“My dad is my biggest hero. My family is from Iraq and he was studying engineering in Baghdad when the war broke out. He came to Qatar alone and he finished his studies. When I was 3, our family moved to Virginia so my brother and I could have the best education and learn English. I was 10 when we left the USA and we lived in Oman for a few years. Eventually we came back to Qatar and we settled here. My father worked hard his entire life to provide for our family. Ever since we moved to Qatar my Arabic has really improved since we live here. I also feel a much stronger connection to my religion. I love hearing the call to prayer. Recently I started to wear the Hijab and feels good. Last Ramadan was an amazing experience because many of my family members live here now so I got to spend it with them. I have never been to Iraq but I still have family there. Sometimes I really worry about them because it is not always safe there. We Skype as much as we can. It is my biggest wish for our entire family to reunite.”
(Doha, Qatar)

“When I was eighteen I left Qatar to study film in Hollywood. I always dreamed about becoming a filmmaker. I was a young boy and all I had ever seen before was the desert. The first three months were the hardest. I was living with an American family and even though they treated me well I was terribly home sick. Back then we didn’t have things such as Skype or Face time. I could call my parents only once a week for just a few minutes. I felt isolated at first but after 3 months I started to feel better. America was a place I only knew from the movies but then I realized not everything you see in the movies is true. In Qatar everything is about family so when you are on your own all of a sudden it is quite a shock. Now I needed to take care of myself. Make my own dinner and do my own laundry. Once I started to get more independent I was able to create a life for myself. It helped me build my personality. I started to grow and I studied and worked and just learned. Once I had all this freedom It’s was a struggle to come back to the old ways. I came back after five years and I realized that I grew and it was hard to fit back in again.”
(Doha, Qatar)

“My dad has been selling cigarettes all his life. When he passed away I took over his business. I used to work in the market but because the few tourists we have left, the store went out of business. Many of us feel the stress of the failing economy and everyone here is trying to survive. I don’t think we are currently prioritizing our health here in Tunisia. In fact, I think the reason why we smoke so much is because the amount of stress we have. Smoking is a way of coping.”

(Tunis, Tunisia)

“When I met my ex-boyfriend, I believed that despite of the fact that he was religious and I wasn’t, our love was strong enough to keep the relationship going. I thought that if we make some compromises here and there we would manage. Unfortunately it became too much of a barrier between us and After 1.5 years we ended our relationship. I was heartbroken for a long time.”
“So how did you get over it?”
“I allowed myself to cry and feel the pain. It took a long time but eventually I got over him.”
(Tunis, Tunisia)

“My mother has diabetes and high blood pressure. Since I can remember I have been responsible for doing the dishes, cooking and cleaning the house. My dad was away a lot for work so I was the one taking care of my mother and brother. I had to grow up really fast. It was hard but I would always hide my tears because I didn’t want my mum to feel guilty.
I am a law student and I hope to become a judge one day. It is strange because on the one hand, I know I had a tough childhood but on the other hand, it is because of my experiences as a child that I have l have this strong determination to become someone.”
(Tunis, Tunisia)