If you had told me 2 years ago - before I started college - that I would be spending a month in the Middle East studying politics and oil at this point in my life, I would have been seriously doubtful. I had no idea that I would become so interested in learning about the Arab World, but I couldn't be happier with where life has taken me this past month. Although I'm so happy to be home (after a long, tiring journey across the Atlantic), I miss Kuwait and my new friends already.
Although I could probably write a small novel reflecting on my experiences abroad, I know that anyone reading this right now probably doesn't want that. So instead, I'll leave you with a couple of my favorite memories, as well as some lessons I learned during this past extraordinary month:
Highlights:
- The Old Souk (all 3 times we went!): By far my favorite place in Kuwait.
- Dune Bashing: the sickest thing I've ever done, and something I'll never forget.
- Men's Diwaniyya: Our first introduction to the massive wealth that is everywhere in Kuwait, and to the diwaniyya, one of the centers of Kuwaiti life.
- Women's Diwaniyya: A girl's night full of new friends!
- Burj Khalifa: Being able to say I've been to the top of the tallest building in the world is pretty cool, not to mention the incredible view of Dubai.
- Kuwait National Assembly: I don't think you would be able to just walk in to the National Assembly and speak to members of parliament in many other countries.
- The Grand Mosque: My first time in a mosque was a unique cultural experience that I'll always remember.
- Al Jazeera: Being able to experience this incredibly influential news station (both Al Jazeera English and Arabic) firsthand was too cool.
- Jumeirah Beach: A horrible sunburn, but a beautiful day swimming in the gorgeous, warm Arabian Gulf with my friends.
- Zumba: Doing Zumba for the first time was crazy enough, but being able to see Kuwaiti women in another realm was eye-opening.
Lessons Learned:
- The Gulf is vastly different from the rest of the Middle East. The culture of oil and wealth separates it so much from the other Arab countries.
- Kuwait is extremely westernized in many respects - but then not, in many others.
- Most people I encountered loved Americans and were interested in speaking with us.
- The Middle East is a region full of kind and open people and rich culture, and I cannot wait to go back.
Before I sign off for the final time, I'll leave you with some new pictures from the last few days of the trip:
Group photo with Bader! |
Kuwaitis |
Final Kuwaiti dinner |
Group photo with Mahesh, one our bus drivers and one of the nicest guys I have ever met! |
Group photo with Shoukri, the manager at the Holiday Inn Salmiya who made us feel so at home this past month! |