What if Religion was Life?

Religion is a way of life [here]...

In America, the land of free and the home of brave, we are accustomed to many liberties. Freedom of speech, press, and religion just to name a few. But here in Abu Dhabi, although being a more progressive area considering its geographic location; those freedoms seem...well stifled. Free speech and press, well let's just say I've rewritten and revised these first few blog postings several times. There is lots of monitoring and I'm sure that some of my very opinionated opinions may be frowned upon so I've censored myself. The UAE practices freedom of religion but you better be sure to respect theirs! Religion directly influences culture. Style of dress for example, expat women do not have to cover but are asked to dress modestly out of respect for the culture on daily adventures. [Side note: this seems to go out the window after dark, I see the same club/lounge/bar attire as back home] Modesty meaning no mid-drift, back, or cleavage. Additionally, shorts are also not preferred for women. Now anyone who knows me, knows I love shorts because I have great legs lol! So, needles to say, I haven't worn shorts in public here, only to the pool and beach. However, I digress.
In reflecting on the freedoms of home and juxtaposing them with the present culture in which I've ben immersed, I started down a road of what living in the US would be like if we actually practiced and lived a national religion, while showing tolerance for others. Of course I took the perspective of Christianity because I am a Christian and wholly believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins and was resurrected now sitting on the right hand of the Father.

Below are two practices that I have observed here or researched and what they might look like in the United States:

Prayer in School

UAE - every morning during Tabor (similar to morning assembly with announcements) a student reads from the Holy Quran and the students pray. Students also take Islamic class where they learn about their religion and about the Quran.

America - prayer in our US schools would have an evolutionary impact. To be honest I learned to pray for my students with my friend and team member, Jason Banks, when I moved to PG County. We had a tough (that puts it lightly) group and we prayed for them regularly. And I have seen over the years the great difference it makes in the flow of a school day if I simply pray for my students and over my classroom the morning. God loves the pure hearts of children; if they could pray corporately in school we could easily see an increase in test scores due to reduced anxiety and a severe decrease in school violence. My third grade class a few years ago would regularly ask me if they could pray, to bless their food for class parties or if someone was sick, and I gladly obliged them! Now I never prayed with them, I know that gets sticky and I was not about to risk my job, but I certainly allowed whomever asked to lead the others in prayer.

Closed on Holy day

UAE - Friday is Holy day here. Many Muslims attend Jumu'ah, around noon, for prayer, a sermon, and congregational prayer. During this time many locally owned stores and businesses are closed as well as banks, and some may be closed for the whole day out of respect for the holy day. [Side bar: traffic is soooo much better on Friday mornings, this is the only time that I will go to certain places because its so much less crowded]

America - What stores, other than Chik-fil-a can you think of that are closed on Sunday? Some might close early, but who is closed  for the whole day?? If you can come up with any, its not many! Now I know that Sunday may be the only  time that many people have to shop, but at the very least a delayed opening would be nice! I had an ex-boyfriend who was routinely pulled from church attendance because of work. It bothered me so much because I felt that his job would not have suffered to be without him for those two hours. I know of many others whose only excuse for not attending church is  their work shift. Would it hurt our economy to open stores just a little bit later on Sunday morning? Well...no, I don't think so.

Of the many things I've gained thus far while living in Abu Dhabi, I have developed a deeper respect for Islam. Now don't jump to any conclusions, I am not saying that I will be converting. I just have an even greater respect for the religion because of how deeply it influences the culture. As Americans, we say that we reverence God with "in God we trust" printed on our bills and the Ten Commandments engraved about the Supreme Court, but culturally what do we reflect?


Thank you for partaking in this dose of 'A Journey Along the Journey'! I hope that you continue along the ride, until we meet again...be blessed!


P.S. - I visited the Grand Mosque last week and was blown away by its beauty and grandeur. It got me thinking along another path. What if our churches were as grand as the mosque? King Solomon was given specific guidelines to build the temple and it was beautiful and ornate, made of rich materials from near and far! So why are some of our churches today so jacked up!?

 

A Look In the Mirror (Reflection)

Yesterday I read something that sparked a bit of introspection. It allowed me to think more critically about reflection. I was getting so caught up in the present love-hate relationship that I am cultivating with the UAE that I neglected to genuinely reflect on the forward motion of the last 7 months.






In March 2014 I took a happiness self-assessment. After answering each question as honestly as I could my score was a big fat 'F'! I wore a pretty happy mask at work and amongst my church family; but honestly the monotony of my DC suburban life was weighing on my heart. Newly earned Master's degree, debt surrounding me, and a cost of living too high for my seemingly nice salary, I was drowning in a whirlpool of "what do I do next" and "how does this life become more meaningful."

The article that followed the happiness self-assessment equated our happiness as women with our goals and dreams where the author posed a question, "what dreams have you abandoned?" I immediately thought of the endless internet searches and material gathering during senior year with Justin (my male bff). I wanted to travel the world! I wanted to teach in different countries and gain once in a lifetime experiences abroad! So...what happened?? I recalled when J asked me that exact question 2 years prior in NYC as we waited for friends to join us. My answer...I wanted to get married. Yep, I had abandoned one dream for another. So I sat to ponder...two eventful yet failed relationships later, although both taught me about me myself as well as the opposite sex...what was my excuse? At this junction was there anyone or anything standing between me and a dream deferred?

