My stance in society often still feels and looks a lot like a foggy horizon during sunrise. One that feels both unappreciated but also appreciated depending on the circumstances of that specific day or situation. Is there ever a set point in a local expat’s life in Qatar, in which they feel completely at peace, completely accepted, and completely unthreatened by the interior thoughts of being displaced, being judged, and being unequal to the privileges that are not as accessible to us? Maybe, but maybe not. I say this, even though I’m currently certain of wanting to continue my journey in Qatar, rather than transferring to a different side of the world, like many do; suggesting that the concerns that others, who feel no belonging here, are much more severe than I could imagine. I personally tend to fall between different groups of people, different divides, ones that can sometimes be confusing, especially when trying to express my identity, which I’m simultaneously confused about as well.

     Being a mix of Hungarian and Palestinian, but then being born and raised in Qatar, allowed me to grow up in a way in which I was often left unsure of what my identity carries and what I feel like I resonate with the most. Also, where is home? Is it Hungary, Palestine, or Qatar? You may have guessed by now, but it’s definitely Qatar; considering I grew up here, I have my entire life here — my education, my family, my friends, and my environment. Neha Vora writes a lot on the diversity within Education City, but I’d also like to touch on the diversity in Qatar, as a whole. When visiting Hungary, I mostly face a bunch of white people, majority Hungarian, with little-to-no diversity, especially in the city that my family lives in (far from Budapest, the capital). So, when spending my summers in Szombathely, I tend to feel excluded, to a certain extent, being seen as probably one of the very few Arabs, even though it is often gone unnoticed by the public (due to my white-passing as a Hungarian). Whereas in Palestine, it’s a completely different situation, due to the genocide that’s been taking place for several decades now. The feeling of home was almost instantaneously cancelled out when hearing gunshots outside of my aunt’s house, thinking it was fireworks at first (I was 9, so excuse my misinterpretation). But then, there’s Qatar: the place that gave me a home, an education, and a life in which I met hundreds of people from all over the world, collecting in one tiny country that many of us now call home. 

     The bond we create with Qataris, local expats, and international students, all differ greatly, I would say, but each gives a completely different sense of belonging, adding a value to one’s identity, even when unsure. When coming to Northwestern University in Qatar, and after learning more about the diversity within our student life here, I found myself even more confused with which group I belong to the most. I tend to spend most of my time with my Qatari friends, but that can sometimes be uncomfortable (depending on the location), due to the looks I receive from other, more conservative, Qataris in the general public (especially being the only one that stands out from the crowd). On the other hand, when I spend my time with international students, I still sometimes face the feeling of being an outsider, since their bonds with one another are already much tighter, but also because of my inability or unwillingness to participate in certain activities due to my upbringing, culture, and religion. 

     Due to my above explanation on what it’s like to be an outsider in both of the two groups, I personally believe that an end to the segregation between the different groups of people would be the “perfect” solution to my problems (although I  know the world doesn’t revolve around fixing my personal issues, it would be nice to imagine). For example, if my two friend groups would mix, my sense of belonging would increase, as it would now be an even larger group of very different looking people, eliminating the overall aspect of judgement from the general public that could then lead to better inclusivity. However, as Vora also discusses, it would create complications due to different dynamics within families, differences in restrictions like staying out late at night, hanging out with the opposite gender, and so forth. Therefore, I’m back to square one, in which I’m unsure of how the self-segregated groups could join together to make one, without having to face a list of issues that will then create even more difficulties in the lives of students.