American University of Sharjah

A lot of times, people forget about the "study" part of "study abroad." The academics become overshadowed by the exciting adventures and travels.

During my five months in the United Arab Emirates, I studied at the American University of Sharjah. Sharjah is the Emirate just north of Dubai, and it is the most traditional of all the emirates. It is the only Emirate in which alcohol is banned, and also enforces strict decency laws, which includes a dress code and rules against PDA. The strict rules of Sharjah are accompanied with policies dedicated to preserving the arts and culture. This means that there are tons of museums, art exhibits, and cultural exhibitions. It was the UNESCO Cultural Capital of the Arab World in 1998, and Capital of Islamic Culture for 2014.

The American University of Sharjah (AUS) is located in an area called University City, which is also home to the gender segregated University of Sharjah, an arts school, and a police academy. AUS is a relatively new university, founded in 1997 by Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qassimi (Ruler of Sharjah) and is the first co-ed university in Sharjah. Sheikh Sultan envisioned an "institution rooted in the region's Arab-Islamic heritage, in the context of the aspirations and needs of contemporary society in the UAE and the Gulf region." This description of the university is very accurate, as it embodies Arab Islamic culture but it's education system was structured around the American system, allowing it to be the most prestigious university in the UAE.

When I landed in the UAE, I had been in transit for about 24 hours. I'm sure I do not need to explain to you all how delirious I was. Those first few hours were a haze, but I remember vividly the drive from the airport in Dubai to the campus.

Imagine this, only x 9342, lining both sides of a narrow pathway
stretching about 300 feet 

After claiming my baggage, I walked out to where I was supposed to meet my driver. I was so overwhelmed by all of the drivers lined up waiting for their passengers. The only way to describe it would be to compare it to being welcomed by swarms of papparazi, yelling and holding up signs with passengers names instead of cameras.

I finally spotted my name, and walked to the car with the driver. On the journey from the airport to campus, I caught glimpses of the Dubai skyline which I had seen in pictures so many times before. When we got out of the city and made our way closer to campus, I remember being in awe at the long stretches of road, with no (real) speed limits, lined with palm trees on either side.

I left the Untied States in the middle of winter to be met with 80 degree temperatures and palm tress. When we finally made it to campus, I was stunned by the beauty. Every building was designed with Islamic style architecture, the ground was all marble tiling, and palm trees lined every path way on campus. The buildings sported domes, arches, and symmetrical designs. Trudging up the hills of the University of Tennessee was replaced by strolls along the flat stretches of marble tile. The walk from the front of campus to the main building was beautified by fountains.

Here are a few of my pictures from campus:

The Main Building

From inside the doors of the main building

The Campus Mosque

The Main Building

Now, here are a few pictures taken by others that are much better than mine:

Approaching campus from the main road

Library (I definitely studied more than I
 usually do because of this beautiful library)

Main Building (and fountains!)

At night

Campus Mosque

Not only was the campus itself overwhelmingly beautiful, but the academics were very different from the University of Tennessee. As a Global Studies and Political Science major with a concentration on the Middle East, I was so excited to have a range of classes to choose from that focus on the Middle East. While I was there, I took a class on Modern Palestinian History; Wars, Conflicts and Diplomacy; Intermediate Arabic; and Photography, which was taught by a well known Emirati female photographer.

Even though they "study" part of studying abroad tends to be one of the most uninteresting parts of the journey, I really enjoyed the American University of Sharjah and living on its beautiful campus!

Migrant Workers: Building Dubai from the Ground Up

Source: Sara Hamza

Dubai has one of the most breathtaking skylines in the world. Whether it can be attributed to the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world), or the Burj Al Arab (the only seven star hotel in the world), or because of the unique Islamic architecture, the combination of buildings creates a distinct silhouette that is distinctly Dubai.

Burj Al Arab

Dubai is also known for the Palm Islands, which are man-made islands located off the coast of Dubai in the Persian Gulf. The islands are home to many luxury resorts, hotels, homes, and shopping centers. They have become a distinct feature of the ariel view of the United Arab Emirates.

During the first few weeks of my stay, I was awe struck with the luxury and the innovation in architecture and development in Dubai. It wasn't until after a month or two that I began to question the abnormally rapid construction taking place at all hours of the day. The Emirates is a melting pot, but I noticed that the cities were populated mostly by Indians and other Asians minorities. I knew that the development of Dubai came from vast amounts of oil wealth, but I couldn't picture an Emirati trading in his chic kandora and alligator skin sandals...... 

........for steel-toed boots and a hard hat.

These Asian expatriates were admitted into the country for a very narrow purpose, to build the infrastructure of the country. The laborers of the Emirates represent the diversity of the region and serve as a stark contrast to the wealthy Emirati nationals. 

