DP World: Some Comments

So what is a typical American in Dubai's perspecive?

Most of the Americans, here at AUD, see the hoopla in the states over the takeover of six US ports by Dubai Ports World as just a bunch of thinly veiled politics. A chance for politicians to get some air time before elections. "How could intilligent people overreact so much?" we've been asking. Below the grandstanding this is largely about America's distrust of Arabs as a people. "They're all bad guys," we seem to think. The outcry against the deal is based on many naïve and unwarranted fears.

Most people don't know that the UAE is the most liberal of all the Gulf Countries, and a great partner on the war on terror--one of the most pro-US countries in the Middle East. While the Arabs here are always a little peeved at the US for some reason, at the same time they still love us. They like our movies, coffee, music, business practices, cars, television, food, universities, cities, landscape, and pretty much everything else about us. Dubai is westernized to the extent that I have to continually remind myself that I'm not back home or in Europe.

Even if this country was more conservative/fanatical, it still doesn't discount the fact that a corporation is taking over these ports. Corporations (and most people in Dubai, it seems) want one thing: to make money. I think the US can find no better partner than a company who's profitability depends on free and unhindered (by war, or bombs, terrorists, or whatever) flow of goods into our country.

I find two things ironic in all this. The first is that the democrats and the White House have switched sides. Hillary Clinton is suggesting legislation to block ports from being run by foreign firms, a super America-First stance usually reserved for the right wing. And Bush is arguing for the softer 'let them trade' position. One that placates Arab sentiments and reinforces our image around the world. Something we heard non-stop from John Kerry in his 2004 campaign. The second irony is that, in our rhetoric, we are holding the UAE government responsible for the fact that terrorists on 9/11 used private banks and airlines in the UAE, but we, at the same time, try to tell the Arab world that the Dutch government has no proper ability to apologize for cartoons published in their private newspapers. Seems like a double standard to me.

Singing in the Rain

So I woke this morning with a start--some big crashing sound. My first thought, honestly, was that one of the surrounding construction sites just suffered a horrible accident. But then in a few moments the crashing sound happened again. This time I couldn't deny that it was the sound of thunder. I threw open the window to let the steady droll/patter lull me back to sleep. Instead I was entertained by regular hoots, hollers, and singing-in-the-rain splashing from celebratory locals--thrilled at the treat of this once a year downpour.

So I finely got up to discover what the storm had left in its wake. Well, the parking lot is a lake. The desert safari has been cancelled. Dorms are flooded. Traffic is nuts. People stand around staring. All this reminds me of a foot of snow in Minneapolis... or an inch in Seattle.

Standing in the gulf at night.

Gripes and The Desert Flyer

So the cover story of the current campus paper "The Desert Flyer" is about us jolly Americans on vacation here in the Middle East. Some of us got phone calls a couple weeks back and, as Allison put it, tried to be as diplomatic as possible. Most of the comments of mine that made it into the article involved trifles like campus size and lack of cultural activities. Here's one interesting tidbit: none of the Americans were willing to comment on the academic quality and standards of AUD. "Its too soon to tell" we said in unison (without even coordinating our stories beforehand.) I avoided the question by saying I would need more time to compare AUD with my university at home. To be honest, at the time of the interview, I had my doubts--now they've been confirmed. Let me explain:

So AUD's got problems. It's a mix of students who don't apply themselves and transient faculty. Right now over half of my statistics class is getting an F. I can't believe it. How could over half of a class flunk? Part of this comes from a particularly difficult prof, but most of the responsibility rests on the students. Many of them either don't come to class or simply don't do the work. Cheating at AUD is a BIG problem. During a group project, one of the Saudis in my group began our meeting by phoning his friends to get finished projects to "refer to". When I asked him about it, he said that everybody does "it" here. He went on to tell me how he cheated on a final for one of his previous classes. Cheating seems casual, almost assumed. I keep getting the impression that many of the students don't particularly want to be here. Their parents perscribed an education and they're more interested in having fun. This attitude broadly affects the faculty. There's a pretty high turn around rate here. For instence, Eric Benson, the senior member of the business school faculty, has only been here a little over a year. The administration understands this weakness and is working to draw better more permanent faculty. They just finished an 11 story housing complex (which is VERY nice) on the back corner of the property for faculty. This should help with retention by removing the hour and a half commutes from their work equation. Of course things aren't so simple. Do I need to qualify obviously broad generalizations? Read the title. This is a gripe session. Yes, I have met great professors, administrators, and students here at AUD. This school is still in its infancy. Give it fifty years and I'm sure many of these issues will have dissolved.

Let's hope there is no follow up article. I won't be able to dodge the question so easily next time.

Sunset at Qurum Beach, Oman

Blog Neglect Syndrome

Yes, I am guilty of blog neglect. I admit it. I suppose part of my delemma is the complexities of my thoughts about this place aren't sorting themselves out neatly into blog posts. The longer I am here the more complex those thoughts are becoming. So this thing could spiral out of control. It seems like I've been skipping stones across the surface of things and hey that's fine. I could continue with the I-went-here, I-did-this-or-that kind of posts, but I had planned this blog to consist of that and more, and I suppose I haven't caught my angle on the whole thing yet. So, yes I went to Oman last weekend. I had an awesome time. I have pictures to prove it. But I haven't been able to get below the surface of it. What is Oman? Who is Oman? What is my take beyond the acid free scrapbook club page? I liked Eric's post on Oman's history as a country. Greg summed up the play by play with great commentary. Allison, well, she's awesome. So, what can I say? ...umm.

The syndrom continues...

Maybe Chris summed it up best.