Working Across Continents: Islam Al-Qaisi's Story

Islam Al-Qaisi

We always love to catch up with our former team members about everything they've done since we last saw them. Islam Al-Qaisi is our former Peer Advisor and an AUS chemical engineering alum who graduated in 2015, and he dropped by the office for a chat a couple of weeks ago. He is a commercial manager at Kpler and a former employee at an international oil company called Total, and these jobs have taken him around the world from France to India to South Africa. Islam says he's become a better person for it, and he traces these opportunities all the way back to the skills he learned during his study abroad in 2013-14 and his time at IXO.

During his study abroad at Montana State University, MT, USA, Islam developed communication skills that have come in handy no matter where he goes. "I've traveled to Turkey, India, France, and many other countries to do business. My job requires me to meet government officials, CEOs, and senior managers. Communicating with these people requires good interpersonal skills, and I have been blessed enough to acquire those skills from my study abroad experience, as I can comfortably speak with others from different countries and whatever their seniority level," he said.

In Paris, France

Emotional intelligence has been one of the most important skills Islam acquired during his study abroad. "Understanding someone else's point of view, especially coming from a different culture, is a useful skill to have in the real world," he said. "I have traveled and lived abroad for professional work in South Africa. My time there was an opportunity to immerse myself in the culture and the people. South Africa is known for the diverse ethnic backgrounds of its people, and I was able to be friends with everyone."

At a safari in South Africa

It is important to Islam to be a good representation of his culture when he travels. "I always remain an ambassador of my principles, my culture and my religion whenever I travel abroad. I value letting people understand where I come from and clearing their preconceptions about being someone from the Middle East," he said.

Working at IXO helped Islam develop several professional and personal skills. "From the professional side, I've gained better communication and interpersonal skills, I've learned to work smart instead of work hard, and I developed time management, risk management, and good planning skills. As for the personal aspect: life became more positive. Public speaking became easier. And I became more family oriented since I felt the difference when I was living independently abroad."

Islam looks back at his time at IXO very fondly. "I always brag about being a Peer Advisor at IXO - I always say that this is where teamwork happens. It was an unforgettable experience; it's always been fun times working at IXO. I worked with an amazing team, and we still go out together for reunions. I remember the good reviews I got from the study abroad students at the end of the semester, which still helps me until now. It gives me the motivation to keep getting better."


Suzana Saoud
IXO Publicity Specialist

Volunteering, Interning, and Seeing the World: Suhair Remzi's Study Abroad

Suhair at an internship event

We have recently welcomed back Suhair Remzi, who is an Ethiopian international relations major who studied at George Washington University, WA, DC, USA, for the academic year 2018-19. She is joining our ranks at IXO this semester as a volunteer Peer Advisor. Suhair now says she divides her life into "before GWU" and "after GWU"; she had truly dynamic, diverse experiences during her time abroad that changed her as a person. Suhair's study abroad gave her the opportunity to do fulfilling work at Action for Hope, the Eurasia Center, and AIESEC, all of which gave her skills, confidence and experience closely related to her degree in international relations.

During Suhair's first semester at GWU, she participated in a leadership training program that, coupled with the study abroad experience itself, inspired her to take full advantage of all opportunities that opened to her during her time abroad. "The leadership program allowed me to come out of my comfort zone and put myself out there," she said. "It taught me the essential skills and techniques I need in order to handle challenges from different perspectives. Through the program, I got the opportunity to get to know myself more by exploring my qualities and testing my self-confidence and emotional intelligence."

With leadership program coordinators and classmates

That summer, Suhair did a two-month internship at Action for Hope, a USA-based non-profit organization that supports children and women in Africa. "My experience at the non-profit was beyond amazing. The organization aligned with my interest in international development, specifically youth and women's empowerment in Africa. The internship offered me a hands-on experience on non-profit management, proposal writing, and strategic planning and research."