Source: Sara Hamza

While oil wealth has build Dubai, the city was physically built by the hands of migrant workers. These migrant workers serve as the backbone of society, and their physical labor oftentimes falls into the shadow of the glory of the buildings that they themselves built.

When I mention that I studied abroad in the United Arab Emirates, most people ask about Ferraris, cheetahs, or if I went to the top of the Burj Khalifa. On the surface, these things are glamorous and illustrious, but there are sub-realities of the country that not many people are aware of. 

I came away from the experience most shocked by the treatment of migrant workers, who likely entered the country on a work visa bound to a contract. Their passports are then taken away since they cannot leave as stipulated by the contract, and they are piled in labor camps with their co-workers. They are oftentimes abused, and they are paid a pitiful sum of money, which often gets sent back to their families. While this situation sounds like it couldn't get any worse, it is often better than they could ever do in their own countries, so they tough it out. I find that the system utilizes manipulation and abuse to create a contemporary form of slavery, similar to the indentured servants in the American colonies. 

Labour Camp, Ras al Khaimah, UAE
Source: Sara Hamza

In the last few weeks, treatment of migrant workers in the Arabian Gulf has gained some international attention. With the World Cup set to take place in Qatar in 2022, the country is rapidly constructing infrastructure to support the event. The international community has been extremely critical of how those working to prepare for the World Cup are being treated. 

While I was awestruck by Dubai in all its glory, I was more struck by the lives of the workers that have physically built this country. I hope that one day they will receive recognition for all of their hard labor and will be treated in more humane ways. They are an integral part of society in the Gulf and must not go unseen. 

Dispelling Stereotypes about the United Arab Emirates

I had the unique opportunity to study abroad last spring semester in the United Arab Emirates. Many people that I told could not point this country out on a map, but were likely familiar with the luxurious city of Dubai or may remember Tom Cruise scaling the Burj Khalifa in Mission Impossible. For reference, the UAE is the tiny country east of Saudi Arabia:

Because of the unfamiliar air associated with the Middle East as a whole and the Arabian Gulf in particular, I was excited to experience this foreign culture and return able to dispel any of the stereotypes associated with this region of the world. And trust me, there are many.

My grandmother told me, “Sara, you are going to get shot.”

Many asked if I would be required to wear the hijab.

Others asked if I would have to speak the Arabic language.

None, of course, were true.

Those a bit more informed about the region asked if I was going to get carried away by some oil-rich prince and never return to America. Though still farfetched, this was probably the most likely of the notions with which I was faced.

I found that in my days leading up to my departure, throughout my trip, and upon my return that many clump the Arabian Gulf together with the rest of the Middle East and do not make any differentiations. The Arabian Gulf is a sub-region of the Middle East and a distinct area of its own. Though it has cultural, religions, and historical ties with the Middle East, its politics, laws, infrastructure, and environment differ in many ways.

Upon returning to Knoxville, I loved being able to tell people who asked if I was ever in danger that I felt more safe in the Gulf than I do in Knoxville, Tennessee. Because the Emirates uses a mixed judicial system incorporating Sharia, or Islamic, Law, which imposes strict punishments for breaches of law, crime rates are kept relatively low.

Though I was in Sharjah, the most conservative and traditional Emirate, the Emirates as a whole is a modern, rich, and Westernized country.  Though there was an enforced dress code, especially strict in Sharjah, I was still given a decent amount of freedom to wear what I wanted. I was never forced to cover my head unless I was entering a mosque. The traditional dress for women in the Arabian Gulf is largely seen as oppressive by Western nations. The abaya is a long black dress that is paired with a sheila to cover the head:

However, I found that the majority of the time, girls and women who wear the abaya do so by choice. It is seen as a cultural symbol representing pieces of their heritage.

In fact, the abaya is becoming a fashion statement in the Gulf. Many girls adorn their abayas with studs, jewels, lace, and many other things in order to make a statement and make themselves stand out. I saw some pretty cool abayas on campus adorned with spikes:

Finally, I lasted the entire five and a half months without ever crucially needing to speak another language. Many people in the Emirates speak English. Further, the Emirates is a melting pot, with Emiratis consisting of only about 18% of the entire country. The rest is made up of other Arab immigrants, lots of migrant workers from south Asia, and English expats seeking tax-free work in Dubai. Though Arabic was the official language of the country, you can walk down a sidewalk in Dubai and hear 5 or 6 different languages within minutes.

It has been almost a year since I have embarked on my journey half way across the world to the United Arab Emirates, and it has been 5 months since I have returned to America. I want to reflect on my experiences in writing in order to preserve some of my fondest, educational, and adventurous memories. Most importantly, I want to use my experiences to dispel some of the stereotypes of the Middle East and to paint an accurate picture of what it is like to live in the Arabian Gulf.