By amberherrle
SIT programs provide students with educational excursions relevant to the topic of their study abroad program. Our educational excursion is a trip to the United Arab Emirates. As a Middle East Studies major, I've learned a lot about the unique state and I was extremely excited to come here. To be fair - I wasn't expecting much but was looking forward to seeing everything I learned in my classes in real life. The United Arab Emirates has surpassed my expectations on so many levels and I am so happy to be here.
A little bit of history/context about the emirates: The United Arab Emirates consists of 7 Emirates which came together in 1971. Each Emirate has a strong national identity, a royal family and a variety of laws and traditions that separate it from the others. For instance, while drinking alcohol might be legal and a commonplace in Dubai, alcohol is illegal in Sharjah. Further, the age of legal consumption varies from emirate to emirate.
Another example is the style of dress - the traditional garb varies from Emirate to emirate. While these two examples are extremely simple and relatively small, it gives you an idea of the range in differences between the emirates. Interestingly, when Emiratis introduce themselves, they are known for introducing themselves as "state-ian, Emirati", rather than "Emirati, from X state". This small tidbit of knowledge provides great context into national identity in the UAE.
One of the best parts about SIT in Jordan is that the program has a variety of connections throughout the country. These connections mean that our lectures are given by former minsters and heads of state and here in the UAE we were hosted by the sheikh (like a prince) for a few days. The Sheikh is a part of the royal family of Ajman, an emirate about 50 minutes from Dubai.
Myself and two students from my program, Aisha and Katie, were chosen to have the opportunity to stay at the Sheikh's house. The Sheikh’s nickname is Green Sheikh, as a man passionate about sustainability, he lives a modest lifestyle with his family within his nuclear family’s compound.
After getting settled, I spent time with his family and celebrated Aisha’s birthday. The next day, we woke up early and ate at a traditional Emirati restaurant where we enjoyed Lebanese food and Emirati breakfast food. A crowd favorite was baleet, a sweet spaghetti noodle dish traditionally served as a breakfast dish.
We then headed over to the Ajman museum. The museum is the old compound of the Sheikh’s grandfather. Without running water or electricity, this elaborate compound gives you a real peak into the past. The UAE has experienced explosive growth in the last 45 years and this museum gives you a sense of that. Just 45 years ago, this home was used by the large family to raise children, hosts social gatherings.
After finishing the tour of the museum, we were off to the desert where we drove SUV’s over golden sand hills and got to ride camels. The next day we experienced the age-old medical tradition of cupping, or hijaama which pulls toxins out of your body by using suction cups (think: Summer Olympics 2016).
Overall, I had an exceptional weekend and am beyond happy with my experiences here in the UAE. We still have a few days left, so I’m sure there will be more to come!