The trip of a lifetime has reached its end but that doesn't mean that the blog has also met its demise. Once I get back to school and to faster Internet, expect photos and video from our trip and additional blogs to supplement the new media. The blog hasn't quite taken the form that I had envisioned before coming to Dubai but that doesn't mean that it hasn't been useful. The blog has provided a platform for PLU students to offer their opinion on important issues not only to the gulf region but the entire world. Bush's visit was one of those highlights. The images taken on this trip by all of the students have been fantastic and I hope to share those all with you as soon as possible.

Looking ahead, we have a 16-hour flight from Dubai to Atlanta, a three-hour lay-over and then a cross-country flight to cap it off, all resulting in more than a day of travel and a Monday morning arrival. I am reading some news of snow and all I can say is that if we're delayed in Atlanta there are going to be a group of angry Lutes. Not that we don't love traveling but at this point I think I can speak for the group when I say that we are ready to be home.

Also, as I stated in my blog on the PLU website, many of the meetings we had while in Dubai were "off the record" but rest assured, once we get out of this region and back to the States, I'll write up a few blogs that show the highs of those meetings.

Thanks for checking out our blog during our three weeks in Dubai. The travel bug is an easy disease to catch and speaking for the students, having readers of our blog has been greatly appreciated.

Peace and see you in Seattle, U.S.A!

Nate Hulings

The United Arab Emirates isn't known for its rain but today took the cake. Beginning yesterday afternoon, the rain fell from the sky and filled the drainless streets with a nightmare of a problem. We traveled by bus to Abu Dhabi today and let's just say that we spent more time wondering if the cars zooming through the water would get stuck rather than gazing at the sights of Abu Dhabi. I'll tell you one thing, I've lived in Seattle my entire life and have NEVER seen this amount of rain and standing water. Just getting to the internet cafe was a Moses-esque feat. Because of the rain we were unable to stop at many places in Abu Dhabi and when we did stop it generally ended in us running back to the bus soaking wet and just ready to get back to the hotel. As the day progressed, the number of cars smashed on the side of the road multiplied and our patience for the fogged-up bus was running thin.

As the bus driver and tour guide continually wiped the windshield in order to avoid a wet and wild accident, the only thought that was going through my mind was, "Wow, I need to start snapping some pics". And so I did. I apologize that the internet here is slower than a Bush response on tribal sovereignty (look it up on You Tube, hilarious stuff and perhaps a great example of how little the man truly knows about domestic policy, let alone foreign) so I will best describe what we saw and heard on our way to and from Abu Dhabi. For the most part, the ride was just really, really wet with a side of cars crunching. I found myself sticking half my body out the window to take shots of BMW's and Mercedes attempting to plow through a foot or more of standing water and for the most part they were successful. The most memorable visual of the trip so far may have also come today. As the bus driver navigated through the quickly falling and accumulating rain, the bus full of PLU students turned to their right and saw workers attempting to pump water from the freeway which now could be better described as a pond. The workers flashed their smiles, waved their hands to the tourists on the bus partly submerged in water and kept working. Business as (un)usual. The tour guide on our trip told us that in his ten years of living in Dubai he had never seen rain like we were experiencing and the roads had never been this flooded. The roads made the front page today because many of the major bridges were closed during President Bush's visit. Now another unwelcome force of nature is gripping the region and has seemingly ground most of the country's roadways to a halt. The closer we got to Dubai/home, the slower the traffic got and in turn, the more interesting the sights of wrecked cars and soon-to-be water-flooded engines became. In a region that sees rain just about as often as a sitting U.S. President, the rain can't be anything more than a headache for commuters and for visitors like us who wanted to experience the marvels of Abu Dhabi but ended up sitting in a fogged-up bus for eight hours.

As I write this I have a wonderful view of a side street/creek adjacent to our hotel. The cars don't seem to be driving any slower and the waves from their reckless driving are pouring over the sidewalk. I'm not sure what the forecast calls for in the coming hours but I can guarantee you one thing: after nearly three days of traffic jams from Bush and rain, I think I can speak for nearly everyone in the region when I say that I'm ready to kick out the gloom and bring back little miss sunshine.

Wishing I had a boat,

Nate Hulings

p.s. A man next to me just asked me to spell out "maintain", I guess he is e-mailing someone. Hooked on phonics worked for me!

Note: new responses have been placed on the blog. You can find these in a different font.

Josh Hammerling writes:

Bush spoke in Abu Dhabi a few days ago and what I heard was no surprise. He spoke of Iran as an imminent threat that needs to be dealt with and called for continued support of Israel. More surprising than Bush's speech was the way the Arab media reported it. Television stations failed to accurately summarize his speech in the way the print news did. We were told that the television stations ignored reporting the fact that Bush was critical of Ahmadinejad because the UAE is a close business partner of Iran and didn't want to hurt their relationship. So much for investigative reporting.

