An Arabian Experience

Last night we went on a safari ride in the desert. The ride began with "dune bashing" in Land Crusiers. The drivers were crazy and AMAZING at keeping their cars in control! It was like a roller coaster ride with a spectacular view. When we arrived at the Bedouin-style camp, we were able to ride camels. The camels here have one hump as compared to two humps in other countries.

After riding the camels and taking a lot of pictures, I wandered over to the camel farm to get up close and personal. I was perfectly content taking pictures through the fence but a man beckoned me inside. He began talking to me about the camels and how he owns the camel farm and the desert safari business. He was eager to take my picture touching the camels and even made me feed them! I was nervous because I thought they bite but then one of the workers stuck his hand in the camel's mouth and it merely nibbled harmlessly. He asked me where I was from, where I was staying and why I was here. I told him our group is taking a management class to learn about cross-cultural leadership styles and we traveled here from Boston.

He began to talk to me about Dubai and how quickly it has changed and how busy it has become. He used to live in Dubai but he chose to move out of the city as he disdains the traffic and fast pace of life. He began his safari business as well as the camel farm. He spoke of his love of animals and the need to preserve cultural heritage. He wanted to begin this business so that people will learn about and experience the Bedouin lifestyle, and so tourists could meet "real Arabs". We commiserated about how Dubai has grown so quickly that most of the native culture has been lost in the dust. However, it is a striking paradox that although he disdains the fast-paced ultra modern city, he is more than happy to capitalize on the tourism it attracts.

It seems that people here do not know how they feel about the changes in the city. When they say "I am from Dubai" or "I have lived in Dubai for 30 years", they say it with pride. Yet as the city continues to grow and prosper, some people begin to miss their old lives when they were not stuck in traffic for three hours to travel merely 5-10 miles. The leadership director posed this question to a few students the other night: Is Dubai an Arab city? This is a hard question to answer, and something that many people often wonder. Mosques are present in every neighbor and the melodic call to prayer rings out five times daily. However, most streets have American and European stores and chain restaurants: Starbucks, Claire's, Zara, Chili's, and Pizza Hut to name a few. Most people speak excellent English and almost 70 percent of the residents of Dubai are not even Emirati!


Ok we have to go eat lunch with Zayed students!