Teaching English, Learning Everything Else

By Radiyah Ahmed (GU-Q’28).

If there’s one thing people eventually learn about me, it’s that I have a thing for languages. I currently speak seven, and am always on the lookout for new ways to use them, or sneak an eighth onto the list. That’s why Georgetown Qatar feels like such a perfect fit for me. Every hallway, you hear sounds like an orchestra of accents and dialects; Arabic, Urdu, French, Tagalog, Somali, Russian, you name it. Every conversation feels like a mini language exchange, and for someone like me, that’s basically heaven.

So when I got the chance to volunteer with a group of Palestinian families who had recently relocated to Qatar, helping them prepare for their IELTS exam, it felt like everything came full circle. Teaching English in a space that already celebrates linguistic and cultural diversity just made sense. And it reminded me why I love languages so much, it’s like finding your own voice. 

We followed a structured program with schedules, lesson plans, and plenty of practice tests, but what made it so special were the people themselves. Our students came from all walks of life and ages; some were university aspirants, others were professionals looking for a fresh start. Sessions were a mix of laughter, grammar drills, and endless “aha!” moments. By the end, we got news that some of them had already excelled in their exams! And even though most were still waiting on results, the pride in the room was unreal. We celebrated in full Georgetown-style, with a sweet little graduation ceremony. There were certificates, a dinner buffet, and a few adorable kids running around, clapping for their parents like it was a red-carpet event. It was one of the most wholesome evenings I’ve been part of here. 

A little while later, GU-Q invited us to join the Hoya Empowerment Learning Program (HELP); a long-standing initiative that had taken a short break but was finally back. This time, we got to teach literacy, financial, and computer skills to our own members of the GU-Q community that provide support from security to hospitality; the people who keep our campus running but often stay out of the spotlight. Before we started, we completed a full TEFL certification (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) as part of the program; classic GU-Q style, giving us every resource to make sure we’re ready to do things well.

HELP turned out to be one of those experiences that quietly changes the way you see the world. You show up thinking you’re there to teach, and you leave realizing you’ve learned just as much, sometimes even more. Everyone had such incredible stories; some even hold advanced degrees, and all of them bring this warmth and perspective that stays with you. It makes you see Georgetown differently. The people who clean, organize, and manage everything aren’t “behind the scenes.” They are the scene.

Between teaching grammar and swapping stories about home, you start to see how connected we all are, no matter what languages we speak or where we come from or what we do. For me, that’s the magic of GU-Q, it’s a space where culture, language, and community meet in the most genuine way. These programs reminded me that learning doesn’t end at the classroom door, and that the ability to connect, communicate, and truly understand others is the most powerful skill of all.

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