12-year-old, 12 Adults, 12 Days, 12th of May in Doha, Qatar–12 Years Later

Post published:May 8, 2025
Post category:Qatar Academy
Reading time:6 mins read

Back in May 2013, based on the word of a 12-year-old I was held in police custody in Doha, Qatar for allegedly insulting Islam. The 12-men-strong board of directors of Qatar Academy, where I was teaching at the time, did NOT push back against the charges brought by the child's father. But, after 12 days in custody, on the 12th of May, I was released from Al Rayyan Police Station.

Now in May 2025, 12 years since the incident, I have something else to report!

Qatar…From Afar: “I’m sorry about what I did to you”

Post published:February 22, 2019
Post category:Qatar Qatar Academy
Reading time:5 mins read

A few heart-warming messages from Qatar Academy and a very surprising communication from the student whose father got me fired from my job and incarcerated.

The Moment of Truth V: “The Time Has Come. The Time is Now.”

Post published:December 19, 2018
Post category:My Personal Stories Qatar Qatar Academy
Reading time:12 mins read

All the time I was abroad, even while preparing for the eventuality of returning to Nepal, I had never had a timeline. The first time I contemplated a timeline was the Summer of 2009: I gave myself five years. In February 2013, almost four years later, I decided, the time was right to return. Timing was right for a number of reasons, namely, financial, career, weariness with moving, and a little one at home.

Qatar…From Afar: Uncomfortable Questions IV

Post published:March 10, 2016
Post category:Qatar Qatar Academy
Reading time:7 mins read

Did the Qatar Academy administrators know about my impending incarceration? If so when?

They mostly likely did from the very beginning, from when the formal complaint was filed by the parent.

Qatar…From Afar: Entitlement — License to Abuse?

Post published:January 24, 2016
Post category:Qatar Qatar Academy
Reading time:7 mins read

An example of how students at Qatar Academy deliberately made my life in Qatar so difficult that I hit bottom -- professionally and personally.

To Trump(…)

Post published:December 28, 2015
Post category:My Personal Stories
Reading time:5 mins read

Open letter to Mr. Trump to embrace empathy, peace and humanity for victory.

Parting Words to a Qatari Student

Post published:September 6, 2015
Post category:Qatar Qatar Academy
Reading time:3 mins read

Parting words to a Qatari student on Facebook following a number of exchanges about Qatar and FIFA, in which he essentially painted the Arabs as victims of racism.

Qatar…From Afar: One Flew Over the Kookoo’s Nest

Post published:August 6, 2015
Post category:Qatar Qatar Academy
Reading time:4 mins read

A glimpse into the world of Qatar and Qataris.

Qatar…From Afar: Uncomfortable Questions III

Post published:February 1, 2015
Post category:Qatar Qatar Academy
Reading time:4 mins read

Why did my employer -- Qatar Academy -- and its administrators appear to have dropped me like a hot brick on May 1 when I was holed up at the police station? Would they have done anything differently had I been a European or North American or from another native English-speaking region of the world?

Qatar…From Afar: Long Flight To Freedom

Post published:January 16, 2015
Post category:Qatar Qatar Academy
Reading time:7 mins read

When you have suffered gravely, you view and live life a certain way.

Far from making others suffer or wishing suffering on others, for instance, you don't even wish suffering on those you hold responsible for your own suffering. Knowing what it was like, you want to do everything you can to alleviate the sufferings of others instead.