Georgetown University: School of Foreign Service in Qatar

Doha, Qatar — Thirty-five Qatari students discovered a new world this summer during the two-week enrichment program, Planet Georgetown. The camp was designed by Georgetown students and staff to introduce children to the world around them through interactive learning.

"We really wanted to broaden the students' world view and get them excited about learning," said Emily Wilson, Planet Georgetown Program Coordinator.

Part of Georgetown’s mission in Qatar is to engage the local community. "With Planet Georgetown, we have expanded our outreach into the primary and preparatory independent schools," said Liz Kepferle, Director of Admissions at SFS-Qatar. For the past three years, Georgetown has focused its educational outreach efforts on the secondary schools in Qatar, particularly in activities such as Model United Nations.

Carrying journals and passports, students travelled between Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas using games, simulations, art projects, and recreational activities.

The students traveled the silk route to China, experienced a traditional Japanese home, wrote African fables and sailed down the Amazon River. They practiced Shaolin Kung Fu, listened to Russian folk tales, tasted the spices of India, wrote their names in Japanese and learned how to say hello in eight different languages.

After their weeklong expedition around the globe, students spent the second week creating their own countries. Each group was responsible for developing their country's language, culture, trade, map, flag, and currency. As a result, eight new countries emerged: Ghost-is-tan, Georgetown, Hunkey Punkey, Lord's Island, Mirz, Penguin Land, Pride Land and Sand a la Camel.

Organizers were pleased to see the enthusiasm and energy of the students. "They really grasped the concept of creating their own countries and took it quite seriously,” Wilson said. “They put a lot of thought into it."

Abdullatif Al Kuwari, age 10, was excited to design the flag and map of Penguin Land. His mother saw Planet Georgetown as a way of introducing children to university life. "When I first went to university as a student, I was overwhelmed and anxious. I hope that my son will have a familiar sense when he goes to university," she said. In developing languages for their countries, students came up with basic words such as hello, yes, no, goodbye and thank you. In Lord's Island language "drol", you will be greeted by a warm "tello". If a resident of Mirz says "wu", they mean "no". In Sand a la Camel's language of Sandolini, "saskay" means thank you.

The campers weren’t the only ones learning. SFS-Qatar staff Kathryn King and Aalaa Abuzaakouk, and students Reine Atrach (SFS ’11) and Kawthar Ahen (SFS ’11) spent two months designing learning activities for the program's curriculum. "I wanted to reach out to kids and have a good time teaching them new things,” Ahen said. “I was impressed with how well the students grasped complex concepts such as international trade, diversity and discrimination.”

After creating their own countries, students participated in a board game that introduced them to the United Nations’ role in the world. The students’ countries were faced with crisis scenarios such as floods, sandstorms, unemployment, and soaring gas prices, which required the students to collaborate and propose a solution.

“Through this mini-UN game, the students demonstrated their problem-solving skills. I was impressed at their creativity and their confidence when faced with each challenge,” King said.

On the final day, the campers hosted a "World Market" where they sold handmade crafts and displayed the maps and flags of their newly-created countries. Using each country’s currency, parents and friends were able to purchase the handicrafts.

“It was great to see how students from various schools worked together and created a community,” said Abuzaakouk. “The Georgetown students are already talking about running the camp again next year.”

According to 11-year-old Zuwaina Ateig, the program was a success. "It was just like school but more fun because we had so many activities and more friends."

Until we meet again, "Antra" is goodbye in Hunkey Punkey's language, Tinkey Hinkey.