An Ode To My Home, Education City

Omar Allouba, Qatar

Omar Allouba is an Egyptian Palestinian who grew up in Qatar, and works for Qatar Foundation in Education City. As part of the GOALS program, Omar tells the story of growing up as a “third culture” child, the world of Education City, and his hopes for first-time visitors during the World Cup.

Home is a subjective word that is typically attributed to a concrete space that houses family and/or loved ones. It can also mean a country to some. To another group of people, a home is a place that gives them peace but is not a house, or a nation that they “technically” belong to – I belong to that crowd.

As the only child of divorced parents who met in the 1980s in a foreign country (Qatar) that they both migrated to, home was always two houses with two sets of parents and siblings. Not that I am complaining, I always got two of everything! Two bedrooms, two times the love, and at Eid, cash that kids with the standard two-parent household could only dream of.

I am an Egyptian Palestinian who grew up in Qatar. For anyone who is not familiar with third culture children, that means on paper I am Egyptian. But since I mostly grew up with my mom, I speak Arabic with a Palestinian accent tinged with a Qatari influence since some of my closest friends are Qatari. This made passport renewal visits extra fun as I was frequently asked “why do you speak like this?” by Egyptian embassy representatives.

The Qatari friends I made in school influenced my Arabic accent. My school was Qatar Academy which was an initial seed planted in 1996 by the state of Qatar, led by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani and Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser. It is this school that has now become the intellectual jungle I now call home – Education City (EC).

Education City is Qatar Foundation’s diverse hub for education, sport, and art which welcomes students from over 50 countries. I have been part of Qatar Foundation, and by association Education City, for close to 19 years, as a student at school, university, and as a staff member.

EC is known for many wonderful things, including housing one of the 8 stadiums that are scheduled to host the FIFA World Cup 2022 football games later this year – the Education City Stadium.

At the Stadium I took photos of a miniature World Cup involving Qatar Foundation students. They walked out of the tunnel onto the pitch like actual players, giving them a real taste of what it is like to be a professional footballer. I also captured the juxtaposition between the groundsman and the grand Education City Stadium in the background - it is oddly satisfying. Stadium custodians are not commonly celebrated.

Qatar is due to welcome 1.2 million tourists over the course of one month and has hosted several international football tournaments to prepare. That many people visiting a country with a total population of only approximately 3 million is bound to bring the entire country, and Education City, to life like never before.

If there is one thing I would like for first-time visitors to take from Qatar is its warmth. And I am not referring to the scorching heat that Qatari summers are known for (thankfully, World Cup visitors will be coming during wonderful, cooler weather). I mean the warmth that emanates from its people.

Arabs are known for their hospitality and Qatar has that in abundance. I encourage fans to leave their preconceived notions about Qatar and the “Muslim world” behind when they board their flights and muster the courage to approach locals and connect with them on a human level. That is, after all, what football is all about.

One thing I would like for people to know about Qatar is that it is like any other country in the world. It is imperfect but has its redeeming qualities if you are willing to see them.

Though I do appreciate seeing hoards of fans from all walks of life roaming Education City, it only makes me appreciate it even more when the city is completely empty and, more importantly, silent.

When the home is empty, inspiration visits.

The silence that rests in the streets of Education City and the sound of the (mostly warm) wind that flows through the Ceremonial Green Spine is euphoric and, dare I say, inviting to inspiration. The thing about Education City is it is an aesthetic symphony of nature and architecture. The behemothian buildings that root themselves in the city’s center have been meticulously crafted to compliment the local nature that envelopes them.

Though I cherish the people I have met along the way and the memories made, admittedly my favorite times of the year are the winter or summer break. This is when most staff members and students that contribute to the daily bustle have taken their time off and are looking to go back to their “homes” or explore new destinations they have never been to before. It is akin to that feeling of relief following guests leaving your house after a pleasant visit filled with laughter and good banter.

Walking in solitude through this marvelous maze makes me notice the tiniest of remarkable moments, like a stray cat blending in with the curved benches molded to complement the Multaqa fountain area. Or the construction worker, who left his own home to build this city that I sometimes catch myself taking for granted, resting his tired back on one of the pillars he and many people who share his story helped build.

Home is many things to many people. It can be a house on the street you grew up on, a nation you would die for, or a small country your parents were destined to meet in. A home builds you up and keeps you rooted in principles that define and mold your character.

Though I have yet to feel rooted in a residential space that I share with my family or a country that would claim me, I will forever cherish Education City, the only place that has ever spoken to my soul and continues to inspire me to find the remarkable in the mundane.