She then went on to intern at the Eurasia Center for six months, during which she worked as a research assistant in their new Africa program, "Uplifting Africa," with a focus on their women’s program in Sub-Saharan Africa. She says that this was a truly enriching and interesting experience: "I not only gained skill sets that would allow me to pursue my interests and advance in my career, but I also learned so much about myself. I was able to see my potential in the work sector and reflect on my strengths and weaknesses. Working at the organization allowed me to know what I actually want to do and the cause I want to work for. Thus I believe my internship at the Eurasia Center was a valuable experience that has influenced the course of my life."

Throughout her time in Washington, DC, Suhair also gained the invaluable experiences of volunteering at the World Bank and IMF Headquarters. "I [met] officials from all over the world," she said. "I attended international events and conventions and networked with high-ranking professionals from my field. In addition, I was able to have an amazing experience with the wonderful people I  met and the exciting trips I made to places like New York, California and Georgia."

And just this last summer, Suhair was an AIESEC volunteer in Italy, where she taught English to Italian children and worked on a social farm, among other things. She got to travel around Italy quite a lot, spending time in several different cities and towns. She speaks very passionately about her time volunteering: "My AIESEC volunteer experience in Italy truly transformed me as a person," she said. "The journey has touched my heart and granted me wonderful experiences with the new knowledge I have gained, the captivating places I have traveled to, and the amazing people I have met. Moreover, it led me to test my physical and professional abilities and allowed me to learn a lot more about my career and my personal life. Traveling to Italy for the volunteering made me more confident, optimistic, and fearless and gave me a global mindset and a different vision and perspective towards my life."

Volunteering in Italy

All of these various experiences have informed Suhair's major in international relations. "As an international relations student, I definitely believe that studying abroad has allowed me to have a better understanding of my major. First of all, it was fascinating taking international relations courses in a different university and attending classes with people with a different understanding of the world. Having those discussions gives you the opportunity to see things from a new perspective and it allows you to have a more well-rounded and global mindset. Furthermore, one of the main skills necessary in international relations is the ability to adapt to new cultures, peoples and environments. Studying abroad definitely allows you to gain the adaptability skills needed to work in a dynamic and ever-changing environment."

Suhair says that studying abroad is what opened these opportunities to her and encouraged her to take them: "After realizing my capabilities in the program, I started putting myself out there and I began truly being open to trying the things I am interested in. Since I became confident in my skills and my ability to contribute in new environments, I had no fear of going for the things I wanted to pursue."

Reflecting on her time abroad overall, Suhair says that it fundamentally changed who she is as a person. "My study abroad program was one of the best experiences I've had and it has hugely impacted the course of my life. Before my study abroad, I was not the most sociable person and I did not always try the things I was interested in. However, I can now truly say that I have become a person that enjoys meeting new people and is willing to try all the things I am interested in. I became more independent, optimistic and open-minded. Moreover, the experience has given me the confidence and the strong belief that I am able to achieve anything that I set my mind to."


Suzana Saoud
IXO Publicity Specialist

Himo Owais, Water Design Engineer at Jacobs and Former IXO Peer Advisor

Himo during his time abroad in the USA

Many graduating students worry about securing employment once they're out of university. Competition is high in today's crowded job market, and employers favor candidates with useful skills and experience. Ibrahim "Himo" Owais is a former IXO Peer Advisor and AUS civil engineering graduate who recently landed a job as a water design engineer at Jacobs in Dubai. Himo's study abroad at Virginia Tech, VA, USA in Spring 2018 and his subsequent work at IXO helped him gain job skills and international experience that helped him find work fresh out of graduation.

Himo said his semester abroad at Virginia Tech helped him develop intercultural skills: "Studying abroad made me get out of my comfort zone and helped me realize my strengths and weaknesses that I never realized I had, and this made me learn more about myself and get to work on the weaknesses I saw in myself," he said. "Moreover, Jacobs is an international company so being able to adapt to different cultures and getting to tag along with others are essential skills for them and studying abroad helped me learn these skills easily."

Beyond gaining skills, Himo also racked up work experience during his time abroad: "I worked part-time at the dining hall in Virginia Tech. This was a great experience as I got to meet different types of people from different backgrounds. It was a huge learning experience and a plus on my resume which I believe helped me a lot in getting the job."

