“International Student” Posts

Showing 8 “International Student” posts

  • Desert Hoya

    I Got Rejected 68 Times in One Semester: Why Showing Up Changed Everything

    February 24, 2026 · By Hassan Amin (GU-Q'27)

    I got rejected 68 times in one semester. Sixty-eight. I kept applying to on-campus jobs at our main campus in DC during my study abroad, and the responses were always the same: silence, or a polite "thank you for your interest." Then there were the big ones—PwC, Bain, BCG—all rejections in my first year when I applied for internships. I remember sitting there thinking, "Maybe I should do something else. Maybe consulting isn't for me."

    A man in a dark suit and striped tie stands outdoors on a sunny day, with trees and a pathway in the background. He is looking at the camera and smiling slightly.
  • Desert Hoya

    An Introvert’s Survival Guide to Thriving at Georgetown University Qatar

    February 19, 2026 · By Anna Lemma (GU-Q'29)

    Freshman year can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re navigating a new country, a new education system, and a new sense of independence all at once. Now add being an introvert to the mix. What a nightmare. Though I am very much in the process of figuring things out myself, I have learnt a few survival skills along the way. Here are the skills I needed to survive my first year on campus:

    Two women sit across from each other in conversation; one wears a blue Georgetown University Qatar hoodie, and the other wears a pink shirt. They are in a bright indoor setting with other people in the background.
  • Desert Hoya

    Belonging in More Than One City as a GU-Q Student

    February 12, 2026 · By Aras Karlidag (GU-Q’26)

    When I first applied to university, I didn’t imagine myself ending up on a Middle East campus. Like many students my age, graduating from an American school in Turkey, my idea of “college life” was shaped by American cities, American campuses, and the kind of cultural familiarity that comes from growing up under the influence of U.S. soft power. In my final year of high school, I didn’t even know international branch campuses were really a thing, even for the most impressive schools in the U.S. that my friends and I dreamed about.

    A man wearing glasses, a suit, and a tie stands in front of a black metal fence with the White House visible in the background on a cloudy day.
  • Desert Hoya

    From Rwanda to Qatar: The Room That Made Me Feel at Home in GU-Q

    January 19, 2026 · By Tony Cirhulwire (GU-Q'29)

    When I left Rwanda for Qatar, I recall it with so much excitement, but also a kind of fear I didn’t want to acknowledge. How will I do for the first time away from my family? A new place, new people, new life, leaving everything behind. I kept wondering, How will I make friends? Will I just blend into the background?

    Two people play foosball in an office space with a colorful, cartoon-style mural in the background featuring hashtags, doodles, and bright graphics.
  • Desert Hoya

    I am the First Turkmen Hoya at Georgetown University in Qatar

    November 17, 2025 · By Jennet Soltanova (GU-Q’29)

    On my 20th birthday this year, I left Turkmenistan, with excitement, nerves, and the pressure of walking into uncertainty. After a gap year following my FLEX exchange in Texas (Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) is a competitive, merit-based scholarship program funded by the United States government), I was finally traveling abroad, alone this time. In the U.S., I had always had a safety net: a host family waiting with warm meals, a host father who drove me to school, a host mother who answered every question I had – and yes, even the ones that probably made her question her life choices. This time was different.

    A woman in a long red dress holds a large bouquet of yellow and white flowers, standing in elegant indoor settings with marble floors and a stage with red curtains.
  • Desert Hoya

    What I’ll Miss about Doha, What I Can’t Wait For as I Study Abroad at Georgetown’s Villa Le Balze in Florence, Italy

    September 30, 2025 · By Sama Alissa (GU-Q'27)

    Ever since my first semester at GU-Q, I’ve been looking forward to going abroad. Not because I couldn’t wait to get away from GU-Q, but because I heard from upperclassmen how their study abroad experiences changed them, and I’ve always felt a longing for that feeling that they described. As my junior year was approaching, it started becoming a reality. I filled out the applications, packed my room, and left Doha knowing that I would not return for another 8 months.

    A collage of selfies, group photos, travel landmarks, a stuffed animal, and meals, featuring friends smiling together, sightseeing, cooking, and enjoying various indoor and outdoor settings.
  • Desert Hoya

    Iktashif Qatar: How We Make Adventures Happen at Georgetown

    April 27, 2025 · By Lawrence Maracac (GU-Q’26)

    One adventure at a time. That’s basically how I live my life, not just in general, but especially here at Georgetown. For almost three years now, I’ve been organizing Iktashif Qatar trips, and let me tell you, they’ve been some of the most rewarding adventures I’ve had the chance to lead as a student employee.

    Five friends sit around a glass-top outdoor table at a café, smiling at the camera. Drinks and menus are on the table, and the setting is bright with warm lighting and modern decor.
  • Desert Hoya

    Marhaba, Hello!

    November 18, 2021 · By Michelle Hadebe (GU-Q '25)

    My name is Siya, a first-year student at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) and a student employee in the office of admissions. I am thrilled to welcome you to our Desert Hoya blog!

    A modern cityscape at dusk with tall, uniquely designed skyscrapers, palm trees, and water reflections in the foreground under a blue, cloudy sky.