A Qatari’s Philosophy of Work

By: Bint Khalid

2008. On the rooftop looking out over the edge to the horizon I see the ever changing Doha sky line. Glass towers sparkle in the sunset in pale colors of pink, orange and yellow. The breezy fresh air of November is refreshing after hours of dry air conditioning. How did we get here? The sounds of the main road come floating up at me and the street lamps begin to glow a white then orange hue. There is a peace surrounding me, a moment that comes only when humans are connected with nature. And a sense of transparency descends. Is it only me? A question I pondered endlessly for the past two years, during which I was buried in a torrent of opinions, judgments and social pressures; spiced with surprised expressions, disappointed tones and side looks that tell me I am surely self-destructive.