Working at IXO after returning from his study abroad gave Himo professional skills and a second family: "More than just an experience [listed] on my resume, [working at IXO] taught me a lot. Being a Peer Advisor and an Event Coordinator taught me a lot of stuff that I know I will use in the professional world. One of those things is that my colleague Sawi and I took full responsibility for the events for incoming students, which I believed is a lot of pressure because the incoming students' experiences counted on us. And I'm proud to say that all the events went smoothly and all the students, including us, the Peer Advisors, enjoyed them. Other than that, I had the opportunity to take full responsibility for projects given by Dr. Linda, such as the orientation [for incoming students] which was a long project and was successful. This made me way more confident to explain to the interviewers that I can handle responsibility with ease and without hesitation. Another skill which is important, especially as an engineer, is being a team player, and working with a team such as the IXO team helped me and taught me a lot. I never thought I would get to call a team from my job as a family but I'm more than proud to call my IXO team my second family."

Himo has global goals for his work at Jacobs: "Working at Jacobs will help me prosper as an engineer and I know that I'll learn a lot from it as it is well-known globally in the field I'm going to be working in, which is water design," he said. "Other than that, one of my short-term goals is to go the other offices of Jacobs around the world and get to learn the applications of water design in different countries and regions, because that will make me stand out from other engineers."

Finally, Himo is very grateful for all the experiences that have gotten him to where he is today: "My experiences during my study abroad and as an IXO Peer Advisor are the reason I got this exciting job offer from Jacobs which will give me a great push in my career. I couldn't be more happy and proud of myself that I got out of my comfort zone and actually took the brave step to go abroad. Overall, this was a one-of-a-kind experience and the best experience I've had so far and I would never trade it for anything!" Thank you for all your contributions to IXO, Himo, and we hope good things always come your way!


Suzana Saoud
IXO Publicity Specialist

How Study Abroad Brings Graduate School Opportunities: Dinete and Vishnu's Stories

Dinete Kollanur and Vishnu Narayanan are two of our former Peer Advisors who have recently been admitted to graduate school in the USA and Australia, respectively. They have both spent a semester abroad and started working at IXO after returning to AUS. Dinete and Vishnu told us about how their experiences abroad have given them the skills and opportunity to attend their graduate schools of choice and how their work at IXO has helped them prepare for graduate school and the professional world.

Dinete at a football game in South Carolina

Dinete is an accounting and business/management alum who studied abroad at the University of South Carolina, SC, USA, in Spring 2016. He will now be pursuing a Master of Tourism Administration with a concentration in sustainable tourism development at George Washington University, DC, USA. Dinete said his semester at the University of South Carolina gave him the motivation and skills to pursue graduate school abroad: "Studying abroad at USC instilled in me the desire to go abroad and study further in another country as I had a wonderful study abroad experience and it made me learn to be more independent, responsible and most importantly, to adapt outside my comfort zone. Some skills that I would say I picked up were being organized, sticking with a routine every day, cooking skills which I thought I had none of, and the ability to talk to a stranger and have a conversation, as I was often an introvert."

For Dinete, the perks of study abroad when it comes to graduate school started as early as the application process: "While I was applying for my study abroad application, I developed the skills to do research on the university that I was interested in," he said. "[These skills] helped me shortlist some good universities [for graduate school] like GWU. After I got accepted into GWU, the process that I had to do of filling in forms and documents to the university was similar to what I had to do once I got accepted into USC [for study abroad], such as [filling in] immunization forms and forms for a student visa, payment types, course registration, orientation about studying in the USA, and so on. I had previously completed such forms while studying abroad and it came in handy when submitting my forms to GWU for graduate school as I knew the process beforehand."

Moreover, his study abroad directly helped him in getting graduate school opportunities: "To begin with, I did get admitted into USC's graduate school program, but I thought it would be nice to try out a new university where I hadn't been before," he said. "But yes, studying abroad in the USA [allowed] my character to develop in a new country and this was highlighted when I did an interview call with GWU's representative. Also, by now, it's [well-known] that the more international background you have, the more likely it is for people in schools or even at companies to accept you, as we are all moving towards a diverse and globalized world. For me, showing that I had studied abroad in the USA helped me get into graduate schools in the country, but I'm sure even if you had studied abroad in Europe or Asia and applied to the USA or vice versa, your chances of getting accepted would be better than if you hadn't studied abroad."

