The kind of gentle scholarly discussions I
encountered in the Middle East would almost certainly never be held among
Western Christians with such a difference in ideology.
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Posts in Blogging from Dubai
Because of my religion, I
was faced with some additional risks by embarking on this exciting journey to
the Muslim world. Before departing, I
was warned to conceal my Judaism in various ways, ranging from simply covering
my Israeli passport stamps, to even wearing a cross and pretending to be
Christian.
Today
I saw something I hadn't seen yet – a construction crane that was moving. There are construction cranes everywhere in
Dubai, but it didn't dawn on me until today that I hadn't seen one moving yet.
What is it like to be a former center of international
commerce and political power, next to the now globally known city of Dubai? ...
While in Dubai, references to Sharjah usually were prefaced by ‘it’s a much
more traditional and conservative place…’
We wondered what this really meant.
Unfortunately,
many Americans are wary of Islamic cultures because of media influences.
However, Dubai is truly a safe haven for people of all cultures. Dubai
incorporates some of the best aspects of many different cultures in one city....
Over the past few
months I have told a number of people that I’d be leading a study abroad
program on sustainability in Dubai.
Nearly everyone I spoke to responded, “You have to go to Masdar
City.” Evidently every person I know had
seen the New York Times’ front page article
on Masdar City....a laboratory for developing sustainable technologies.
The expected culture shock passed me by. It hits me once in a while that I am in the
Middle East but most of the time I feel as if I'm somewhere close to home.
My
job as a professor on this study abroad trip is to help students better
understand how to build a sustainable world.
I am afraid that I am struggling with this mission. Why you might ask?
Over the next week
and a half or so the CSPO Soapbox will be filled with short blog postings from
Dubai. Mary Jane Parmentier and I have
brought a dozen ASU students to the United Arab Emirates for a study abroad
program on Culture and Sustainability in Dubai.
Displaying 9 posts. View all Soapbox entries! |
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