delivered by Ahmed Ragab, Professor of History of Science from the Science, Religion and Culture program at Harvard University.
Hamad bin Khalifa University announced the launch of its Master of Public Health program, the inaugural academic offering of its College of Public Health. HBKU’s newest postgraduate program will use the university’s innovative approach to multidisciplinary education to help create Qatar’s future leaders in the important field of public health, equipping its graduates with the targeted skills
first cohort of students will start in fall 2016 with applications now being accepted. The comprehensive postgraduate degree will focus on the five core elements of public health: epidemiology, environmental health, biostatistics, health policy and management, and social sciences in public health. As part of the program, students will be given the opportunity to intern within local and international organiza-
needed to promote health within societies, prevent ill health, and stop the spread of disease. Classes for the
tions, including hospitals and non-government organizations, where public health is a priority.
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A TASTE OF COLLEGE LIFE
Hamad bin Khalifa University held a Graduate Open House for prospective students where attendees had the chance to hear about the university’s diverse multidisciplinary programs, and were offered the unique opportunity to enjoy sample lectures given by HBKU professors. The lectures matched the broad range of subjects currently offered at graduate level by HBKU. The sample lectures covered such diverse topics as food safety and outbreak investigation, how basic science can be used to combat the spread of disease, design and innovation’s role in sustainability, the role of translation in the modern world, constitutional law, and how computing changed our lives.
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP Qatar Biobank signed a memorandum of understanding with Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar and Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek in Belgium, aimed at strengthening the scientific collaboration between the organization and sharing knowledge, in order to further research in the field of retinal image analysis and help develop non-invasive and convenient health monitoring and early disease identification.
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QATAR SPOTLIGHT
NATIONAL
SPORTS DAY
2016 We definitely need More! National Sport Day is celebrated annually on the second tuesday of February. The Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani established the holiday in 2011 to encourage residents of Qatar to be active and engage themselves in the various sporty activities. This year Aspire Park, The Museum of Islamic Art park, Qatar Foundation, Hamad Bin Khalifa University were all a flurry of activity. CAMPUS spoke to a few students on this day to get their thoughts.
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Sports is very important for everyone, it makes you active. Sports is the most necessary thing in life. It’s all about practice. It will help in one’s future health if you maintain a fit and active life. MUNEERA
Student, Texas A&M University at Qatar
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I couldn’t do so much as it was in the middle of the week and had a lot of studying to do, but of course, sports is very important. It is great for mental and physical fitness. HASSAN
Student, Texas A&M University at Qatar
I love playing basketball but I’m shy to play in front of everyone. SARA
Student, Texas A&M University at Qatar
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I live sports every day. Taking the time out from our busy university schedule to play some sports is all that I look forward to everyday. PHILIP
Student, Texas A&M University at Qatar
There are lots of options for students like us to blow off steam at the student center like billiards, table tennis and so on. AHMED
Student, Texas A&M University at Qatar
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I had a great time enjoying the MIA park festivities on the Qatar Sports day.
Rock climbing at Aspire Park made me realize that my arms weren’t that strong. It was great fun and I had never done it before! AJAY PRASAD
ANNE ROBSON
We love coming to the park and racing on the tracks is what we do in school. Exercising in open air is more refreshing than indoors. AISHA JAVED
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HORROR NIGHTS IN CHINA A young detective travels to China and comes across a vengeful ghost with unfinished business. Azra, the storyteller, weaves a plot full of mystery and chance in her new book entitled Horror Nights in China.
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student from Birla Public School studying in Grade 7, Azra Fathima tested her imagination on paper and wrote a story about Sofia, a young girl who travels to the mystery land of china with her cousins Isabella, Harry and George and befriends the ghost Li who has unfinished business. The plot thickens when one of the ghost’s nemeses tries to kill Sophia. The story was written by Azra and her friends over three months. The story is gripping and covers the enchanting tale of how the ghost avenged her murder. Taking her passion for reading to the next level, Azra, the young storyteller draws inspiration from the teen detective everyone grew up with. “From the age of 10, I ve been very interested in mysteries
On choosing China as the book’s destination, Azra felt the touristic destination would be a great add to the storyline with its rich culture and heritage.
and Nancy Drew is my favorite which inspired me to write this book.”The book titled Horror Nights in China , circles around the mystery of a ghost named Li who was murdered in an unfortunate situation and she then seeks her revenge through Sofia and her cousins.
The book was written by Azra and her friends Serene Anthony, Aarathi Sujith and Chris Mariam John. The story is interesting and its a hard-to-put-down kind of book. What’s more? Coming from a 12-year-old, the book will surprise you just enough to appreciate the innocence of childhood and the forward-thinking girls they are.
EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK ...Suddenly she heard a cracking voice calling Sofia.. Sofia fell asleep. When she woke up, it was already 10 ‘o’ clock in the morning. She suddenly remembered what happened last night. Someone was knocking on the door. She got suspicious of who it might be. She opened the door slowly. It was.....
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Young
YOUNG TURKS
BY NA KEERTARU KODU
Free
In Doha What do five teenagers in Qatar do when they get together? The enterprising ones start a YouTube channel called Expat Shella and make their expat experience fun!
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Being a teen in Qatar can be a bit of a drag for expat students. But recently, the trend of young people making videos and posting it online has taken the world of social media by storm. From the Chubby Bunny challenge of stuffing numerous marshmallows in your mouth to the Bean Boozled challenge, we followed the young minds behind Expat Shella – Josh Hillan, Valeria Mazzei, Sabrina Atat, Abdullah Javed and Aayah Dowdier – into their pranks and their description of what living in Qatar means to them. They were brought together by, well, not the forces of nature but by their parents’ decisions to move to this part of the world. We all know how difficult that can be. Boredom got to the better of them until they found each other living in the same compound. They make living here seem extremely cool. We got down to the basics of why, what and how they came up with Expat Shella. Speaking about how the name Expat Shella came into being, Sabrina says, “Firstly because we are all expats here in Qatar, so we needed something that highlighted that. Then, Shella means ‘squad’ in Arabic which is defined as a group of close friends. When we first started we were suggesting Hindi and Arabic names, but nothing felt right for our channel. So, we started looking for a name that was more
came up with The Expat Shella (aka The Expat Squad)”. One of their recent challenges, Boys Meet Makeup was hilarious and viewed 1300 times on the channel. The girls Valerie and guest star, Jiji took it upon themselves to introduce the makeup world to the boys. There were two parts – one with eyes open and the other blindfolded. The makeup artists used a variety of products to help the guys have that pout and make their eyes pop. And Oh! Did they look beautiful?! If the video had 1500 views, then Abdulla would shave his beard. Now, that’s a fun way to spend an evening. But why should Expat Shella do what they do? “Sometimes, you just feel the need to give back more to the world than you’re actually doing. So, why not follow an unexpected glimpse of craziness and create something filled with madness that makes people happy, but also ourselves? It seems too simple to be a real story, in fact we are really complicated people, but when we are together, even a smile cheers us up. By a series of coincidences, we got the chance to meet and get to know each other better, and needless to say, we became a fantastic group. From outside, it would seem that a casual friendship could be made, but if you consider our backgrounds, the experience of leaving everything back home and starting a new life, our friendship is really important to us.
obvious and straight. Shella was suggested by our friend Jiji who helped with the makeup challenge video, and then Valeria mentioned that our name had to show that we were expats. We combined our ideas and
We want to show the powerful meaning of relationships between people that come from opposite parts of the world, however, being able to support each other and sharing amazing moments until the next move
HOBBIES AND INTERESTS Josh Rugby, football, tennis and golf. Abdullah Football, cricket and loves reading and writing. Sabrina Drag racing at Qatar Racing Club, drawing and reading. Valeria Drawing, singing, editing, recording, organizing events. Aayah Photography and interior designing.