When Dinete returned to AUS from his study abroad, he started working as a Peer Advisor at our office, and he said this experience gave him an advantage in the professional world: "[At IXO], I was able to demonstrate great team work and communication skills," he said. "As a tour guide for visiting delegates, I was able to present myself and converse with higher level managements with more confidence and courage. Time management was another skill that I picked up working as a Peer Advisor at IXO and I was also able to improve my Microsoft Office skills by doing certain projects at the office. In terms of whether it helps in graduate school, I'm sure that working in IXO will definitely help me settle down in a new city and new university. This is because the experience we Peer Advisors had in settling other incoming study abroad students at AUS will come in handy, such as some of the tips we gave them regarding being responsible, adjusting to a new country and so on. Being around a diverse faculty and students will also help me have no barriers when it comes to making friends at GWU. I have also been in contact with some former GWU students who had studied abroad at AUS, and they have been quite friendly and welcoming to their university."

Dinete has long-term goals that he would like to achieve through obtaining a Master of Tourism Administration at GWU: "After working for two years in an e-commerce tourism company called Tajawal in Dubai, I preferred to stick in the same industry and I have certain goals that I would like to achieve in the next 10 years. As I have a passion for travelling and exploring new countries, I would like to help others also achieve my same passion in developing countries in South Asia, South America, Eastern Europe and other areas of the globe where tourism is still not fully developed. I would also like to encourage people from these countries to explore more from outside their boundaries by making travel cheap, safe and convenient for everyone so that the people from these countries can bring different ideas from outside their countries and help develop their economy."

Vishnu in the Netherlands

Vishnu studied abroad at Maastricht University in the Netherlands in Fall 2017. He worked as a Peer Advisor at IXO ever since returning to AUS until he graduated in Spring 2019 with a major in finance. Vishnu will now be pursuing a Juris Doctor (J.D), a postgraduate law degree, at Sydney Law School at the University of Sydney, Australia. He said studying abroad at Maastricht University was one of the most enriching experiences he's ever had: "I can always go on about the number of things I got to learn and the different perspectives it's given me on various things. However, what I would cherish the most from my study abroad experience, and what I think would help me the most as I leave for graduate school, is the self-belief I gained with respect to taking care of myself. Growing up as an only child, especially in a city such as Dubai, I always doubted my capabilities to live the independent life. During my semester abroad I was able to gain the skills and capabilities necessary for taking care of myself. These skills are what I believe have made the aspect of doing graduate school in a place I've never been to, such as Australia, less daunting," he said.

Like Dinete, Vishnu's experience with filling out an application for study abroad helped when the time came to apply to graduate school: "The application process for graduate school was a bit more sophisticated than the study abroad application," he said. "However, having done the study abroad application, I was able to understand the importance of being patient with applications, as it's important to take your time and complete the required forms without any mistakes. This made my graduate school application a lot easier."

Vishnu's time abroad had a significant effect on his decision to go to graduate school in Australia: "My study abroad experience led me to meeting students from across the world, and a handful of the friends I made happened to be from Australia," he said. "Before meeting them, I was quite unaware of what life was like down there, but thereafter, they changed my perspective on what it's like in Australia. It was through them that I got to know how inclusive, diverse and exciting life is in Australia and I do believe this had a huge impact on my decision to choose my destination for graduate school."

Through his time working at IXO, Vishnu got a glimpse of the professional world: "Working at IXO was a great experience, one that I'll always be grateful for. I joined the office so that I can urge others to have the same experience as I did. But working in this office let me do so much more than just that. It gave me a chance to meet and interact with people from different parts of the world, every semester. The people I met through working in this office helped me understand things from a different perspective. Moreover, I was able to build wonderful relationships with my colleagues, to the extent that this office had become my home away from home. Hence, after working at IXO, I was able to gain great insight into what working at a professional environment may be like and the importance of keeping the relations with your colleagues."

