"Peace" of Mind

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.
Dale Carnegie

Coming to a foreign country can be a scary thing...the unknown factor is a big part of it. Likewise, you have other factors, those of which cause an American to crawl out of their skin, that make adjusting to a country even harder. For me personally, the biggest frustration is the language barrier....again, the unknown factor...not knowing what the people surrounding you are saying, not being able to chime in to any conversation, the need to have things translated, etc. But, peace of mind sets in, as I am trying to pick up the language and learn. Hey, at least I am trying, right?

Making the decision to come here was the best thing that could have happened to me. If you know me well enough, you should know that I LOVE traveling, culture, new things/food, experiences/journeys, new friends, and learning. But,one thing interfering with the positive experience = negative views, media, and articles about those of the Middle East.

The American society, as a whole, create the negative tension between other countries of the world. Not necessarily on purpose, we tend to believe the negative stereotypes of other cultures...ESPECIALLY those of Middle Easterners, Muslims, and their culture. As a result, when I told friends and family about my plan to come over to the UAE, not all responses were positive. Although I do take great caution in what I do and say, I respect their traditions, and their religious beliefs (even though I may not agree) I have come to really love this culture and the people in it. I have decided to go against the odds that:

- they don't want me in their country/cultural traditions
- they will treat me horrible
- I will not be respected

Will I get these things from everyone, absolutely not. But, what I do love, is the fact that I have been welcomed by so many. I have been treated very nicely, and even made a few new friends.

Last week, I was introduced to a local Arab; he is a friend to another teacher. My first night meeting him, I was completely drawn to everything he had to say. White kandora in attire, he represents the typical picture of a Muslim. He shook my hand in greeting, looked me in the eye, held a conversation with me, answered/asked me questions....all things that go against what the typical Muslim would do to an American. As the night grew longer, we ended up having a terrific night....hanging out with him, and I even got my own personal tour of Abu Dhabi. Better yet, I was able to ask him questions about his religion and culture that I wanted to know. At the end of the night, "hey, if you ever need anything, just call me."

As the week has drawn to an end, I have a new perspective. We focus on all the negatives, instead of giving the benefit of the doubt. Instead of learning(even if you don't want to/aren't interested) about the differences that we have from people and how we can turn that into a greatness, we focus on how we can hate the differences. I have immersed myself in a culture that has been accused, viewed in a negative light, and slammed...and we wonder why they "hate" Americans? I am in a country where I have very few rights, I am taking the job of fellow Muslims, and many things are unknown.

However, what I do know is:

I have made a great "local" friend, one who has welcomed me into his culture and country. He answers any question, open and willing.

He represents his culture and religion very well.

I will be able to come back to the States with a better understanding and allow fellow Americans to know, it isn't as negative as the media makes it.

In all reality, this is a great place to be....very safe, comfortable, and fun.