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“We think that the fact that we are from different cultures and religions but are still such great friends was a great selling point.”
MOTTO OF LIFE Abdullah “When nothing goes right... go left.”
Josh “Life is short, live a little.”
Sabrina “Stay positive.”
Valeria “ Always focused, never satisfied.”
Aayah “Don’t worry about a thing, cause everything is gonna be alright.”
because of our parents’ jobs. In addition, our experience of being expat teens is also more complicated than usual due to the place that we live in. Qatar is a both fresh and traditional country, where people are giving their best to create amazing things and we are honored to contribute to the improvement of Doha where due attention is given to the youth that will become the future of the world,” says Valeria. They were also recently covered on the popular Facebook page – Humans of Middle East. Abdulla says “It was our first-ever interview that was about the channel and we were over the moon about it and just pretty excited. After the interview, we were pushed into doing more for the channel because we saw that our work was actually getting some recognition and so from there on we have become more organized and ‘professional’.”
respectful of the fortunate yet limited time you have together,” says Aayah. They are all not just from different corners of the world, but also practice different religions and their humble natures make them who they are, caring and affectionate human beings. “We think that the fact that we are from different cultures and religions but are still such great friends, was a great selling point. We show that even though we all have different points of view and were brought up in different environments, at the end of the day, we’re all teenagers, more importantly human beings. We try and respect each other’s culture and make sure that we do not offend each other or the viewers.” “As for adapting to Qatar’s culture, Abdullah was born and brought up in Qatar. Sabrina and Aayah have lived here for 9 and 5 years respectively, but it wasn’t that hard
There are a lot of life lessons learnt through the journey of friendship. Learning when you’re an adult is one thing, but learning when you’re a teenager gives you a whole other perspective. “The preconceptions that you grow up with about others in different corners of the world and how they live, especially sometimes from an ignorant standpoint, can build barriers between us in comparison to what you learn when living together with other cultures. As a result, this has taught us to celebrate pluralism and embrace differences in race, culture, religion and most importantly food! Being an expat teaches you how to let go of things, as expat life is predominately transient in length, meaning even your best friends who are very precious in your life, will someday move on without you. Letting go, in general, becomes a less stressful and less emotional
for them to adapt to the culture of Qatar considering that they both come from an Islamic background. Valeria moved to Qatar about 1 year ago and it’s hard for her to adapt to the different lifestyle of Qatar, as compared to that of Italy,” says Josh who moved to Qatar from Italy 6 months ago and the transition for him has been pretty challenging. Apart from Abdullah, all of them are in high school. Sabrina and Josh are the only two who attend the same school and Aayah is enrolled at Karabar Australia distance education school. Abdullah is in his second year at Amity University. Aayah, Sabrina and Josh are in Grade 11, whilst Valeria is in Grade 10. With big dreams of exploring the world and their minds, they take their job seriously!
experience to carry on forward with in life. Furthermore, you learn to not take the time you have as an expat for granted, enjoy life by smiling more, enjoying the moments with your best friends and be appreciative and
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YouTube: The Expat Shella Facebook: The Expat Shella Instagram: @theexpatshella
MUSIC NOTES
A TALENTED ENSEMBLE BY NA KEERTARU KODU “The two rules you must never break, while in a choir,” according to Alena Pyne, the founder and conductor of Doha Youth Choir (DYC), “first you must sing, and secondly keep all the negative energy out.” As this young group of singers gets ready to be hosted by families in Germany for their next performance along with Madchenchor Canta Chiara Hamburg, Alena gives us an insight into what makes the DYC so special. 2016
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“YOU have to have the passion for music to commit yourself to a choir. All my students are brilliantly learning their way through their musical talent. My own son has about seven choir practices a week with different choir communities and I keep him motivated to go through all this because of his natural talent,” says Alena. Singing requires a lot of effort, practice and of course talent. Teaching more than 45 students from as many as, 14 different nationalities can be a quite a task. “I explain to parents how important it is to get together atleast twice a week and they love that their children are learning and having fun at the same time,” says Alena and there is also the cultural experience that students learn from, adding to the overall experience of musical education. While music has been an important part of their experience, recently the DYC are up against a major challenge that will showcase the talent of both the choir singers and the tenacity of the founder. The Doha Youth Choir has been invited by the Madchenchor Canta Chiara to perform in Berlin and Hamburg. The young team of singers is gearing up for this journey of music. But this journey has not been an easy ride for Alena. This group was in turn, recently hosted by American School of Doha families on their visit to perform in Qatar. The journey of the DYC began in September 2013 when Alena packed her bags and settled in Doha with husband John and her three children. “I started this because, firstly I recognized that a lot of kids were attending schools that didn’t have a dedicated choir. Secondly, I have very musical children. I wanted to have a choir that would be of sufficient quality for them. My eldest son is in Vienna for the same reason. There are a lot of expat children who wouldn’t be exposed to the wonderful qualities of choral singing and the repertoire of music that is completely lost,”
The most amazing opportunity that came knocking on her door was the call from Madchendor last year. “Many girls in the choir were singing for a long time. Here we were, still finding our notes. They sounded like Ferraris’ compared to our Fiats’,” she adds on a lighter note. “I just had to be brave and seize the opportunity and had to look only at the positives that could come out of this. It can only serve to raise our standards and encourage these kids to take part in the choral repertoire that they offer and also make a trip abroad. Many in the choir have never been to Europe.” There are currently 14 different nationalities in the choir including students from Belgium, Finland, South Korea, New Zealand, Canada, Indonesia, Ireland, India, Sri Lanka, USA, Malaysia, Germany, Philippines and a few English along the way. “We started off with 26 students in September 2013 and after the first concert in December 2014 our strength increased to 43 for the April concert. Our biggest challenge is the turnover of singers in the choir. It’s very difficult to keep up with expats moving in and out of the country. It is compulsory to attend the rehearsals which the parents have made sure of. Practice can be done from literally anywhere, even while moving in the car from point A to B. Culturally, parents from the Asian side of the world are more committed and appreciative of choir practices and they know why it is so important,” she says. Speaking about the availability of sheet music in Doha, she says there are hardly any shops here to purchase from. “The sheet music is so efficient for rehearsals and so it is important to make students understand why it is necessary to buy the music. We need publishers to be operating in 20-30 years. I have bought so much music and I’m really excited to start using it.”
says Alena. From then began her tireless efforts of forming a small group of gifted singers. “This is a community choir. These songs are of a secular and non-secular nature but not attached to any religion or an institution or belief. They also sing to the likes of Justin Beiber,” she says.
Lyrics of foreign language music are usually translated, so students understand the words with their correct pronunciation and emotion. “Students of music (choir kids) generally, are intelligent. At the moment, we are singing in German, Czech, Finnish and are also rehearsing on a beautiful Indian song. A lot of our music is
“I just had to be brave and seize the opportunity and had to look only at the positives that could come out of this.”
