Escape Into the Desert

Last weekend I was able to attend Georgetown’s Escape retreat for the second time, a privilege not many Hoyas have. Instead of escaping into the Appalachian foothills, we made our way to the desert sand dunes on the Persian Gulf coast. It was one of the best weekends I’ve had here.

I can’t explain what specifically goes on at Escape, a retreat rooted in Ignatian spirituality, but hopefully I’ll be able to portray the reason why it meant so much to me.

The ride out into the desert was wild, as we drifted across sand dunes at high speeds. I breathed a sigh of relief as we arrived at our site safely and set up camp. The rest of the evening consisted of singing songs we all know and love, eating s’mores (standard practice, even in Qatar) and getting to know one another. I was in a unique situation because although Escape is meant for freshmen, I am also new to Georgetown in Qatar. I was able to share similar experiences with freshmen while also interacting with the upperclassmen retreat leaders who are closer to my age.

As night approached, we figured it was easier to sleep outside, since the tents, having trapped the desert heat all day, were unbearably warm. But when everyone is getting along so well and the stars are out in full force, it’s a little difficult to sleep. I ended up staying up all night, talking to new friends I previously hadn’t gotten to know all that well in school and gazing up at the stars, which I hadn’t seen in weeks under the hazy Doha sky back home. At sunrise (below), some of us ran into the ocean for a morning swim. The retreat continued for the rest of the day, albeit among tired faces still recovering from the incredible night before.

A theme I’ve picked up on throughout my young life is the commonality of human emotions even across remarkably different circumstances. Some people shared stories that opened my eyes up to the human side of events I had only previously covered in the academic sense. I could never imagine having to leave my family to escape the war in Syria or suddenly leaving friends behind to flee political turmoil in Egypt. At the same time, the reason these stories were so powerful to me was that I could still relate to missing family and friends or sacrificing something due to events beyond my control. In this sense, I was able to form a bond with individuals who have entirely different backgrounds from me. Still, I returned from Escape with a newfound appreciation for my own privileges and opportunities.

As I’ve mentioned before, having class with people from all over the world has definitely enhanced my academic experience and expanded my worldview. But under the guidance of Jesuit philosophy and thought, Escape took it to another level. I can now say that I’ve closely and deeply interacted with individuals from an entirely different culture to rediscover that we are much more similar than different, a lesson that is much too valuable to disregard.