January 3, 2010: "A Whole New World"

Last night on the way back from seeing Avatar with my best friend, we swapped expectations for our upcoming semesters. I gave my standard rundown on my internship and my understanding of Dubai and Sharjah. "All expenses paid. Classic motor yacht. Mostly drawing organization. Living within walking distance of work. Sharjah is the most conservative emirate. Radically different from life here..."

That's where I caught myself. I've probably explained this internship to fifty different people, and each time I've managed to gloss over the "radically different" part. As we talked more in the car, a second conversation began in my head. I began to realize the gravity of traveling to a foreign land with a truly foreign culture. It sounds trite, but I actually started to consider the things that I take for granted here in the states. Walking around town. Speaking freely. Visiting any website without fear of censorship.

My internal monologue abruptly lapsed back into visions of a magic carpet ride in a whole new world. There's an adventure awaiting me in the UAE. There will no doubt be a two-month interruption of my typical American life complete with its dietary and lifestyle habits, but the opportunity is unparalleled.

Posted in: anticipation,censorship,culture