Where I live; Where They Live

By: Adam Mast


Coming from a small, slightly rural, suburban town in Pennsylvania, has undoubtedly left me with a narrowed perspective of the world. I am cognizant of this, but on some occasions, it becomes even more obvious.

This was the case on Tuesday when my International Relations of the Middle East and North Africa course met virtually with students who attend the American University of Sharjah (AUS). After this session, it was reiterated that my scope of the world can be limited.  


The American University of Sharjah

The AUS student that I was paired with was born in Dubai and has lived there her entire life. She expressed her love for urban environments, as they provide her with seemingly infinite new activities to try and people to meet. She explained that when she visits more rural areas, she feels overwhelmed by the lack of things to explore.  


Dubai

 

Growing up in a more rural, small town in Pennsylvania, I thought this was interesting, as I experience the inverse feeling. When visiting large urban landscapes like New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, or even Philadelphia, I tend to get overwhelmed. The sheer amount of people, dense traffic, looming skyscrapers, and an infinite list of activities to try, can overwhelm me after a few days. For the AUS student, these environments are where she thrives. These contrasting feelings show the effect that our environment plays on our outlook on all aspects of our life.  




A favorite restaurant of mine in my town Harleysville


When discussing student life, the AUS student mentioned the overbearing heat of the UAE. She cited temperatures reaching as high as 50 degrees Celsius, the equivalent to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. She also mentioned recently, the air conditioning stopped functioning in class, leaving her and her classmates to boil. Living in Pennsylvania, I rarely see the temperature reach over 100 degrees, let alone 120 degrees. The next time I complain about the temperature, while sitting in my air-conditioned dorm, I will be sure to remember the temperatures of the UAE.  

We also discussed the percentage of students who live on campus, versus those who commute. The AUS student mentioned that a large percentage of students commute to campus, including herself. Due to the size of the UAE, it is easier for students to travel from different parts of the country. At Dickinson, almost every student lives on campus. While this is because of a campus policy, it is also a result of the expansive nature of America. A student attending Dickinson from California has a vast distance to travel and has no choice but to live on campus.  


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The Old-West Building of Dickinson College


The AUS student and I also discussed the impact traveling has on a person. She has traveled to many countries, including South Africa and much of Europe. We both agreed that traveling broadens your perspective and mind. Experiencing all a culture has to offer, including food, music, media, sites, and street-life can widen your appreciation, not just for the culture you visited, but for all cultures different from your own.  

Even though the zoom session lasted only 60 minutes, it was impactful to sit down and discuss the differences between two vastly different places and cultures. I hope that future conversations with the students from AUS continue to broaden my scope of the world.




Comments

  1. Noah MorrisonSeptember 22, 2022 at 8:54 AM

    I feel like we had a similar experience in this first zoom session, since we're both from small, rural Pennsylvania towns. I like how you brought in your experiences when traveling to cities in reference to your AUS partner living in a large city. I generally feel the same way.

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  2. International Politics of the Middle EastSeptember 25, 2022 at 11:46 AM

    I really enjoyed your perspective on exploring and often the lack of things to explore in small towns. It can get monotonous seeing the same things everyday, which doesn't really happen in cities. Even though through this experience we are not traveling to the UAE, we are learning about different experiences and perspectives, which you touched on in this post. I hope to learn more as time goes on!
    - Haethyr Johnson

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  3. Justice RoneyDecember 10, 2022 at 1:40 PM

    I am also from PA! I think your comparisons between ways of life here and in the UAE were very interesting, especially the difference between commuting and living on campus. I also think that PA in of itself has diverse areas of living, for example a rural area in PA is vastly different from an urban area like Philly which can offer a multitude of cultures and activities.

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