So, the journey began with applications, interviews, and masses of paperwork. Then on August 19, I received a long awaited email that would change my life forever! An email with my one-way ticket to Abu Dhabi.

The experiences here are still new and unfolding. I've ridden a camel! I've held a falcon on my shoulder then on my head! I've taken a few dips in the Persian Gulf, had conversations with people from places I've never heard of, and tried a variety delicious foods for the first time! And its only just begun! Now I won't make it sound like its been all good. This transition has been rough on me because I'm a creature of habit and consistency. Between the dysfunctions of work and adjusting to so much newness; I've seriously considered up and moving back home on more than one occasion! Often times I still stand in awe at the fact that I sold most of my possessions and packed the rest into 4 suitcases to move halfway around the world. On a daily basis I miss home, my family, my friends, my church, hearing English that I understand lol!

I do not know what awaits as this journey progresses. All I am sure of is that God opened a door at just the right time...and I walked through.

Thank you for partaking in this dose of 'A Journey Along the Journey'! I hope that you continue along the ride, until we meet again...be blessed!

 Dubai mall with Shelley.

The craziest ride ever, flying and bouncing over sand dunes.

At the desert safari...

...and the falcon man insisted the falcon stand on my head.

Camel ride!

Up he goes! He was a stubborn camel!

On the water taxi in Dubai.

Beach mornings at the Fairmont on the Palm.

 Not the best view, but its white sand and clear water so I won't complain :)

Poolside!

 

 At the Gold Souk in Dubai.

13 things in 30 days.

 

September 21 marked one month since I landed in Abu Dhabi! I've experienced a wide range of emotions since touch down, from sorrowful due to missing my family, church, and friends to purely ecstatic joy at my new experiences. As these first 30 days have passed at the beginning of my journey I've encountered many learning experiences. Enjoy the leisurely reading below; some thoughts are more serious than others but its all in good fun! 



1. The first day of school is no big deal.
Yes you read that correctly! All of my fellow educators know the stress that we feel as the first day of school approaches as we organize classroom, populate class lists, and attend endless meetings in preparation. But here, my first day at work was the first day of school, where I had an average of 8 students in each class! And that was no big deal! At orientation they told us, "If you haven't been assigned a school or you just aren't ready to go in on the first day, its okay just go when you can."

2. Christians are NOT the only hypocrites.

 

I feel like Christians get a bad rap for not being perfect...for being human. You know that "hallelujah, thank you Jesus" church lady that is M-E-A-N, or the deacon that loves gin almost at much as he loves Jesus...well these folks exist in every religion. Take it easy on the Christians! lol

3. Brown is brown...IS brown.
I won't go into much detail here, but shades of beautiful brown skin are everywhere and the prevailing opinions on having it seem to follow...

4. I had no idea what heat was!!!
I used to complain about humid 90 degree days in PG county. I recently found myself thinking how it felt nice outside...its 91 degrees at 10pm!

5. Smiles have dollar signs.
I get a lot more smiles and actual HELP in the hotel (where the tips are heinous as well as included) than at...well anywhere else!

6. It's always a beautiful day.
I have yet to see a mostly cloudy or overcast day, much less a drop of rain! I have to remind myself not to take beautiful days for granted.

7. P. Diddy was wrong! More money = less problems.
Aside from the "problems" associated with furnishing a new home. It's interesting to see what poverty means in a country with such great wealth. Our American middleclass is distinctly different that the Emirati middle class. However, the poverty that I've seen has been associated with such abject circumstances that it leads one to wonder...
*Sips tea...but that's not my business*

8.White privilege has no borders.
This has been a lightly debated topic, and initially I was on the side of there being an absence of white privilege here. However, after closer observation I've come to see that the meritocracy of privilege that white Americans enjoy in the United States can also be observed overseas. Although we are surely not at home the old euphemism "white is right" still seems to hold true. 

9. I'm American.
My father asked me recently if I considered myself to be Black or American. Prior to living here my answer was proudly, "I am black." BUT as of late when asked my answer is "American." White privilege has no borders and Americans as a whole seem to reap the benefits of that.  American privilege carries a certain...tone. I've witnessed someone's entire demeanor change when they heard my American accent.

10. Black women are the ish!
I have met countless black women here that I consider to be movers and shakers that were too fancy for their homes of origin! Us newbees are pretty cool, but the women that have been here for over a decade and have created businesses and made lives for themselves! Now that takes guts and I tip my hat to those sisters!!

11. America is relegated to New York and Los Angeles.
Simply put, all of my local students and other adults for that matter (with the exception of one banker that I met that said he lived in Charlotte for a few years while doing business with Bank of America) have only the knowledge and pretty pictures of NYC and LA. And not to mention they look at me like a two-headed monster because I haven't been to LA!

12. No addresses!
I do not have a physical address...no one and no where has a physical address! Seriously...I don't know what street I live on. What the what!!

13. I don't need street names to find my way...or GPS for that matter.
No street name..no problem! No GPS...no problem! Now to be honest, I've gotten lost several times and called my bff to help me navigate these streets. BUT the many times that I've figured it out on my own is pure awesome! I found out that my since of direction is even better than I knew!



Thank you for partaking in the first dose of 'A Journey Along the Journey'! I hope that you continue along the ride, until we meet again...be blessed!