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contemporary.” The Doha Junior Choir, which is an offshoot of DYC, consists of a younger age group of singers. Speaking about the parameters of assessing students in a choir, she says the two most important forms of evaluation are the passion for singing and the efforts they put into practice; and if they are singing in tune in a proper pitch. “It’s quite magical to see them blossom; not just with my own kids but also all the students that come to learn.” “This is a peaceful happy group of students, teachers and families. We as organizers take the occasional night-out to bond and involve in each other’s social lives. On a broader level, families of the choir are
Berlin and Hamburg to sing their way into the hearts of the choir communities there. “We will be housed by the choir families and be treated the German way, making it an enriching experience exploring the food and the town of Hamburg. If we stayed in a hotel, it will be less appealing.” This is the story of perseverance and dedication of all, but mostly Alena’s, whose single-minded efforts in getting to make the DYC popular, to raise enough funds so that the children could all fly to their musical destination. “We couldn’t have made this journey possible without KLM Dutch Airlines who offered us a great discount for our travel plans We were still short of about QR35,000 and after knocking on several
“Katrin Meingast, the cellist, is an assistant teacher and conductor of Doha Junior Choir, and is so central to what we do with the community as a musician and is the oldest member of the choir along with me. Our administrator, Maralyn Sargunam does a great job at keeping me on my heels and updated with everything that is required at the operational level. Our funds are generally made up of the ticket sales at the concerts and a minimal fee at the time of admissions, reveals Alena. The main purpose of the Doha Youth Choir is to inspire young people to sing and to educate them about the wealth of choral music. DYC’s next concert will feature Doha
invited for a day out either for bowling, picnics or the movies,” says Alena. Coming back to the most exciting five-day trip for the Doha Youth Choir, 36 students (total 41 including staff) will be traveling to
doors and after a recommendation by a dear friend, a Qatari sponsor stepped forward to encourage us and donated the money to make this trip a complete success,” says Alena.
Youth & Junior Choirs, at the International German School on March 19,at 3pm. Website: www.dohayouthchoir.com Facebook: Doha Youth Choir Email: info@dohayouthchoir.com
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CAMPUS TALK
WAKING dream BY UNG MINKY G KAN
Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s Dreamer’s Club encourages students to pursue their dreams.
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“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” is a popular saying, and one that I believe accurately sums up my attitude towards life. I grew up in South Korea and although my life wasn’t easy, I persevered.
had the chance to visit the Alhambra of Granada palace. The Alhambra is adorned by architecture widely seen in the Arab region. During my visit I realized how oblivious I was to the Arab culture. To learn
suffering and fighting for what they believe in. Once I returned to Korea, I decided to learn more about the culture and share my experiences and knowledge with my peers. Learning about the Middle East through
Depression and tragedy plagued my young adulthood and when it came time to leave, I made the life-changing decision to travel the world. My first destination was Spain where I
more, I decided to visit Egypt and that is where everything changed. In the middle of my trip to Egypt, the Arab Spring was picking up momentum. It was a huge culture shock for me to see people
books was not enough for me and I reached a point where I started to think of moving to the Middle East. I started researching universities and came across Education City in Qatar. It was perfect for me as Qatar is
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politically and economically stable, and also very international due to many expats. Not to mention, the universities within Education City are world-renowned establishments and some of the best universities in the world. I decided to visit Qatar first and become acquainted with the country before moving here. After visiting Qatar and taking intensive English classes, I took a leap of faith and applied to the rigorous Biological Sciences program at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar and was accepted. Following the incredible opportunities that I came across, I wanted to create a platform where my positive outlook could be shared with my peers and where like-minded individuals could come together for inspiration. The Dreamer’s Club is open to Education City students and faculty, and currently provides a platform for those who share the passion of helping others achieve their aspirations. The Dreamer’s Club is one of many clubs available to us at Carnegie Mellon Qatar. The university adopts a holistic approach, believing that clubs and activities outside of the classroom play an important role in personal development and promoting an overall sense of fulfillment. Students who
actively participate in student clubs tend to succeed academically as well. The clubs on offer at Carnegie Mellon Qatar cater to a wide range of interests and aspirations. We learn essential professional and life skills, public speaking, debating, conflict resolution and time management that we can implement once we graduate. At first, a handful of students signed up and attended bi-weekly Dreamer’s Club meetings where they participated in leadership and creativity seminars and discussed inspirational videos. But it wasn’t until I auditioned for the well-established TEDxEducationCity,did the clubtake a sweet turn. Athough, I auditioned for TEDX I didn’t make it through to the final round. So I decided to create a better and bigger event along with an exhibition for all of Education City, transforming my disappointment into a golden opportunity. INSPIRE ME, the Dreamer’s Club inaugural event,drew hundreds of students, staff and faculty from the Education City community. Six unique speakers were selected to share their inspirational stories, including information systems graduate, Abdulla Al-Khenji, who shared the story of how he launched a start-up company while
he was still a student. Student clubs and organizations are one of the best ways for students to get involved in the community. Over the years, students have created a wide range of clubs that promote culture, student majors, personal interests and recreation. At Carnegie Mellon Qatar, Student Activities & First Year Programs provide resources for student clubs through advising, advisor training and administrative support. Student Majlis (student government) recognizes and supports clubs with student activity fee funding and guidance. I never expected INSPIRE ME to interest students outside of Carnegie Mellon Qatar but in fact many students approached me wanting to be a part of it. This year I hope to extend INSPIRE ME beyond Education City to the rest of Doha!
For more information about the Dreamer’s Club and its upcoming events, visit the club’s official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/dreamerscmuq For more information on student organizations and clubs at Carnegie Mellon Qatar, visit: https://qatar.cmu.edu/clubs-organizations-new
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EXPERT TALK
WISE WORDS
Veteran of the business world and Chairman of the Al Darwish United Co., Yousuf bin Jassim Al Darwish inspired business students at the College of North Atlantic Qatar with tales of his success.
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atari businessman, Yousuf Bin Jassim Al Darwish, brought lessons in entrepreneurship as well as laughter to an auditorium full of College of the North Atlantic - Qatar (CNA-Q) Business Studies students. Al Darwish’s engaging question-and-answer style talk reinforced CNA-Q’s efforts to inspire students to assume their important future role in the achievement of the Qatar National Vision 2030. The college is enlisting the help of Qatar’s successful business people, those who have helped build today’s Qatar, to help motivate students to take up the challenges of the future. Al Darwish United Co. was established in 1994 as part of family business started in
travel and real estate, just a few sectors they operate in. Al Darwish United grew in lockstep with the growth of Qatar’s oil and gas sector and has been involved in developing some of Doha’s biggest landmarks such as the airport, Education City and the Grand Mosque. “I am glad to visit CNA-Q, the state’s premier technical college, and meet these young people who are thirsty for knowledge,” said Al Darwish. “It is our responsibility to share the expertise we have learned over the years, and to direct the youth, who will be the next generation of leaders in Qatar.” “Mr Al Darwish’s heartfelt answers resonated with our students, and you could see by the look on their faces that they aspire to be like him. It is important that we show
1935 and Yousuf Bin Jassem Al Darwish assumed the Chairmanship of the company in 1994. The company has grown into today’s conglomerate enterprise with interests in construction, industrial supply,
our students business role models, so they can see for themselves the success that can be reached through a quality education and hard work,” said David King, Dean of CNA-Q’s School of Business Studies.
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YOUNG TURKS
ON THE FRONTLINES To answer a higher calling when you’re a student is an opportunity not to be missed. Najla Al Khulaifi took the chance and this changed her personality and her life.
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significant reason for me to join anything is self-improvement. I am shy and quiet but my motivations and eagerness to succeed trump that. So it’s a constant battle between me wanting to stay in my comfort zone and challenging myself. I have been a student ambassador since the spring semester of my sophomore year, so it has been a year so far, and I feel like this is an experience that has improved my character.