Susan Reader-Meyers writes:

Good business,friends and family relationships work best when
collaboration regarding misunderstandings occur. It seems to me President Bush talks at the leaders of the Middle East rather than with them. Middle Eastern culture is based on centuries of living together. Our country is young compared to most of the world. At times when our president speaks he assumes the role of a rebellious teenager.

Since President Bush touched down in the UAE earlier today, security and traffic has been heavier than normal (which on a good day makes Seattle traffic look light). As a result, Cliff has advised us to not leave the immediate area and just take it easy until Bush heads out of town. Nothing to be worried about folks, just something that will keep us out of massive traffic jams and away from the busy malls while security is high. Some of us caught his speech on television earlier this afternoon and it really hit "home" when we realized that he was only an emirate away.
Even though he is the first American president to visit the UAE while still in office, Bush's visit has been marked with biting columns from at least one local newspaper. As prefaced in the previous blog, Gulf News ran a frontpage editorial bashing President Bush on his arrogance and mishandling of the Middle East during his time in office. I will provide the link once more at the end of this blog and again I highly suggest you look it over. Here are some students' reactions to the Bush editorial ran a few days ago.

Alice Stewart writes:

It should not be a surprise that the world scoffs at Bush's peace plans for Israel and cringe at his call for support against Iran. The papers of the UAE write editorials that show Bush's failures and denounce his solutions to conflicts. The most telling part is when this community reacts to Bush by telling him to leave the UAE because they desire peace and do not want terror.

Sarah Knutson writes:

The President of the U.S. is coming, and I really wish he'd just stay home. His primary reason for this visit to the region is to engage in peace talks between Israel and Palestine, but he's stopping in Dubai to attend a conference with companies that conduct business in both the US and the UAE. This little stop is causing a huge stir in the city, and even garnered a front-page editorial letter to the President on a popular local newspaper, Gulf News. While I understand the need for him to try to help the Middle Eastern situation-after all, he did cause one of the main conflicts there-I'm afraid he's a bit too optimistic about resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He expects a resolution to the conflict by the end of the year. This conflict, that's been raging for many generations, is supposed to end by December 2008? Seriously? It sounds like he's a police commisioner trying to secure a significant case closure to ensure his re-election, only there's no hope of that, and it becomes proof that the President has entered his Lame Duck phase.

Nate Hulings writes:

Seeing the letter to President Bush plastered on the front page of Gulf News was the most refreshing aspect of Middle East media I have encountered so far. After hearing numerous stories of local editors being contacted by the UAE government after running stories critical of the government or certain social issues, I was pleasantly surprised to see the Gulf News slapping around President Bush's visit. The word "arrogance" jumped out at me the most in the ediorial and I think it accurately sums up the local as well as many American's standing on the Bush presidency. Personally, from originally believin that Middle Eastern media was highly censored to reading this Bush-bashing ediorial in the Gulf News, the only feeling that I could accurately describe my state-of-mind being in was that of optimism. Opening up dialogue through the printed word has been a powerful force in human history. From religious texts to a letter scribbled on scrap paper in a Birmingman jail by civil rigts leader Martin Luther King, Jr., critical but open dialogue between two or more parties only makes this world a better place and helps justice surface and injustice falter and hopefully fail.
Some might look at this editorial and be angered that our President would be slammed in this fashion and others would cheer and jump for joy that someone is finally calling Bush's bluff, but we live in a world that needs a certain amount of tension to keep people honest and on the right track. Without questions and criticisms of our officials, we-whether the media or the public in general-are doing a disservice to justice. Learning the hard way after the debacle of the media after a lack of tough questionting leading up to Iraq, the media around the world is now raising its voice and seems to be saying, "President Bush, no more can you play us the fool. We're here to call you out on your abuses of power and arrogance about a part of the world that you seem to be involved with more and more these days." Gulf News served this very duty by railing President Bush only two days before his visit. I applaud Gulf News and hope that they continue the dialogue, however critical, until each and every person is held accountable for their actions.

Kyle Morean writes:

I thought it was remarkable to see such a direct editorial on the front page of the Gulf News. During Bush's speech in Palestine this week, he spoke with an air of confidence that the simple fact he is here will be enough for peace in the Middle East. I was happy to see someone call him out and remind him that peace is a process and not something he can simply implement like the start of a war. He wields incredible power from his position and I am anxious to see how he will continue with these "peace efforts." If he as a moral interest in the matter, this ought be a project he pursues long after office. His political track record and seemingly transparent interest in oil however, suggest that these mentions of peace are merely a president pulling at the final strings to soothe an otherwise war-driven two terms in office. I am curious to see what kind of follow-up with these poltical criticisms will continue during Bush's visit. I am hopeful that with poltical change on the horizon in the United States that this discourse will inspire futher criticism and hopefully dialogue about the world's expextations of next US president. Moreover, with this news making the US media I am hopeful Americans will start to embrace their status as global citizens and recognize the positive impact that our elected leader can have on the entire planet.