Vishnu is thinking internationally for where he wants to go from graduate school: "Sydney Law School is considered as one of the most prestigious law schools, not just in Australia, but across the world. The course is meant to last three years, and during these three years, I look forward to learning, entering the field of law and hopefully working full time in Australia by the end of it. I would also be keeping an eye on international opportunities that would allow me to travel around the world."

With the skills and experience they gained from their study abroad and their time working at IXO, Dinete and Vishnu were able to earn their spots at graduate schools which will help them immensely in furthering their academic and professional careers. Thank you for your contributions to IXO, Dinete and Vishnu, and warmest congratulations for your success! Here's wishing you good luck for a bright and prosperous future!


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

Dr. María del Pilar-Blanco Parra, Ph.D., Marine Biologist

Every semester, AUS hosts scholars from various fields to do research at our university. Dr. María del Pilar-Blanco Parra is one of those scholars, and her field of research is one of the most unusual ones we've seen yet. Dr. Parra is a marine biologist and researcher at the University of Quintana Roo in Mexico. During her stay at AUS from May to June, she contributed to research about fish by sharing her experience in the field.

Why AUS? 

Dr. Parra is originally from Colombia, where she obtained her bachelor's in marine biology at Jorge Tadeo Lozano University in Bogotá. She later earned her master's and doctorate from the Institute of Limnology and Marine Sciences at the National University of Mexico. Dr. Parra came to AUS for one month to participate in research on fish led by Dr. Ivonne Bejarano at the Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences. "We wanted to share our experiences, because I have some experience on this kind of research on fish. So we wanted to sum these two experiences to do it better," Dr. Parra said.

This is Dr. Parra's first time in the Middle East. So why did she choose to come to AUS specifically? "I met Dr. Bejarano years ago, so I just wanted to come here to share with her and learn more about the research that is going on here at AUS," she said. She says the people at AUS were very welcoming and accommodating when she arrived. "It was a really, really good time and I greatly enjoyed it, because from the first moment I arrived at AUS, the people here were really kind and they gave us all the things we needed," she said.

Research on Sharks 

Dr. Parra told us about some of the experience that she brought to the research at AUS. "I did research on one island in Mexico that has a large population of white sharks," she said. "We went there to dive with the white sharks, and it's amazing because people have misunderstandings about sharks; they think it's dangerous to be with a shark, but it's really not. The 'problem' with sharks is that humans sometimes occupy their space, so the sharks fight for their place. When you are [diving] in the ocean, there are no lights, so you can't see if an area is the house of a shark. But they're not an especially aggressive species; they're just like any other wild species."

Why is she so passionate about studying sharks? "Well, sharks are amazing animals," she said. "They have lots of different forms and environments that they live in, but they are also extremely susceptible to fisheries or habitat destruction. The biology of some shark species are similar to mammals, not to fishes, so they live long and are very susceptible to environmental changes." Laughing, she adds, "And also because I like the danger! I have the opportunity to dive with them, and that's amazing."

Studying marine life is not just interesting; it's also practical and useful. "I mainly work with fisheries to understand what amount of fisheries the populations can afford. In this kind of research, we want to know more about the biology of the population to help the government make management plans and things like that," Dr. Parra said.

Exploring the UAE

Although Dr. Parra only stayed in the UAE for one month, she got to experience and see much of what the country has to offer. "We tried to use our free time on the weekends to do all the things we wanted to do," she said. "We went to Dubai and Abu Dhabi and did a safari. My favorite place was the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi; it was amazing. And another thing I really enjoyed and liked was the culture. We're from South America, where there aren't many Muslim people, so being inside of this culture was really nice and we learned a lot. I feel like I wish I had maybe two more months here, but we need to go back because I'm here with my husband and kids. My husband is also a researcher and he was working with researchers here too."

