Department of International Office Administration
Abu Dhabi had been home to me for five and a half years. At the start of grade 6, I moved to Abu Dhabi with my family. It was such a challenging decision to make as a shy, stubborn child back then, who was scared to face changes in life. I was not much of an extrovert as I am now to seek out new people and surroundings; rather I preferred stability and familiarity. However, now I fully acknowledge that it would have been a huge regret if I had not taken the opportunity to live abroad, especially in the Middle East. I would like to share why all my days in Abu Dhabi are still on my mind as a whirl of memories that overwhelm my heart.
In reminiscing those from Abu Dhabi that are missed, the first aspect that came across was its traditional atmosphere. The Islamic culture, the Arabic language and food, and even the strong smell of Arabic perfume and the hot, humid weather brought about nostalgic values.
I came to learn about the Islamic culture for the first time mainly through national holidays such as the National Day and Ramadan. It was definitely not a common experience as a non-Muslim to sing along the national anthem every school morning, try on an Abaya, visit the Grand Mosque, and get Arabic Hennas. On the National Day, students were also able to ride on a camel, which I still feel ashamed to never being brave enough to try it. During Ramadan, non-Muslims could feel a kind of solidarity as well by eating and drinking only in certain places in order to be respectful to Muslims.
Moreover, I found the Arabic language very interesting though it was too difficult to become fluent in a short period of time. The pronunciation, various accents and phrases, and the shape of the letters seemed all attractive to me. Also, the fact that there are not many Asians who can speak Arabic made me to have a strong will to learn the language in more depth (yet I should mention that I cannot even make casual conversations in Arabic).
Furthermore, my favorite food that I tried in Abu Dhabi were lamp chops, Shawarma, and Kebab. I remember that they also had fresh salmon and delicious butter chicken curry. Shops such as Waitrose and Carrefour gave me and my family fond memories as well. Likewise, the local features undoubtedly provided me with reasons to love residing in the Middle East.
Now I would like to go into more detail about spending my teenage years with friends from the international school in Abu Dhabi. For years until I finished off grade 11, I met so many people from diverse backgrounds: cultures, religions, and beliefs. This offered an opportunity for me to widen perspectives and insights toward the world.
Some challenges were that I had to be accustomed to the structure of an international school where parting between friends are frequent, and adapt to the new curriculum and academic environment compared to those of Korea. However, there existed more meaningful memories to recollect such as using study halls, mingling with friends at lounges, signing yearbooks at the end of the year, and enjoying the prom.
In addition, I was able to overcome the hard times by emotionally communicating with friends across nationality borders. I believe I was lucky to have good people to laugh and cry with, walk along the beaches, stay up all night talking about the future, and set goals together that give positive influence to each other. I could also develop a more outgoing and active personality – at the same time mature – in passing coming of age abroad. Indeed, Abu Dhabi had been my adolescence.