So far I have learnt about leadership, loyalty, cooperation, open-mindedness, the list goes on. The experience as a whole aided in building my character. I would do this all over again if I had the chance.
themselves completely in that culture without any reservations or preconceptions. Being a student ambassador was my way of helping improve people’s perception of Qatar and education in this region. This program impacted me in different ways, but mostly it helped me grow. I remember being a freshman and hearing about an open community meeting that would include our student ambassadors who went to the main campus in Evanston for an annual trip. Hearing the title ‘student ambas-
Being a student ambassador is a big commitment and a huge responsibility. It basically means you are hand-picked by the dean to represent the rest of the student body. When the university has a special guest, or the dean has an event, we are the group of students the university turns to first. I don’t think there is a specific set of qualities that qualified me for this role. With that being said it is a very competitive pool and getting this position is a big deal. I like to take the initiative, and I am passionate about things that I love. I feel Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) has given me many opportunities to thrive and so this has been my way of giving back. One of the things I heard about becoming a student ambassador for NU-Q was that it provided a chance to visit Northwestern’s main campus in Evanston, Illinois, for a week in May. When I investigated and asked the Student Affairs Specialist in charge of this group, Katie Hyon, I understood that it would be a three-year commitment. You start in your sophomore year, and you are a constant representative for the school until graduation. Unfortunately, although being an ambassador means you have the opportunity to visit Evanston, I wasn’t able to go for personal reasons. Now, that does not necessarily mean I missed out on something
spring break in Qatar. One of the things I find most important is conveying my culture and country in the right way. I do not know why I feel like we are misrepresented, and some people do not understand why we do the things we do. So, I took this as an opportunity to show the Evanston kids that we are not a completely different species. We enjoy good music and fun activities just like any regular person. When they got here, I was able to go with them on their tours as well as guide them around campus. We attended a few events around NU-Q and Education City. I felt that throughout their stay they were truly enriched by our culture. During one of our events when we asked them what their
sador’, I thought was something that would help me stand out and improve myself. A big reason for my branching out into different co-curricular and extracurricular activities is to help be more confident and outgoing. If you knew me as a freshman, you probably wouldn’t recognize my personality now as a junior. I owe a lot of this change to my experience as a student ambassador. As an added role now we will receive training a few times a semester in order to learn more about Northwestern and its history, as well as techniques to be a better professional. There are a few workshops at the university that are mandatory for us to attend. This all aids us in improving our skills for the workforce as well. That is another thing I love about this program as it helps you deal with new people, not students or friends you hang out with every day, in a formal situation, so you know how to compose yourself. You know how to maintain a substantial, meaningful conversation with a person you have just met. Now I can confidently say that I am a better communicator because I learned how to listen when people talk to me. And not the listening we usually do where we nod and smile politely. I actively hear what the person is saying and try to find a way to resonate with them and make any conversation worthwhile. What I have learned so far is leadership,
big, and I was still as much of a student ambassador as everyone else. Nevertheless, the experience that has stuck with me the most was being a shadow buddy with one of the visiting Evanston students during their
impression of Qatar was, one person said that they found friends here who share their same interests, which they found “cool.” Showing that all people need to do to understand something foreign is to immerse
loyalty, cooperation, open-mindedness, but the list goes on. The experience as a whole aided in building my character. I would do this all over again if I got the chance. Thank you, NU-Q.
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WRITING PAD
INTEGRITY IN CRITICISM AS AN
ARTISTIC RESPONSIBILITY BY AL YAZEEDTHER I DUGHA
The following essay was originally featured in Texas A&M at Qatar’s 2015 edition of Best Writing, an annual compilation of essays from current and former students to demonstrate the variety of genres in which engineering students write, and to showcase the talents of Aggie engineers who excel at thinking and writing critically, as well as creatively. 28
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“WHAT’S your all-time favorite movie?” is a question I’ve always struggled to answer. With that being said, one of the first movies that spring to mind whenever I am asked is James McTeigue’s V for Vendetta. This 2006 movie takes place in a dystopian London set in the year 2020, where the enigmatic and masked protagonist of the movie, V, attempts to disrupt the supremacy of London’s tyrannical dictator. V holds several philosophical notions that are key to the movie’s plot, such as the concept that ideas are “bulletproof,” as well as that governments should be afraid of their people, and not the other way around. Along his path towards bringing down the government and starting a revolution of sorts, V meets Evey, a seemingly mild-mannered and attractive young woman who works for the local broadcasting company. Evey endures a painful process of self-discovery under V’s watchful eyes and emerges a changed woman. The review that I’ve decided to discuss is the one written on Rotten Tomatoes by Joe Morgenstern. Before the reader can even gather his bearings, he is assaulted by Morgenstern’s unceremonious bashing of the movie in the most typical of pretentious
cultural ventriloquism... a vichyssoise of vapid verbiage.” Well, I veraciously contend that Morgenstern is an excellent example of the vile variety of vulgar journalistic vermin spewing out intellectually-void vomit. See? I can play too. The point is that he comes off, quite frankly, as a pompous bigot. He spends more time censuring the movie and making baseless accusations about its various themes and ideas than actually corroborating his argument with much substance. For instance, Morgenstern refers to the movie as “vapid”, yet he fails to outline a single occurrence of an idea in the movie that wasn’t meaningful or fully developed. It’s not that the movie is perfect; I could easily name some flaws - the point is that if you’re going to go so far in your criticism of a movie, you should be expected to provide some concrete examples of your denigrations. At several instances, Morgenstern accuses the movie of “recycling” material from other works, but I think that this conclusion was reached out of a pre-existing rancor he had against the movie as opposed to genuine journalistic scrutiny or concern. I think that Morgenstern would be hard-pressed to find a single work of cinema or literature that doesn’t extensively borrow themes and
manners adopted by many “high-brow” critics. In an attempt to appear witty in deriding V’s use of alliteration through the movie, Morgenstern says that the movie eventually “devolves into vexatious volleys of
motifs from other famous works. We are simply too far along the line of human evolution to expect to find pure novelty in every movie we watch. I’m usually quite sensitive towards movies ripping-off other
We are simply too far along the line of human evolution to expect to find pure novelty in every movie we watch. I’m usually quite sensitive towards movies ripping off other creative sources, and I didn’t feel like V for Vendetta did so in a manner worth berating.
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creative sources, and I didn’t feel like V for Vendetta did so in a manner worth berating. This is also bearing in mind that I’ve either read or familiarized myself with all of the works he referenced, namely 1984, The Mark of Zorro, and A Clockwork Orange. If anything, I found V for Vendetta to have a very refreshing and distinctive style to its sets and direction. There are many other criticisms of Morgenstern’s that I found largely unjustified. In describing the relationship between V and Evey, he says that “things go blooey instead of gooey whenever heroine and hero come close enough to touch; far from being sensual, let alone erotic, the movie proves to be not much fun at all.” I find this statement to be ironic
I would like for this writing to serve as a reminder for all of us about what it means to criticize, and more specifically, to criticize constructively.
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considering he was accusing the movie of being contrived only a few lines above that statement. Why is there an expectation for every hero and heroine to have romantic interests in each other? That’s contrived. I was glad that despite the subtle romantic undertones in Evey and V’s relationship, the screenwriters resisted the urge to succumb to some viewers’ (and critics’, apparently) childish expectations of sexual intimacy between the male and female protagonists in any given movie. The fact that Morgenstern requires sensuality and erotica in order to be enticed by a movie, I find lamentable and somewhat pathetic. Finally, Morgenstern calls out the movie for romanticizing terrorism as a “necessary evil”
how governments can sometimes be the real “terrorists,” and that we as people should be more wary with regards to what we see labeled as “terrorism” in the media. Basically, the issue of the placement of the line between “terrorism” and a co-ordinated government-led strike is a matter of perception that is subject to individual bias, rather than one of undisputable fact. While Morgenstern did have a few criticisms with which I agree, or at the very least-acknowledge as valid, I think that the vast majority of his complaints were superficial, unfounded, and emotionally-charged. With that being said, Morgenstern brought some of the strong points of the movie, of which I agree with most. These include the epic set pieces scattered throughout the movie, such as the final obliteration of the buildings of parliament. There are several examples of powerful symbolic imagery in the movie, such as the domino scene, which Morgenstern did not specifically reference, but I suspect he enjoyed. All in all, I found the review to be lacking in objectivity and unbefitting of a reviewer of his supposed stature. It really does both sadden and irritate me to see such criticism for its own sake. For this reason, I do not place much faith in the hands of movie critics. Oftentimes, they will be prejudiced towards a certain movie just because they feel that to be worthy of their titles as critics, they must criticize to no end - even when it’s unwarranted. All too often, it seems like many of the reviews I read are nothing but strings of conceited drivel that are aimed at justifying the author’s own existence, rather than that of the work being considered. In closure, I would like for this writing to serve as a reminder for all of us about what it means to criticize, and more specifically, to criticize constructively. When someone, be it a well-established Hollywood director or just a friend asking for advice, dedicates so much of their time and effort towards a creative work, it is important to treat it responsibly. In order to truly lend a helping hand in improving the quality of this work and of the
and claims that the movie “peddles anarchy in a user-friendly package.” I think that this is proof that Morgenstern failed to grasp the primary message behind this movie. I believe that V for Vendetta sought to demonstrate
practice in general, honesty and objectivity play crucial roles. Bearing that in mind, I can only hope that future works of art, cinematic or otherwise, will be examined under a more impartial light.