Maren Anderson writes:

The arrival of American President George W. Bush marked his first visit to the UAE and fantastically it happened during PLU's first visit to the UAE. Media and cultural reactions to Bush's visit have been fascinating and helped place into perspective my own responsibility with my nationality.

As a part of Bush's visit and its high level of required security, Dubai declared a national holiday to alleviate the traffic messes. At first I was shocked with this news; the American president has the power to shut-down a city. The title that he carries warrants dramatic measures and
intense international coverage. His reach is broad.

While the local media covered his visit in various ways through headlines such as "Dubai bedazzles Bush" to editorials criticizing the President's visit, the designation "American" carries much weight.

The shock wave caused by the president's visit helped me to recognize theresponsibility in the carriage of my nationality. The global impact of the United States permeates many different facets of the world and even amidst a time of critique of the United States, the world still looks to Americans to lead the way.

So, as a student, I must recognize my American-ness as a piece of my
identity as a global citizen and apply my experiences in the UAE to
understand my role as a collaborative party in the international playing field.

Well, thats all for now. Our meeting at Zayed University scheduled for tomorrow was canceled but our trip to Abu Dhabi Tuesday is still on. Also, please keep up with our blog on the PLU website as well. That can be accessed at sojourner.plu.edu.

As always,

Nate Hulings

http://gulfnews.com/opinion/editorial_opinion/region/10180995.html

Greetings from Dubai!

For the first blog I asked my fellow students to give a brief overview of their experience so far in this wonderful city. Some decided to discuss individual experiences that they have come across in the city while others took this time to reflect more broadly and critically. Here are the initial reactions for our first week of studying abroad:

Josh Hammerling writes:

Dubai is a magnificent synthesis between the eastern and western world; a fusion of tradition and modernity. Like a real-life Epcot Center, over one hundred different nationalities are represented and like Disney World, the buildings are flashy, there's no trash on the streets, and everything seems too perfect to exist in the real world. -

Kyle Morean writes:

Dubai is a visual marvel. It is an unparalled blend of the world's cultures and ethnicities. It has incredible potential to be both the hub and bridge between western and eastern societies. The countless skyscrapers demonstrate Dubai's financial prowess and unprecedented global investment. The Burj al-Arab (the icon of Dubai) is both an architectural masterpiece and example of Dubai's dedication to tourism through appeal to the world's wealthiest.
Dubai is a microcasm that places western economic development and individualism within an eastern political structure and religious tradition. As Dubai continues to grow, it will be intriguing to see if and how it inspires other metropolitan areas to develop in the Middle East (Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, etc.). There are so many layers to this society that all thrive upon this development that it will be interesting to see if anyone can actually afford to live here in 10 years or if Dubai will simply be THE travel destination for the most wealthy. Dubai has incredible political potential to work towards cultural and global tolerance and I hope that this potential wont be squandered for the sake of making money. In the mean time, the few decision-makers here continue to build bigger, taller, faster with little environmental consideration and virtually no criticism. After spending one week traveling throughout this city, I have a new-found appreciation of just how much money can buy.

Maren Anderson writes:

Last night we took a crazy adventure to the Global Village. Dubai's
version of Epcot Center at Disney World. As we, four white girls,
traversed the desert at 10 p.m., we were the only white faces that I could spot. I felt comfortable and uncomfortable; I felt enveloped by a foreign culture that many Americans are taught to be afraid of today. I thought I would be scared, but I wasn't.

I risked and in that chance to travel in to the desert and experience
amusement park splendor Dubai-style, I feel like I have found another
home, another place in the world. Or maybe, I have just realized the
power of the basic elements of humanity. I felt connected to Arab culture through a basic human desire: fun.

I've struggled in the first week to boil our experiences in to a
distinctive significant experience. I guess, what I've once again
experienced is that the world is a human community; everyone struggles,
cares, laughs and celebrates the joys of everyday life. The scope of my world has expanded and I am so excited that through PLU and these
uncomfortable and challenging experiences, the world is becoming my home.

Erika Meyer writes:

I've never been in the place that is making news before. When 9/11 happened, I was 3,000 miles away with no friends or relatives even remotely close to any of the tragedies. The war on terror is hard to deal with as an American citizen that doesn't agree with it, but I also don't know anyone that is serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. The last time my hometown made the news was...never. So to be in this place - Dubai, United Arab Emirates - is life changing in many ways.

