Busy Weekend for IXO Students

Our incoming students are deeply involved in the vibrant life at AUS. Over just one weekend, a number of them volunteered to teach CleanCo English classes, participated in the AUS Model Congress, and took part in Al Dhaid's bedouin documentary filming. These endeavors allowed our students to try something new, hone their skills, meet new people, and have fun!

CleanCo English Class

David and his students

David Daugherty is an international business major who joined us this semester from Cedarville University, OH, USA. A few weeks back, he volunteered to teach one of the free English classes provided to the CleanCo staff at AUS. "I wanted to give back to those who give so much to this university," he said. "As I began to settle into my time in the UAE, I met so many amazing workers who do whatever it takes to provide for my needs. Whether I was enjoying a cortado at a local coffee shop or relaxing in the cleanliness of my own dorm room, I owed so much to those unseen heroes. As such, I jumped at the chance to meet more friendly faces and help them practice a skill that may help them in the future."

David himself got a lot out of teaching the class: "I honestly had so much fun. I really like leading discussions and public speaking. I enjoyed getting to know each of the students' personalities and skill levels as we practiced new vocabulary together. Who knows, maybe I'll be a full-time instructor someday! I still see those guys around campus and they repeat to me some of the words that we learned together. I know that learning a language can be difficult so I'm really proud of them all. They seem like hard workers and I hope that my efforts at least helped them gain some confidence."

"Sure, my one class didn't change anyone's life - I just want to take every opportunity possible to draw attention to their dignity as fellow human beings, worthy of all the same respect that they've shown me. I wish them the best as they move forward!"

AUS Model Congress

Rachel Iverson at the Model Congress

Several of our students and IXO team members took part in this year's AUS Model Congress. Rachel Iverson, our incoming international relations major from Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN, USA, served as Vice President (co-chair) of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. "At my home university, I have been an avid participant in Model United Nations and Model Arab League through my school’s United Nations International Relations Club, at which I served as an executive board member last year," she said. "I had never participated in a Model Congress and it sounded very fun. I was torn on taking part in it but I’m so glad I decided to participate as a chair."

Rachel and fellow committee members

"I got to work with amazing teens and young adults ranging in age from 12 to 22 in my committee. My participation allowed me to serve as a role model for the young delegates as well as to make lifelong friends with people from all over the world."

IXO team members Bayan Al-Masri, Zara Khan, and Elizabeth Atork also took part in the AUSMC. Bayan, an IXO publicity specialist, played the role of Vice President of the National Security Council. "My role enabled me to guide the sessions with my co-chair, the President, as well as take part in debate with my delegates," she said.

Bayan at the AUSMC

Bayan decided to participate in the Model Congress because it is unique in this region: "AUS does the only Model Congress in the region, and this is only the second year they do it - yet we hosted over 1,000 people for the weekend it took place. Being able to help moderate and elevate the experience for our delegates was something I'm truly proud of having been a part of."

Bayan and fellow committee members

When asked what her favorite moment of the AUSMC was, Bayan said there were numerous moments to choose from. "Perhaps my favorite one was watching a delegate challenge a chair (a notion unique to Model Congress) and debate him over his decision," she said.

On the other hand, our peer advisor Zara served as an Attorney in the Supreme Court and even won the Distinguished Delegate award. "I was a petitioner for Planned Parenthood and a respondent for the Federal Circuit Court," she said.

"[Through delegating at the Model Congress], I gained great public speaking and debating skills. Attorneys were questioned on the spot, so I also learned how to articulate arguments off-the-cuff. Through the research I had to do in order to prepare, I also got a lot more exposure to various laws and issues that are relevant not only in the USA but also globally. Moreover, it was a great opportunity to meet different people and make new connections."

Zara with her Distinguished Delegate award

Al Dhaid Bedouin Documentary Filming

This semester, Al Dhaid invited our students to participate in the filming of their documentary about international students experiencing the bedouin lifestyle. Our students got to do lots of exciting things as part of the filming, including riding camels, going to a shooting range, watching camel racing, and visiting a museum for classic cars.

At the shooting range

Kenzo Scheerlinck, our Fall 2019 student from Loyola University, Chicago, IL, USA, experienced a first during the filming: "I loved riding a camel around. It was a blast, considering I'd never done anything like that before," he said. He also greatly enjoyed talking with Mr. Khalifa: "He was a very interesting person who knew so much about everything!"

Kenzo riding a camel

All that over three days - our students are clearly making the most of their time here!


Suzana Saoud
IXO Publicity Specialist

Nathan Zolynsky, Incoming Summer 2019 Student

Nathan Zolynsky

Nathan Zolynsky joined us for the Summer 2019 semester from Central Michigan University, MI, USA. He studies personal finance planning and Spanish, and he stayed in the UAE for around six weeks. Nathan wanted to make the most of his time in a foreign country; for this reason, he went on a gastronomic mission to try as many new foods as he could. He also explored various locations within the UAE and even took a flight to Turkey, and all of those experiences expanded his worldview on this region.