STRESS EXPERT TALK
LETS BE DONE WITH IT ALREADY! BY KHA SHALA ADE BHAR Stress – it could be described as an unwanted feeling that doesn’t deem it necessary to ask permission before settling into our painfully disturbed lives. Uninvited. Ruining our sleeping patterns, constant headaches, and a lot of other not-so-good stuff. At least, that was my personal definition of stress until I was informed otherwise by Dr Steve Wilson.
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Dr
Wilson is a student counselor at Texas A&M University at Qatar, and has been working for the university since 1998. He has a PhD in Counseling Psychology from The University of Southern Mississippi, and has been in the field of psychology for the past 22 years. Yeah, you read that right. 22 years of helping people stay sane. So I tried to squeeze some advice out on dealing with the stress one faces during university life.
HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE STRESS? “Stress is an internal feeling of tension or pressure,” he says. Now, we all have a reason to blame the early grey hair.
WOULD YOU SAY STRESS IS DIFFERENT FROM PRESSURE? IF SO, HOW? “There is a fairly slight difference between stress and pressure. All stress is pressure but not all pressure is stress. Stress needs to be internalized.” He explains his statement using a domestic example of parents pressuring a child to do something, may it be as trivial as cleaning their room, which most of us can relate to. Here, if the child doesn’t feel the need to do so and listen to their parents, the pressure, though present, is not being internalized as stress. Whereas the presence of a minor threat, along with the demand of cleaning up, might just induce the feeling of stress in the child to accomplish something. It’s safe to say that the presence of a driving force is required for a person to feel stress.
DO YOU THINK STRESS IS A COMMON PROBLEM SHARED BY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS? “Stress is not only common among university students, but also with any human being at some point in their day and life.” Furthermore, he explains the necessity of stress in our lives to help us remain as lucid as we can possibly be. “I think we all need to experience stress
every day. We could term it as drive, motivation, or expectation.” This is the good kind of stress. He explains how there is a certain amount of stress required to achieve things. The example he gives is the desire to achieve a certain grade for a particular subject. This desire might stimulate stress, but that would be beneficial. However, if this stress exceeds a certain level, it might get complicated. Dr Wilson suggests this stress to be of great import. As he explains, “You need a challenge that’s just beyond your reach so that you’re struggling and reaching for something in particular. That’s the purpose of stress acting as a motivator. The idea is not to eliminate stress but to be aware of your stress levels so that you’ve got it under control and just enough to push you forward but not so much that it makes you overwhelmed.”
DR STEVE WILSON Student Counselor, Texas A&M University at Qatar care of it. Oftentimes, people feel the need to appear stronger and tougher hiding the stress, but that might get you in trouble.” Appearing strong and happy every passing second seems to have become a defining notion of our generation, but sometimes you have to let someone take care of you. Sharing your difficulties does not make you seem weak, it just gives you the strength to deal with it. So what if your friend is not stressed about the same thing as you? You can still let her know what you are feeling, which helps relieve it. After sharing, you might be
Dr Wilson suggests to “develop an internal sense of awareness. Start thinking about stress level from zero to 10. Zero being no stress whatsoever and 10 being the panic attack levels of stress. Then analyze your stress level on an average day. Are you happy on that level? If not, where do you want to be?” This internal awareness in the most important aspect of handling stress. Once you’ve deduced your stress level and your satisfaction or dissatisfaction with it, the next step is to share it. As Dr Wilson says,
surprised at how relaxed you feel. Dr Wilson says, “Those who are not embarrassed by their own emotional states generally take care of their stress level the best. So once you’re not embarrassed to shed a tear or not embarrassed to convey that it’s too much for you, it becomes easier to handle your stress.” One of the best strategies he teaches his college students is to learn to say no. We learn to be good to people by being agreeable and never turning anyone down, but learning how to say no in an appropriate way might help us be good to ourselves. Refusing certain things which you feel might exceed your capacity is one of the best ways to take care of yourself. Some other physical ways to deal with your stress could be to do things that make you happy. Give yourself some time to indulge in a hobby, something new and different. Yoga is a healthy way of handling stress—it helps your breathing and blood circulation. Going for a run, taking a dance class, playing your favorite sport, are all great ways to balance your stress levels. Break away from your daily routine and test your physical strength to gain mental
“Don’t hide the stress you’re feeling but take
well-being. You deserve it!
HOW DO WE EVALUATE THE RIGHT LEVEL OF STRESS? “It only reaches the level of unpleasant stress when we have too much.” The level of required stress varies for every soul on this planet. Dr Wilson advises to “look at yourself as an individual, and your goals and expectations determine the amount of stress you’re under. Is a particular level of stress helping you or is it getting too hard? Pay attention to the internal tension or stress.”
HOW DO WE DEAL WITH EXCESSIVE STRESS?
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CAREER TRIVIA
THE PERKS OF WORKING FOR AN NGO
HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED THE FEELING THAT COMES RIGHT AFTER HELPING AN ELDERLY MAN CROSS THE STREET OR A LOST CHILD FIND HIS PARENTS? IS IT OVERWHELMING? SELF-GRATIFYING? AWE-INSPIRING? NOW, TAKE THAT FEELING, MULTIPLY IT AND IMAGINE IT IS PART OF YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WORKING FOR AN NGO FEELS LIKE.
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In this article, the career experts at Bayt.com, the Middle East’s number one job site, list all the great reasons why working for an NGO is truly rewarding:
1. MORE JOB SATISFACTION When you work for an NGO, you take part in providing homes for the homeless, educational opportunities for the less fortunate and basic life necessities for those who need them. By the end of the day, you will be able to go to sleep knowing that you’ve somehow helped make this world a better place. Work satisfaction directly affects motivation, productivity and loyalty towards the company. And in a region where low job satisfaction is the primary reason for employee absenteeism, what could be more satisfying than being able to give meaning to your life by helping people in need?
2. A DIVERSE WORKPLACE Working for an NGO is the dream of many professionals in the Middle East. The 93% of polled professionals who said ‘yes’ to a career in non-profit organizations, according to a Bayt.com poll, know that NGOs provide the opportunity to work in a diverse environment with people from all over the world who share one goal and passion: helping others. So if you’ve ever thought that non-profit work is unchallenging, uncompetitive or that NGOs are all the same, then think again. Non-profit organizations are as different from one another as for-profit companies are. Beyond the obvious differences of mission and focus, key differences to note in NGOs include their size and business models. From structure, to fundraising, to mission, etc., NGOs are actually very diverse!
3. OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAREER GROWTH The chance to develop your career while working for an NGO is huge. You’ll acquire a wide variety of skills that range from organizational and communication skills to
problem-solving and fundraising. Of course, the list is much more complex than that. In an environment where there are fewer employees and more tasks to do, your career will rapidly develop and improve acquiring public relations, marketing and administration skills.
4. THE CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE Regardless of how much you will actually make, at the end of the day you would have made more than anyone else. Making a difference in someone’s life cannot be compared to the money anyone else makes. In an interview with Bayt.com, Lubna Izziddin, who is the founder of a home hospice organization in Lebanon called Sanad, gives advice to professionals who want to work in the NGO sector. “You have to believe in it. You have to want to do it and do it right,” says Lubna, for she knows that there is no joy better than the joy of giving.
5. INCREASED PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITIES AND PEOPLE SKILLS
Working in an NGO with limited resources really prompts the employee to think out of the box. It teaches a person how to work with a limited budget and come up with the most cost-effective solutions. This will really help in future companies as they are always on the lookout for people who think economy and strategy. You will also be able to handle a variety of people as you will deal with people from various places, cultures and seniority levels. Does your hevart, too, ache for the ones in need and make you want to do your bit to help them have a better life? Do you think you can fight for a cause you are so dearly concerned about? Making a difference can be your story and NGO jobs can be the door to all your aspirations. Start applying now!
Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with more than 40,000 employers and over 22,750,000 registered job seekers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the globe, representing all industries, nationalities and career levels. Post a job or find jobs on www.bayt.com today and access the leading resource for job seekers and employers in the region.
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CHASE YOUR PEACOCK VOW! BY ADITYA A R KARKE
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New Year’s resolutions have been a part of the human condition, for as long as that condition has existed. From the ancient Romans who on New Year’s day made promises to Janus - the Roman god whose name the month January borrows - to the Babylonians who made promises to their gods to repay all their debts in the new year, the drive to turn over a new leaf with perpetual hope has been an inseparable part of the way we choose to live our lives.
B
ut more than new leaves, resolutions present themselves as opportunities to look ourselves in the mirror long and hard, wipe the coffee stain off our mouths, and promise that this will be the year we finally surpass every other year - whether by finally losing those last few kilograms to cozily fit into that great dress you’ve been eyeing, saving enough to buy that cool phone, or finally acing those exams and getting into your dream college. Resolutions offer a truly unique time of reflection - where you can determinedly ask yourself important questions about your own future - that a paltry few other moments offer. But this amazing opportunity - to pause, collect oneself, and chart a course for the future - mustn’t be squandered just because there’s another such amazing opportunity 365 days later. Use this opportunity well, and
1. Am I satisfied with what I’ve achieved so far? 2. If not, what do I want to do, and how and when should I do it? Fuzzy ideas might pop into your head at the mention of these questions - perhaps in the form of that one obscure weight target or maybe that language you wanted to study a few years ago - but you’ll find it exceptionally hard to translate those blurry thoughts into concrete answers without some serious introspection. Sit down with a pen and paper (you’ve probably already huffed air out of your nose laughing at the idea) and jot down what you genuinely want and how you’re going to get it. They don’t have to be life-changing goals either; you get to decide what you want to do - whether it’s topping your school or just learning how to cook your mom’s famous cake. The important thing
your problems and worked to fix them. Seize the day and don’t falter. Resolutions may come and go, but the regret that comes from not seizing the opportunities they present, can last the better part of a lifetime. Seek out your resolutions and see them as challenges that will allow you to exercise your determination and enterprise the best you can, and not as huge intimidations that need to be avoided for another year. Since time immemorial, at the beginning of every new year, medieval knights often made what were known as “Peacock vows”, where they swore on their honor to be brave, dutiful, and above all else, chivalrous. If knights are known for anything in the vast oceans of fairy tales and folklore that they inhabit - it is chivalry. The chivalry of knights wouldn’t be so famous if they didn’t revisit their peacock vows year after year. And while it isn’t necessary that you don iron
reap the juicy fruits of your own seed as the year rolls by.
isn’t the size of the goals but the tenacity you’re willing to commit to achieve them. Allow this time to be one you can reflect back on as a turning point - the moment you decided to change the way you approached
armor and learn to ride a horse, it’s time to give yourself your own peacock vow, and chase it down the best you can. Chase your peacock vow, and maybe you’ll find a place in your own fairy tale.
This year, grab the steering wheel of your life and ask yourself two important questions:
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FOREIGN SANDS
SAVING THE WORLD – FROM NYC BY SUAD ASHIMI As 2015 marked the 70th year of the United Nations, and the end of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) 2015, the time to draw up new development goals that would tackle first world problems came along. As representatives from Qatar University, students of the International Affairs Department: Tazeen Qureshi, Suad Ashimi, Haya Al Nuaimi and Shaikha Mansoor Rajah were participants in the five-day conference to draft the Sustainable Development Goals and ways to achieve them.
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t is with commitment that the World Federation of the United Nations Associations (WFUNA) created a platform for youth from around the world at both university and high school level to participate in the WFUNA International Model United Nations (WIMUN) in New York, from the 10th to the 14th of November, 2015. As participants, we committed long hours to drafting a resolution during the conference. Being in New York City made the sights, the people and every experience, an adventure to look forward to. Organized by the Head of the International Affairs department at Qatar University, Dr Ahmed Ibrahim and fellow associate professor Dr Farhan Chuck, along with lecturer Tamadher Malek, the conference was intended to provide students
at 17 goals which included: no poverty, zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, quality education, gender equality, clean water, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice and strong institutions and partnership for the goals, was no easy task. The opening ceremony, held at the United Nations headquarters’ General Assembly, was a spectacle that gave us a sense of how delegates and diplomats from across the world discuss, deliberate and vote to reach a consensus in pressing issues around the world. Following the visit to the UN headquarters, were workshops and then the actual process of drafting a resolution in the Grand Hyatt hotel conference rooms began.
and culture was also a part of the agenda. Inculcating the multicultural atmosphere, we all had the common goal of finding and drafting resolutions for a sustainable solution to the most pressing problems in the world. Beyond the walls of the conference however, was another side of New York that we were excited to explore. The first stop was next door – Grand Central Station, which was more than just a station where you see people bustling in and out, some rushing breakfast, some hugging for goodbyes and hellos, tourists looking for directions and some just trying to catch the train. The artwork on the walls at various stops had their own stories and carried with them pieces of the very history that revolved around the place. The highlight of our every visit to take the subway however, was the street arts and performances that were put
with a first-hand experience of an accurate version of UN conference processes and General Assembly rules based on the procedures and the processes of creating a draft to tackle development goals. Arriving
Engaging with participants, after being split into sub-groups in different committees, we were able to meet and learn cultures from people coming from different parts of the world. Discussing Qatar, its history, society
on by upcoming artists and performers. Finding entertainment at every stop of the station and also in the train, with people chipping in their pennies, dimes and cents to show their support and appreciation,
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The massive hallways in the building were filled with historic artifacts from the ancient Pharaohs of Egypt, the European Victorian era, to the African heritage and civilization and the era of the Ottomans which was impossible to complete in just one day.
