So the countdown to almost a month left has begun…and it saddens me, but there a few things to look forward to before my time ends. For one, the VCUQatar Fashion show is next week. A few of my friends will be exhibiting their pieces, so I am excited for that. The Indonesia Trip, of course, is coming together. Already had a sneak peek at the itinerary day to day, involving white water rafting, which I have never done! We will get our T-Shirts next week and present our lesson plans in our groups for the workshops we will be doing. My group is the Accessory group, I mentioned that before, and we’ll focus on different sorts of bracelets, pins, etc.
Part of my graphic design program in both VCUQatar and on the main campus includes a Junior Review, which those in the program are familiar with. Basically an evaluation of what you have been learning throughout the year, based on verbal articulation on selected pieces of work from the year. Our reviews were at least a month earlier than those in Richmond, however I still decided to get evaluated here. I had brought some of my work, thankfully, to display here since they had not seen my work from Fall 2013. The articulation part of the review went really well. They asked all sorts of questions about my transition into Doha, interaction with the students, interaction the teachers, …everything. Because I had basically been consistently aware of everything around me from the beginning, this was not hard to think about things I’ve learned and observed. It was interesting for them hear, some of which they understood, and other things they appreciated that I had noticed. Either way, it was nice seeing that they had considered my exchange into the program as a positive lead of example, in both attitude and design aesthetic.
This was my set up **exclude the two posters on the side** You can see my awesome sign, me just being silly, since I knew the professors would enjoy the humor. 9 pieces of work
Other things to look forward to would be that my professor recommended me for the Tasmeem conference in 2015, around this same time next year. The Tasmeem conference, if I haven’t mentioned it before, is an international conference at VCUQatar that involves a week of workshops, lectures, and events all around design. The speakers and workshops are chosen through the theme of the conference, which is “play.” This theme, the ways in which it is being described, really appeals to my aesthetic and overall personality. It will involve silly workshops, playfulness, just wonderful things…Anyway I told my professor how excited I was in coming back for this conference, and he told me he would request me. Now it is a year away, but these conferences are planned months in advance, meaning if I throw my name early enough, I know I my name will not be missed. My professor is one of the co-directors for the conference, which was a plus. One of the awesome things about VCUQatar is the opportunity it gives its students to be involved in this conference, through volunteering and classes. Because this event next year will probably be a bit more unorthodox than usual, they have a team of students designing all sorts of costumes and games, all pertaining to one class. This automatically makes them involved with Tasmeem. I am actually working on a packaging for Tasmeem as well, with the possibility of being able to display my work at the conference. So, my excitement for that is grand!
Other things….
SURPRISE! Salsa dancing in Doha. quite similar to Richmond, maybe not as close in form when you hold your partner dancing, but still lots of turns and great talent. This was a snap chat screen shot of me that my friend sent me..
hanging out on the couches with Filza and Hala
My friend being silly, and posing for the camera 
At the Pearl, man made island made up of fancy restaurants and shopping…nice to walk around, although not very big.
I’ve written enough…its almost 1am.
Peace from the Middle East!