After exploring more of the textile souk, our class met up to have a cultural lunch hosted by an Emirati woman, Mira. The lunch consisted of traditional Arabic cuisine accompanied by a dining etiquette crash course guided by Mira. She taught us basic mannerisms expected in an Arabic household when having guests over and when you yourself are a guest. Perhaps the most surprising gesture Mira warned us about was how placing your coffee cup on the ground, even in the gentlest of fashion, signifies that you want to initiate a war with whomever you are eating with. Suddenly, everyone grasped their cups a little tighter. Apart from experiencing more cultural food, Mira made a great effort in making sure our discussion revolved around educating us more on Arabic culture as well as breaking stereotypes Westerners have of the region and of Islam. She went into detail on how arranged and love marriages work and how women in the UAE continue to break stereotypes by continuing their education and gaining high-profile work positions. To wrap it all up, we learned the importance of dressing properly with the traditional abaya and sheila (for women) and kandura (for men).
Our day didn't conclude there, however. One of the trip's most anticipated events was yet to come...
We've seen the Burj Khalifa many times since coming to Dubai, but today was the day we finally got to ascend 125 stories and view the city from a new perspective. Standing at 830 meters (2,720 feet) it is the tallest building in the world! The Burj was finally completed in 2010, making it only a decade since being crowned with such a prestigious title. Fun Fact: originally called the Burj Dubai, the building's name was later changed to the Burj Khalifa after Abu Dhabi's ruler, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan helped bail Dubai out of its debt.
After the brief 60-second ride to the 124th floor, we were welcomed by the 360-degree views of Dubai. The clear blue skies allowed us to see some of the places we have visited previously, but this time from a new point-of-view. This aligned seamlessly with a common theme of our trip: viewing people, events, and culture from a new perspective.
After several minutes of taking in the city from various viewpoints, it was soon discovered just how much has been accomplished within the past 48 years of the UAE's existence, and how much still needed to get done. Dubai is by no means close to being a finished city in terms of construction, but as we've learned from our past business trips, the vision of growth is definitely present. Getting a bird's-eye-view of it all truly solidified just how serious Dubai is about expanding and being a leading developed city of the world. The Burj Khalifa stands as a physical representation of the city's unrelenting pursuit for groundbreaking innovation, proving yet again that everything really is bigger in Dubai.
I agree Mira made a great effort on educating us and breaking stereotypes. I really appreciated how she encouraged us to not hold back and to ask any question that came to mind. As she mentioned, the best way to break these stereotypes and to emphasize tolerance is to educate people.
ReplyDeleteI like how you connected seeing Dubai from 125 stories high to the theme of our study abroad trip; seeing from new perspectives. It is exciting to be here during this time because we all can definitely see the potential it has for even more growth by the time they reach 100 years old.
The opportunity we had to speak with Mira and see the UAE from an Emirate's point of view was truly one of the most rewarding experiences we had there. It is easy to believe all the misconceptions about the Arab and Muslim culture that are out there, but this lunch was an easy way to break all those and see for ourselves firsthand. I'm grateful that she took us through a thorough discussion about women and their role in the Arab society and how much has changed over the years. As a woman, it is really important to see how other women in world live everyday; and while there may be many differences in our lifestyles, speaking with Mira gave a whole new level of respect for the Arab women and their way of life.
ReplyDeleteVisiting the Cultural Center ranks as one of the top moments of the trip. The United Arab Emirates is only about 10% Emirati, meaning it is actually very difficult to truly grasp the identity of the nation from its ethnic citizens who inhabited the Empty Quarter long before it became seasoned with glistening skyscrapers. Therefore, I thought it was incredibly beneficial to be able to sit down and break bread with an Emirati who shared with us her personal story and the history of her nation as well as where she believes her country will be headed in the future.
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