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showed a culture of New York that gave people the inspiration and motivation to strive and achieve what they were so passionate about – talent had a new meaning! The next stop that counts as a must-visit in every place – to be educated and enlightened about the history of the place, was the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. The massive hallways in the building filled with historic artifacts from the ancient Pharaohs of Egypt, the Victorian era, to African heritage and civilization and the era of the Ottomans, it was impossible to complete in just one day. However, we still had a taste of rich paintings, sculptures, ornaments, statues and ancient materials. And after a long afternoon of history
playing and most of all, the perfect place for us to have lunch. From the street ‘Halal’ cart that seemed to be on every street corner, we enjoyed the spicy kebab wrapped in hot Arabic bread to bring back the feeling of a home away from home. Moreover, the expression ‘the city that never sleeps’ is all that came to mind while watching the skyline of Manhattan at night. From the Brooklyn Bridge, the Empire State building and Ground Zero, to the Rockefeller center, and the Statue of Liberty all the notable sights come to life at night lighting up the city. However, the most mind-blowing moment that wrapped up our New York experience was a night at Times Square. While standing at the intersection between Broadway, Seventh Avenue and
ticket sales to Broadway shows and concerts were among the adventures that one would find fascinating and exciting. And as crowded as the intersection is at all times, rather than a feeling of discomfort, it surprisingly felt like being a part of the people, culture, streets, arts, love, music and the life that New York symbolizes. On the last day, it was back to the conference, to UN headquarters to read out and conclude on the final resolution we had drafted to achieve the 17 new Sustainable Development Goals. And following the speeches and announcements, certificates were presented to every participant in the conference and also the best speakers from each committee. Coming to the end of the five-day conference in New York, a
lessons, right next door was the widelyextended Central Park. The view of a mass of green and fallen leaves, was the spot in the middle of the busy city where one can relax, family get-togethers, joggers, children
stretching to 42nd and 47th West streets, the feeling of you standing at the crossroads of the world is something not to miss. The shining lights, busy roads, street art, street performers, generous people, food carts,
reflection on the trip was not only educational and insightful, it was also a whole new perspective and adventure that had been experienced, which I believe was the New York experience.
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FITNESS
ARE YOU MENTALLY FIT TO BE PHYSICALLY FIT? 44
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SO WHAT ARE THE RIGHT STEPS TO TAKE: Set yourself an achievable goal and realistic time frame.
A lot of people ask me this question and when someone comes to me for advice and or training the first thing I tell them is the truth – Your mindset and attitude towards fitness have to change in order for you to succeed and become the fittest you can be. Whatever you do in life, if you want to do it well, one thing is for sure – you need to set your mind fully to it. If you are doing one thing, but you are thinking of another, or if you don’t truly believe in what you are doing, don’t be surprised if the outcome is an absolute disaster. Mindset is the key to success, no matter what you are up to. Fitness is not a selective process, it’s not something that you can step into or step out of and expect to get good results, it is ONE continual lifelong process and a journey that will never end. It is a journey of continual improvement, education and knowledge and one where you should never stop challenging yourself. The only thing that will change is the style and type of healthy lifestyle you lead – depending on age, injuries and many other factors that life will throw at you. The mentality always has to remain the same – a true belief and positive attitude towards your own personal journey. A lot of people fail to understand and realize the simple steps and elements they need to put in place to achieve results. Most people get caught up in all the fad diets and exercise programs that are on the market through social media and the internet, losing focus of their true goal and path and how to get there.
When you reach your goal, set another. Understand this will take time, hard work and commitment. Set a schedule you can realistically stick with – allow flexibility. Organize your workout locations and facilities. Know that this will be a lifestyle change and will last forever. Don’t beat yourself up too much if you want to have a cheat meal or skip the gym for a week because you are on holiday – this is life, be happy about these things.
Being successful in fitness requires a positive and healthy mentality, like any other sport, fitness also requires practice – to become good you need to practice, to become great you need to practice more and more and more than anyone else! In August 2015 I launched Crossfit Black and Yellow in Doha – my passion for a healthy and fit-orientated lifestyle drew me towards crossfit and the metholodgy it promotes. Crossfit is all about functional movements, constantly testing and pushing the body to reach its capability and limits. It allows you to develop all elements of fitness in an unbiased way by not specializing in just one type of exercise or method. I use crossfit as my method to stay fit and healthy, constantly adapting my body to new and repeated movements to master them. The fitness mentality is simple: The need and desire to be a better you, understanding that this journey is a lifelong and a continual development cycle and hard work definitely stands out.
About Chris Rigby I am now 31 years old and fit as a fiddle, I have played sports and trained throughout my youth and as an adult, from professional soccer and competitive rugby; to Crossfit and many other sports. I have learnt one thing above anything else – ‘Dedicate yourself, put in the time and work hard! There are no shortcuts, no cheats and certainly no fast results with longevity.
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TECH TALK
YES TO NETFLIX NETFLIX, THE POPULAR STREAMING SERVICE, ENDED THE GEO-BLOCKING OF ITS SERVICES IN 130 COUNTRIES, INCLUDING QATAR. New users in Qatar can watch T V shows and movies for $8 to $12/month (QR29 to QR44), with the first month free. While all of Netflix original content should be in the library, it is expected that some shows and movies that are available in the US won’t be offered here due to licensing issues. The service is mostly in English, but Netflix said it was adding Arabic, Korean and Chinese to the 17 languages it already supports.
A THREE-MILLION MILE DAY Google’s autonomous vehicles rack up thousands of miles every week on public streets, but that pales in comparison to the number of virtual miles they travel. In its self-driving report, Google revealed that its autonomous vehicles drive three million simulated miles every day, which is the equivalent of circling the equator five times, every hour. These virtual drives are an important part of Google’s autonomous vehicle testing process. Engineers regularly tweak the cars’ software to add new capabilities and refine their driving skills. Before rolling out any changes to its fleet of cars, Google first tests them in the virtual environment.
YOUTH MORE VULNERABLE, ONLINE According to recent consumer surveys from Kaspersky Lab, those aged 24 and under are more willing to reveal information about themselves online and take fewer steps to protect themselves, but understand potential threats better and can recognize them more easily.
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UNDER 24
OVER 45
Affected by cyber threats in 2015
57%
34%
Sharing data online
83%
53%
Sharing explicit content
23%
7%
Skip terms and conditions when installing software
26%
12%
Downloading files from different sources
31%
10%
Disable security solution if it prevents installation of software
24%
13%
APPLE WATCH COMES TO QATAR THE LATEST WEARABLE FROM APPLE WAS MADE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN QATAR FROM FEBRUARY 11. Apple Watch introduces revolutionary technologies including the Digital Crown, an innovative way to scroll, zoom and navigate fluidly without obstructing the display. Apple Watch will be available in two different models, 38 mm and 42 mm, and in three distinct collections – Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch and Apple Watch Edition.
PREDATOR VS DRONE Dutch cops have a plan to bring down errant and unauthorized drones. The National Police, in collaboration with private firm Guard From Above, are training birds of prey to intercept drones. Chosen for their keen vision, powerful talons and beaks, and natural hunting instincts, raptors can seize an unmanned aerial vehicle in the sky as easily as a mouse in a field.
OCULUS AT SUNDANCE At the Sundance Film Festival, Oculus previewed a new virtual reality movie called Dear Angelica. Developed by Oculus Story Studio, the animated film tells the tale of a teenage girl named Jessica who looks back on the stories her mom told her as a child. “As she recreates these vivid landscapes in her mind, you’re pulled into the magical and dreamlike worlds of her memories,” the Oculus team wrote in a blog post. “Everything in the film is rendered in real time. When you move your gaze in VR, the scenes and characters come to life around you.”
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SCAN BEFORE YOU SCARF DOWN A Seattle-based company is pushing NutriRay3D-a smartphone accessory that scans meals and provides nutritional facts. Put away the scales and stop searching that digital database. The portable device uses laser technology and image processing to scan your meal and calculate the total volume and caloric intake. Whether the food item is a snack at work, a plate of homemade food, or professionally prepared at a restaurant, all you need to do is scan your plate and you will have filled up your food diary. Targeting just about anyone-research scientists, nutritionists, athletes, gym enthusiasts, parents tracking kids’ diets-the NutriRay is still in the prototype phase, but is expected to ship to early Kickstarter backers this fall.