So why did Nathan pick the UAE as his study abroad destination? "When a lot of people study abroad, they go to places like Italy, England, and other places in Europe, and I kind of wanted to be different. I also wanted to take courses that would complete my major [requirements], and AUS was a place I found that was able to offer me a course I needed," he said.

Exploring the UAE

"I've liked it a lot here," Nathan said. "Although, it's hotter than I expected. I knew it was going to be hot, but I didn't quite realize it was going to be this hot. But it's great, and there's lots of things to do in Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and other places." Nathan went to many spots in the UAE with IXO: "We went on a day trip to Abu Dhabi, we went to Yas Mall, Qasr al Watan, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the Dubai Mall and the top of Burj Khalifa." Nathan also made some trips independently of IXO: "I've gone places with some [other] study abroad students; we went to the Jumeirah Beach, and I've been to the Dubai Marina and the City Walk. I really liked the Dubai Marina, it was very nice to walk around, seeing the water," he said.

Interior of Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi

Burj Khalifa in Dubai

On a (Food) Mission

During his time in the UAE, Nathan had a mission to try foods that weren't going to be readily available back home. "I wanted to try as many different foods as I could [while I was here], because it's more authentic here, and I think the food is also cheaper than in the USA," he said. "Ordering out and getting something I don't know is almost like Christmas to me, because I kind of know what I'm going to get, but I don't really know, it could be very different. So, the other day, I ordered shish tawook, and that's all it said on the menu on Talabat, and I said OK, I know what that is. But it was around 42 Dhs., so I thought it's more on the expensive side, so it must not just be the chicken. So when it came to me in a large box, it had the chicken, it had fries, hummus, some garlic sauce and bread, so it was a lot more than that so I was really excited," he laughed. "And it was really good. Every time I get something, it's different."

Nathan even keeps track of the foods he's tried on a list. He has his favorites and not-so-favorites: "Of course, shawarma is really good, I've tried the different kinds from different places. Koshari is also really good. I didn't exactly know what it was, but it was recommended to me and I really enjoyed it. Fatteh was also great. I've also tried fūl, but I didn't like it too much. Maybe it's better mashed? I've also had some chicken mandi and some other Indian food like butter chicken, and the biryani has also been really good. And I went to McDonald's and had the McArabia, because I can't have that at home," he said.

Mandi lunch on an IXO outing to Old Dubai

Trip to Istanbul

The diverse foods that Nathan had in the UAE reflect the international nature of the country. Another thing that illustrates this is the ease of travel from the UAE: "Being this far from home has given me the opportunity to also go to other places that are more accessible," Nathan said. "I just got back from Istanbul in Turkey [where I stayed] for just under three days. I was able to see most of the city, which was beautiful. It's very different from Dubai, which is more modern since it's come out in the last 30 years, whereas Istanbul has been around for 1,500 years. Being able to see the [Sultan Ahmed Mosque] and Galata Tower, and try their food as well, it was a really good experience. And also to get out of the heat a little bit; the weather was definitely a lot cooler. I know there's a lot more of Turkey that I haven't explored, so I would definitely go back," he said.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul

Nathan at Galata Tower in Istanbul

Travelling Solo

Nathan experienced solo travel for the first time during his time abroad: "It's been interesting because I made some friends while I was here, but I've mostly been travelling alone, which isn't something I've really done [before]. Whenever my family has been lucky enough to go on vacation, we go as a family, and this has given me an opportunity and forced me to just be with myself and not be hanging out with others all the time. So it's kind of an opportunity for a little introspection, to be able to like being with myself," he said.

Nathan in Istanbul

"But I also realize that I need human interaction as well," Nathan adds. "You can't just sit in your room by yourself all the time. It's nice to talk with other people as well, and I like hearing what other people think about the USA, what they had to say about our government, culture, people, and what they think we are like."

Cultural Shock & Lessons Learned

Nathan faced some cultural shock during his time in the UAE, but it was positive in a way: "I knew this was a diverse country, but at least in AUS, I've been shocked at how many different nationalities there are. Everyone is seemingly from a different place, and in the USA I feel like we're kind of taught - whether it's intentional or not - that the whole Arab world is lumped into one box, when in reality, the different cultures and nationalities are all very distinct," he said.

So does he recommend studying abroad in the Middle East? "I would recommend it, especially if you're from the USA, and you want to get a [broadened] worldview," he said. "Because in the media, we're fed mostly bad things about the Middle East as a whole, and saying 'Middle East' is a very blanket statement; it's a large area of different cultures, not just one Middle Eastern culture. The USA is supposed to be a melting plot, but where I'm from, my hometown and university, is [not very diverse]. So getting to do things and take classes with people who are different from me has been a good experience, so I can now be more comfortable when I'm around other people. Being here has definitely opened my eyes to this part of the world."

Nathan would love to return to the UAE in the future. "I would like to come back in a while, not soon, because I want to see the development. I know how much this country has developed in 30 years, and I want to see where it is in a while. I'll definitely come back in the winter," he laughed.