Dr. Parra said she didn't experience culture shock when she came here. "Before we arrived we were reading and doing research about the culture, and Dr. Bejarano told me the [do's and don'ts], so we were prepared. When I saw the culture in front me, it wasn't shocking, but just different, and I hoped not to do anything to offend anyone. But people were very kind to us. Even when we went to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, we just had to wear a scarf and that's it. I liked it because I think it's beautiful that they preserve these cultural things, and I learned a lot about how things are done here."

What's Next?

Dr. Parra would love to return to the UAE and the Middle East in the future. "I really like the Middle East, so I would like to go to a different country in this region. I'd really like to go to Jordan; it's on my checklist! But I loved being in the UAE, so we are looking for an opportunity to maybe come back here for a longer time, maybe a year. We were talking with researchers here and trying to maintain this collaboration, so maybe in the future we can come back here and stay for a while."

As we wrap up the interview, Dr. Parra said, "This really was a wonderful experience. I don't have anything bad to say about it all." Even the weather? "Yes," she laughed, "because I live in Mexico, which is also a very hot place." She goes on to say, "I just want to thank everyone here because they made a great experience for me, and I really hope to come back in a year or so. There's a lot of things to do, and I really want to explore more places here."


Suzana Saoud
IXO Publicity Specialist

Grace Morales, IXO Advisor and Newly Elected Member of ISEP Council of Advisors

Grace Morales

Our staff here at IXO are constantly looking for ways to promote study abroad and make it more accessible for both incoming and outgoing students at AUS. Grace Morales is one such staff member. She is our Advisor of International Exchange Programs, and in this capacity, she manages all of the incoming and outgoing study abroad programs at AUS. This year, Morales was elected to serve on the ISEP Council of Advisors for a three-year term. This position will give her the chance to contribute her ideas to improve aspects of ISEP, break down barriers to study abroad, represent AUS students and their challenges at ISEP, and more.

First of all, ISEP stands for International Student Exchange Program, and according to their website, they are "a non-profit educational community dedicated to helping students overcome the financial and academic barriers to study abroad." AUS has been an ISEP Member Institution since 2010. The ISEP Council of Advisors is the elected voice of the ISEP member community, where Morales will be representing ideas from regional and AUS perspectives. So what does she hope to bring to the Council? "I would love to serve the Council to contribute to ISEP’s continuous improvement efforts, including easing the application process," she said. "I often encounter concerns regarding the application from AUS applicants and have workable ideas for improving the system even more."

Morales also wants to focus on breaking down academic and other barriers to study abroad, because as she said, "[A]n important goal for AUS is to facilitate increased numbers of outbound students." Morales also wants to use her position at ISEP to encourage more students to come to the UAE and study at AUS: "I am very keen on meeting and working with ISEP and its constituents around the world. I will be able to convince ISEP members to send more students to AUS. Their students would not only learn academically here but rather they would also see how the UAE is a melting pot of different cultures and beliefs."

In this way, Morales said, her presence on the Council will benefit IXO and AUS. "I will also be able to represent AUS students well when it comes to the challenges they are facing when they apply to ISEP," she said. "I will ensure that they are brought to the attention of the Council so we could come up with feasible ideas to overcome them."

Why does Morales, and IXO at large, work with ISEP in particular? "By collaborating through the ISEP Exchange Program, studying abroad has become so ‘accessible’ and affordable – it opens the world up to our students," she said. "Our students pay the same tuition fee [that they pay] at AUS and get the benefit of studying abroad. We believe that ISEP is dedicated to helping students overcome financial and academic barriers to study abroad and will continue working hand-in-hand with them to achieve that goal."

Ultimately, Morales' work as an Advisor here at IXO and her upcoming term on the ISEP Council of Advisors come from a passion for giving students the experience of studying abroad. "I am interested in facilitating study abroad for students since I would like to let them know that there is a good return on investment when you study abroad. You broaden your professional network, learn a new language, become more independent and resilient, and a lot more. It also opens opportunities for graduate/master/doctorate studies. When students study abroad, they become a magnet to employers," she said.

"In addition, what could be more rewarding than when they come back elated and fulfilled, and partly because my team and I had made this happen for them?"


Suzana Saoud
IXO Publicity Specialist