Submitted by Emily Jimenez on the 2020 winter session program in Dubai sponsored by the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering…
It has been a full week in Dubai as of today and it has been amazing. I have learned so much in and out of the classroom. One of my favorite parts of the week was when we went to The Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding. I learned more about the Arab and Muslim culture here. I did not expect it, but women seem to have more privileges than men. For example, women can go into the men’s prayer, but men can’t go into women’s prayer. Women can also pray alone and anywhere, while men must pray in groups or go to a mosque. Also, while women are on the menstrual cycle, they can skip fasting, and it is the woman’s choice to cover up, they are not forced. On the metro, they have about two cars towards the end that are just for women and children, allowing more space for when the station is packed.
On top of the culture, I had a chance to see all the beautiful buildings. I saw the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa! We went in a helicopter ride to see all of Dubai and the Palm Island. We had the opportunity to go in the biggest frame in the world, the Dubai Frame. It was about 492 feet up and had a glass floor! This week has taught me so much about their culture and how Dubai loves to dream big!