Suzana Saoud
IXO Publicity Specialist

Iftar with an Emirati Family

Catherine and Zsofia show off their henna painting from the iftar

Iftar is one of the most important gatherings for Emiratis and for Muslims in general. Every evening of Ramadan, at the sound of the sunset call to prayer, the family sits down together to break their fast. To be welcomed into a family's house for iftar shows trust and generosity. Two of our incoming Spring 2019 students got to have this precious experience when they were invited to an iftar dinner at the house of Maha Al Shehhi, a local Emirati woman. Zsofia Slamani from Simon Fraser University, Canada, and Catherine Kachman from the University of Alabama, USA, enjoyed an authentic Emirati iftar with Maha and her family complete with mouth-watering food, henna painting, and most importantly, traditional Emirati hospitality and generosity.

Dr. Linda Angell, the Director of IXO, fixed Zsofia and Catherine up with Maha, who is a friend of IXO and an AUS College of Engineering alumna. Maha often hosts expats like IXO students in her Ajman home, and Zsofia and Catherine got in touch with her to coordinate to attend her family's iftar on Tuesday, May 21.

Zsofia and Catherine were nervous about going to the iftar at first. "We went to Spinneys and got flowers and a fruit plate as gifts," Catherine said. "We then took our taxi there, and we were very nervous. When we walked in, we were blown away by how nice their house was and how welcoming they were. From the moment we arrived, they were so sweet and nice; they made us comfortable. And then, more of [Maha's] family started arriving, and it felt like we were at a genuine family gathering, like it was any normal iftar with their whole family."

Catherine noted how this family gathering differed from her family gatherings back home in the USA. "We live so far away from each other in the USA; my nuclear family is in Maryland, but my aunts and uncles are in Florida, Michigan, Nebraska - all over the USA. So we never had the more ‘casual’ iftars together because everyone’s so far away. In contrast, when we went to the iftar at Maha's house, everyone knew what was going on in each other’s lives and they were much closer with their cousins and aunts. I also think they were much more comfortable and very honest with each other because they see each other so often. It was nice just to see their family and how open they were. Aside from the two of us, there were also journalists there who had no real relation with the family, and the family were just as nice and generous with us as they were with them. They made everyone feel very part of the family."

"For people they've never met before, they treated us exceptionally amazing," Zsofia agreed. "For me, the best part of the iftar was the overall atmosphere, being so welcomed, being taken in like it’s nobody’s business." Catherine added that she enjoyed just being around the family even after the dinner was over: "I really enjoyed afterwards, when we were all sitting on the couch, drinking chai, tea, or coffee, and just hanging out," she said. "They did our henna, and we just talked about the strangest things. Maha's mother put on an Emirati TV show that only comes on during Ramadan, and we talked about different cultures and how it is in the USA and Canada. I really enjoyed doing that because it felt like a nice hangout session."

So how was the dinner itself? "The food was amazing," Catherine said. "They had so much food, these big bowls just stuffed with chicken and rice, and it was so, so good." The girls described the delicious harees they had, which is a traditional Emirati food made of wheat and lamb. "They also gave us freshly-squeezed kiwi juice, which was amazing!" Zsofia said. Catherine enthusiastically agreed, saying, "I know, I know, it was so good!" They also recounted eating little samosas, salads, mandi-style chicken with rice, and a stew with lamb, carrots, onions, and eggplant. "I had the best dates I've ever had in my life," Catherine said. "I put this date in my mouth and it tasted like silk!" she laughed. "I was like, is this actually a date right now?"

The iftar spread

I asked the girls if they felt like they became friends with the family, and they passionately spoke over each other to agree. "Oh yeah," Catherine said. "Not just friends. We cried when we left!" Zsofia agreed, saying, "They told us, 'You don’t just have friends in the UAE, you have a family, you have a home for when you want to come back,' and you could tell they were 100% genuine about it." Catherine piped up: "[Maha's] mother was the world's sweetest person. Both Maha and her mother were so kind and opened up their home and held nothing back. During the taxi ride back, we were so emotional. I couldn't believe we were just now meeting these people," she said. Zsofia agreed, exclaiming, "We've been in the country for four months!" Catherine continued, "Exactly! Imagine if we had met them our first week. I feel like we would've been hanging out with them every week. And then, just considering that we had just met them, how kind they were was just shocking."

Maha and her family made sure to give the girls a good view of genuine Emirati culture throughout their visit. "[Maha's mother] said something along the lines of how as Emiratis, their duty is to introduce people to their culture and way of life," Zsofia said. "She heard that some people had been in the UAE for lots of years and they've never even met an Emirati family. She said, 'As Emiratis, we're the minority, and people are coming to our country, so it's our job to teach them about our way of living.' So they see it as a responsibility, and they were more than willing and happy to do everything they did for us."

For more about Catherine and Zsofia's iftar at Maha Al Shehhi's house, check out this (Arabic) news article by 24Media.


Suzana Saoud
IXO Publicity Specialist