Our First Day

What was your feeling before you met? How did you feel, did it change when you finally met?

Alia

“I don’t really know how I felt before meeting the MICA students to be honest. However, what I knew was that I wasn’t worried because just their act by coming here means that they are willing to listen to us and learn more about our culture, traditions, and religion. And experience the way we live and realize that we are not that different and that Arabs and Muslims are humans too. And that we are going day by day ultimately wanting the same thing as everybody else which in my opinion basically is living life and enjoying every moment with the ones we love and the people around us because life is short and we should make the most of it with the least amount of regret possible.”


Ilene

"I was a little nervous about offending the girls or doing something wrong. However after meeting them and talking to them they were very mellow and I felt like there was not too much I could not say to them, at least no different than I would say to anyone in the states."

Bora

"I did not really know about UAE before I came here. I heard many things about Dubai that made me really want to come here. I wanted to experience new things happening in Dubai. However, I realized the culture of UAE is different from my culture. I thought that I might have to have more understanding of people and culture of UAE since I rarely knew about them. I was being very careful to get to know Emirate at first because I didn’t want them to feel uncomfortable or disrespectful by misunderstanding each other. After I’ve spent time in Dubai, my perspective has been changed. Emirate people are very nice and kind. I learn that their culture and religion are different from ours but they are just same as us."