Isaac Van Mechelen writes:

When we got here it was a humid night. I figured that the weather would be consistent from then on but it has been changing very sporadically. The men that helped the group with our luggage were very polite. The next day we took our tour of the city and it was very interesting. That evening a few of us went walking through the city and got lost on our way back to
the hotel. From here on my thought of the city was that it was a city ofconfusion.
The following day we took a guided bus tour. Our tour guide gave many
facts about the city including various laws and the cost of living.
Touring the city was an amazing experience and it involved seeing all
sides of the spreading growth of buildings. The third day a group of us
walked around and got lost on another side of the city. After that the
city became much easier to navigate and now I have been to nearly all
corners of the city.

Erin Fry writes:

My overall reaction to studying in Dubai can be summed up by the word "amazement." I am constantly interested in the developing culture that surrounds me and how everything works well together. Dubai, with its incredible move into the modern world leaves me in awe. I love how it continues to hold traditional values, yet progresses with the world. One would think that with all the structural construction into the modern age, the same would go with the people. Now, the people have certainly embraces modernity, yet they also keep traditional values and dress. In all honesty, I was originally intimidated by the culture, but the longer I stay, the more I find the beauty in tradition within a progressive society.

Along with the excitement of being in such an interesting and cultural diverse city, we have also been immersed in the political and global issues that affect this area as well. The most recent issue that has occurred is the visit from President Bush. From publications and personal remarks, it is apparent this visit is rather impacting. The general attitude I have received is annoyance. This stems from multiple factors. Some include the traffic jams it has caused, and others from the remarks provided by the president himself. I understand the annoyance because it too has caused our group to have to shift our schedule. Although it is frustrating, we continue to be flexible with the current situation.

My visit to Dubai thus far has only been a week, however in that week I have been pushed into a culture full of change and with strong opinions of the outside world. If anything it has opened discussion for interesting conversation.

Look for the next blog tomorrow as the PLU students react to a front-page open letter to George W. Bush in Gulf News. The letter comes a few days before President Bush is scheduled to be in the United Arab Emirates and is highly critical of his foreign policy in the region with regards to Iraq, Iran and the Israel/Palestine conflict. I will preface the next blog by saying that many of us heard the letter as it was read to us by student Shannon Schrencengost as we congregated in Kate and Erika's room. The reactions were fairly strong and many of the students couldn't wait to react the next morning in class. Every day I tell myself how perfect our timing has been to be in this region. From the Strait of Hormuz altercation with American ships and Iranian speedboats to Bush's visit to Abu Dhabi later this week, it seems like the stars are aligning for a breadth of discussion, inquiry and of course, dialogue with the locals.

Here is the link to the article http://gulfnews.com/opinion/editorial_opinion/region/10180995.html (pardon the lack of a direct click link, I'm a bit blog impaired).It's a valuable read to get a general idea of the editorial opinion of Gulf News and perhaps more importantly, presents a form of a "free press" that has been challenged in many Arab countries. I challenge you to read this column keeping in mind that it run on the front page of an English-speaking newspaper in a Muslim country. Look for the blog on our reactions Sunday or Monday.

Tomorrow we are off to Sharjah, an emirate that is rich in museums and lacks the flare and luxury of its sister emirates of Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

Peace (journalism),

Nate Hulings

With nearly one week of Dubai under our collective belts, the melting pot of the Middle East has provided entertainment, breathtaking visuals and most importantly, a platform to study and interact with Arab media.

Dabbling both in roundtable discussions with prominent media professionals and encountering the culture of Dubai by visiting the local souks (marketplaces) and malls that would make Southcenter look like a Foss dorm room, students have a colorful variety of experiences and opinions of the city so far.

For the initial blog, each student will provide a brief summary accompanied with a snapshot of their impresssion of Dubai so far. The great aspect of an exercise like this is that the introductory blog can be used as a springboard to more complex and concrete issues. As it looks now, each blog will incorporate different aspects of Dubai culture, media, etc. and each student will be able to comment on what they've learned and experienced in each aspect. This way of expression will provide a unique look into the many different angles and frames that each student will see this fascinating city through and in turn will give you, our most cherished readers, a candid and honest critique of our three week venture.

Even though we are the students that are experiencing Dubai firsthand, that doesn't mean that you can't be involved. Any suggestions, questions or general thoughts on our trip would be greatly appreciated. If there is an aspect of Dubai or Arab culture that you would enjoy hearing about, feel free to leave a comment and we'll try to integrate that into our visit. This is not in any means a one-way street and we greatly appreciate your support and feedback during this time.

For now, we're off to spend a little free time hitting the beaches and some are even going to get a taste of winter and strap on the skis at the Mall of the Emirates for a few hours of snow and skiing.

Nate Hulings

p.s. Look for each students initial reaction and more images to come up early tomorrow morning.