So I missed a week so I thought it would be better to break this post into two sections to keep the timeline clear rather than writing one really long post. Anyways, I had midterms this week. I got an A and two Bs, so I was pretty happy about the outcome. The teachers here grade incredibly fast and hand back our graded exams the next class. Im not taking any math or science courses here so its a nice break from the endless stream of equations that Im used to with my engineering major.

The weekend before midterms we went to Wild Wadi. They have the tallest free fall slide outside of North America, but it wasnt as tall as the pictures make it look. The park was alot of fun though. The slides there are amazing because rather than walking up a flight of steps and then going down the slide, you go through a series of water jets that push you up. So rather than just going down you go through a series of up and downs. My roommate joked that it’s because everyone in Dubai is too lazy to climb stairs. The lines took about half an hour to go through but the ride was about 20 minutes so it was worth it. I had another unrelated experience with Dubai culture while I was getting some food there. I was waiting in line at the window so I could order, with a line behind me. A man came right up next to me, shoulder to shoulder, basically he just wanted to cut the people behind me in line. When the lady behind the counter started yelling at him for cutting he pretended to ignore her until he realized that everyone in the queue was staring at him. It doesnt happen all the time but line cutting isnt uncommon here in Dubai.

With the stress of midterms upon us we obviously need a place to relax and what better place is there than the beach. We went out a couple times that week, once we went to a beach on the trunk of palm Jumeirah and once to Jumeirah Beach Residences. The Residences are massive and offer a pretty amazing view. The water is getting warmer as the heat is rising but its not too bad. Every time I comment about the increasing heat people say just wait till August. Then it gets so hot that most people who live in Dubai will leave to stay somewhere else. Fortunately Ill be gone by then. Right now the weather isnt any worse than what I’d expect midsummer in South Carolina though.  With it being warmer at night now some of the outdoor bars and clubs are shutting down for the summer. One of the bars that is a favorite with AUD students is still open but people have stopped going because of the heat. The bar is called Barastis and is a really cool place with multiple decks that all look out over the beach. And they have really good barbeque on the weekends.

There are two malls near campus, Ibn Battuta and Mall of the Emirates, they are both massive. They have alot of places to eat there to so we go alot. It’s amazing how many American fast food restaurants the have here. Of course there’s McDonalds and Starbucks but they also have places like Papa John’s and Hardees.  Movies are released a couple days after they are in the states and  I’ve seen a couple since I got here.  I saw something interesting the other day, a woman was walking around talking on her cell phone but rather than holding it she had simply slid it between her hajab and the side of her head. I thought it was an funny use for a head covering.

Seven of us went on a desert safari. This is definitely something to do if you come to Dubai. Also go to a bookstore here and buy the entertainment coupon book, I’ve saved so much money. Anyways, back to the safari, we went out dune bashing(driving land cruisers over the sand dunes) and went way out in the desert to a camp that they have set up for these trips. There we got to ride a camel, sandboard, and eat shawarma before the belly dancing started. The belly dancer did about four songs and usually pulled up a volunteer. My friend Steve got pulled up for an entire song and he was cracking everyone up as he tried to imitate the belly dancer. After the dancing was over, we were served a barbeque dinner which was fantastic. Then we just sat around and talked or browsed the souvenir shop until it was time to go home. That pretty much finishes up what I did that week.

So I was thinking yesterday that I hadn’t posted in a week and I really should. Apparently it’s been two weeks. Needless to say I’ve been really busy. School is going at a fast pace because its a summer session but it is still manageable. I just got back from Ski Dubai, it’s alot of fun. They claim they have a black diamond section, but I wouldn’t say its much worse than a blue.

Last friday was one of the other study abroad student’s birthday. So to celebrate about thirteen study abroads, all american, and about 5 regular AUD students went out on a yacht. My roomate’s brother’s company owned it and they let us use it for a day. We had a dinner and went out a little into the gulf and swam. The water here is extremely salty. I heard it’s because the desalination plants dump the salt back into the water.

The Friday before last I spent the day with a girl, Leslie, that goes to school with my girlfriend. We went to church here, the service was alot like most protestant churches in the states. Afterwards she was having her birthday party, which was hosted by a friend of Leslie. The house was very nice and it was right next to a mosque. I think it was Jumeirah mosque, but I am not sure. Afterwards we played volley ball with a group of people. The sun was setting so it wasnt too hot. Then after that we went to the desert where there was a cookout. Leslie’s dad had brought his quadbike so I got to ride it around the dunes for a little while. That was a really long day.

I feel like I hang out with the other Americans too much sometimes but it’s an easy trend to fall into. We have met a lot of other students though so I don’t feel like we’re to isolated. I played basketball with some students and a couple of the teachers on Monday so I got to meet a few more people. Playing sports here is really intense because of the heat. Nobody even thinks about playing around until the sun sets. While the day is at its hottest, people dont even sit outside.

I’ve also been around to different parts of the city including the gold souq and the Dubai Marina. The marina is really nice and they have a really cool fountain. The gold souq reminds me alot of a town in Nepal except that its alot bigger and alot cleaner. The stores are all small and divided and alot of them look identical. I tried shawarma for the first time while I was there.

I arrived in Dubai on Friday night and made a quick pass through immigration and customs before getting a taxi. Luckily both my bags had made it through. When I arrived in Dubai the security guards checked me in and let me know which room was mine. The guards here are able to remember each student here. It’s really incredible. My room mate, Owas, who is from Saudi, was very welcoming and showed me around campus. The next day I had orientation and met the other study abroad students before Owas and I went to the beach. The students here are from all over and are incredibly friendly. You’ll find students here from Uzbekistan, Iran, Saudi Arabai, Korea, Lebanon, and more. I hear more languages on campus in a day than I do in a month back home.

My first day of classes was today. I have class from 11:00 to 6:55 on Mondays and Wednesdays. I begin with Arabic, have a 40 minute break, then go to Middle Eastern Cultures after which I have ten minutes until Business Ethics. The classes are two hours and twenty minutes long with a short break midway through. I think all of my classes will be enjoyable though I have a lot of reading to do already. I’m about to go to the mall with Owas and some study abroads to pick up a sim card for my phone and then we’re going to see Iron Man.

     Like the title says, I’m leaving in 5 hours. My check bags are packed and all I have left to do is load up my carry-on. This is crazy. Before last summer I had never even heard of Dubai. Sure, I had heard about that “really rich place in the Middle East where they’re building all those islands and buildings” but I had never been able to put a name to it. But, as I was on my way back from Nepal nearly every airline magazine was full of pictures of Dubai.

     At the time I thought it would be neat to go there but also thought that there was no way that was ever going to happen. Then when my friend told me that she was applying for a scholarship to study abroad in Dubai a couple months ago, I got really interested. I turned everything in last minute. I thought no way will I get this scholarship. I got it, and I have to tell you, if it hadn’t been for my friend helping me, and Elise at the study abroad office, I wouldn’t be going this summer.

     So now I’m flying two days after my last exam. I’m pretty excited to be going. I think I’ve taken care of everything I need to before I leave. I’m looking through all my junk that’s piled in heaps from moving out of my apartment, trying to find various items… Not finding them and staring hopelessly at the pile… But despite that, I feel really good about this summer.