My program to Dubai was one of the best experiences of my life. Prior to this experience, I had never traveled outside United States territory, so it truly was an eye-opening experience for me. I am very grateful for the generous scholarship I was awarded for this program.

Some of my favorite experiences included when we visited Old Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the World Expo. Throughout much of Old Dubai and Abu Dhabi I felt as though I had jumped right into the scenes from the movie Aladdin. Many of the buildings were made of sandstone and the architecture was very traditional to the Arabian dessert. At places like these, I felt more connected to the culture and people of Dubai in this part of the city opposed to the newer sections. While in Old Dubai, we had a traditional lunch and got to meet and chat with a native Emirati. Hearing him talk about his experiences and life so candidly really showed me how similar my life is to that of an Emirati around my age. I had always thought of the Middle East as a foreign place with potential dangers, but meeting real Emiratis changed my perspective. I also came to notice the lasting impacts of western imperialism firsthand. There were stark differences between parts of the Emirates that had taken on a capitalistic westernized approach compared to the places that were seemingly untouched by these trends.

The World Expo was one of the most interesting event I’ve ever been to. It reminded me a lot of the Epcot Park in Disneyworld, but it seemed much bigger. One of the things that set the expo apart from Epcot was the fact that everyone who worked the exhibit was from the country they were representing. After I learned that, I made an effort to ask employees questions to hear their perspective on their country. I also really liked how the expo was split into the three districts of Mobility, Sustainability, and opportunity. Each district and each exhibit were very interesting in their own way. While we were exploring the expo, I found myself wondering what was going to be done with the space after the expo ends. Since it is such a huge space, and the exhibits are large and extravagant it would be a waste not to turn it into something useful. When I asked around, I heard ideas such as turning the area into housing and shopping centers, moving the global village to the expo, or using it as an extension of one of the universities. I will be excited to see what ends up happening once the expo is over.

Name: Kristia Postema
Status: Junior
Major: Social Relations and Policy
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Program: Globalization of Consumerism and Community in Dubai, United Arab Emirates