GET GADGETY
FROM THE DRAWING BOARD The future is here, folks. Still under development, some of these products might become part of your life soon.
SEE MORE ReveaLED is the world’s first synchronized UV LED flashlight for smartphones and tablets which fits to the audio jack of your device and helps you discover UV light photography under dark. It has a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery that means you can also use ReveaLED freely without connecting it to your device. There are many natural objects and substances fluoresce under ultraviolet, however not all the UV LED lights are capable of showing the details of the glowing items. This new generation UV LED light reveals all possible details of the glowing objects and substances under dark. Using ReveaLED is an amazing experience to discover photography under dark.
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COMPUTER FOR YOUR EARS The Here Active Listening System is somewhere between noise-cancelling headphones and a hearing aid. Using two wireless buds and a smartphone app, the in-ear system from Doppler Labs lets users control and personalize what they hear. Here owners at the fest will be able to “act as their own personal sound mixer,” boosting the bass, upping or lowering the volume, and more. The buds rely on Bluetooth to capture, process, and play back sound (in less than 30 microseconds, Doppler says). They get up to six hours of battery life, plus a charging case with enough juice for two full charges. You can adjust the volume slider, equalizer, and effects from the mobile app. The first app they have built is designed for enhancing live music experiences and the company says this is just the tip of the iceberg of what Here can eventually do.
DON’T BE A STATISTIC Every year, 26 million bags are lost around the world. And what is even more disturbing, 1 million of them are never found. Wimbag keeps an eye on your luggage, so you don’t have to worry about it. Wimbag is a small device that allows you to track your luggage at all times. Just place it inside your bag before closing it, and you will be able to see its exact location in real time. You will also receive helpful alerts on your phone if your suitcase gets away from you, in case of unauthorized opening, or if your bag arrives at the wrong airport. Wimbag power comes from a 1000mAh battery that allows the tracker to keep working continuously for about five days, which should be long enough to have your luggage back in most cases. Besides, the charging port is a typical micro USB port, so you can use your phone power adapter or the included USB cable to charge it from your PC.
WATCH THAT POSTURE ALEX is your wearable posture coach and posture tracker. It’s the first wearable to accurately measure the angle of your neck and the position of your head, so you can put an end to neck pain. Modern office workers and students, who are constantly looking down at laptops, smartphones and other digital devices for extended periods, suffer from soreness and stiffness in the neck and spine. In the short term, this can make it that little bit harder to get out of bed in the morning or to sit in your chair at work. In the long term it can lead to chronic pain and more serious spinal issues. ALEX addresses the causes underlying your pain by gently coaching you towards better posture, every day. When you adopt poor posture for more than a few minutes, ALEX vibrates gently, encouraging you to improve. You can customise the exact length of time and the intensity of the vibration using ALEX’s companion smartphone app.
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WHAT’S COOL
GET YOUR FEET TO CHILL OUT Mahabis has given a whole new cool reputation to the humble old house slipper with its minimally yet brilliantly designed The Slipper. With a detachable sole that comes in a variety of shades, these slippers go from indoor comfort to outdoor wear in seconds. The original version is made out of wool for winter months, that keeps warm when outside while maintaining breathability when indoors. The soft structure of the slippers is made more comfortable with a collapsible heel for easy wear. The slipper is now also available in mesh material for summer, and there’s a limited edition gold sole collection that is just perfect for our region.
BAT IT LIKE STEFANI Urban Decay introduces a limited-edition eyeshadow palette inspired by Gwen Stefani which will help you recreate some of her most iconic looks. The designers spent countless hours at Gwen’s house, talking makeup and working with her on every detail of this palette – from the case, to the amazing shades. The end result is a palette with her 15 must-have shades of eyeshadow, with an insane range of neutrals and a few jewel tones to mix things up.
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ART IN TECH In a celebration of fashion, art and technology coming together in beautiful harmony, Samsung has collaborated with edgy designer Nathalie Trad to create a special edition, one-of-a-kind clutch for the Galaxy Note5 – the Clinton. Using the Samsung device as inspiration, and sketching on the Note5 itself using the advanced S-Pen, Nathalie played on the smartphone’s dual tone coloring and sturdy architecture to create an elegant clutch that is equally at home at a fancy dinner as on a casual day.
LUXURY TECH The limited edition iPhone 6s, Calypso Diamond, is part of the new Calypso range from Givori, featuring 1091 diamonds in total of 10 carats. The precious stones are set in a pure white gold frame, with black platinum embellishing the commanding front face of the device. Other models in the range feature individually carved malachite, mother-of-pearl, and onyx pieces in fish scale patterns, inspired by the mystical creatures of the sea. The malachite edition is set in a solid yellow gold frame, while the mother-of-pearl edition in a rose gold frame. Only fifty units of the diamond edition are available at QR109,999 while the other editions are priced at QR22,999.
‘T IS THE SEASON TO BE ST YLISH Wrap up warm for those dry desert days with American Eagle Outfitters Holiday collection that emulates authentic American spirit with Southwestern style, warm hues and Navajo prints.
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AROUND TOWN
ACROSS ARABIA
THE MINISTRY OF YOUTH AND SPORTS, THROUGH THE NOMAS CENTER, ORGANIZED A WELCOMING CEREMONY FOR THE TAHADDI ARABIA TEAM TO CELEBRATE THEIR HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT OF CROSSING THE EMPTY QUARTER ON FOOT. The travelers covered an estimated distance of 1,300 kilometers whilst retracing the footsteps of the original feat in 1930 by a group of Omani and British explorers. The team, which included Omani travelers Mohammed Al-Zadjali, Amour Al Wahaibi, and British traveler Mark Evans, ended their journey at Rayyan Castle and were received by His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, along with a number of ambassadors and senior state officials.
THE FATE OF THE WORLD The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) Qatar kicked off at the Qatar National Convention Center with more than 1700 students from 87 nationalities in attendance. The three-day conference aimed to promote the development of leadership skills amongst high school students through discussion, debates and negotiations that address real world problems and pressing global issues.
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AL DANA REVAMPED One of the city’s most iconic restaurants at the Sharq has been rebranded, featuring not only an entire facelift of the restaurant, but also a new Chef de Cuisine, Evangelos Liakouris, who now leads the kitchen brigade to introduce fresh Mediterranean seafood cuisine, with a Greek twist, to our gastronomic palate. The hotel also announced Al Dana’s new vibrant outdoor hot spot, C Lounge, which offers guests a relaxed atmosphere to stargaze and start the evening with creative tapas and drinks.
RUGBY ON SAND This year’s Beach Rugby Challenge took place on National Sports Day at the Cultural Village Foundation at Katara Beach. The beach touch rugby challenge is the only one of its kind in Qatar hosted by the Qatar Rugby Federation and attracted fourteen teams this year, including clubs, schools and corporate entities.
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BREW’D AWAKENING WYNDHAM GRAND IS REINVENTING THE TRADITIONAL COFFEEHOUSE EXPERIENCE WITH THE LAUNCH OF BREW PARLOR. A fresh take on afternoon happy hour where people can meet, recharge, or simply take a breather over cold-brewed coffee-based drinks, Brew Parlor features creations developed in partnership with the brand’s Chef de Caffeine, the award-winning culinary personality, Chef Stephanie Izard. Izard has created several proprietary cold-brewed coffee beverages like Five Spice Shaken Iced Coffee with Thai chili, cinnamon, clove, star anise and sweetened condensed milk; Cafe Olé with dark chocolate, brown sugar and ancho and guajillo chilies; and Biscotti Coffee with almond whipped cream and simple syrup made of star anise, fennel seed, and orange zest.