Assalamualaikum everyone, this is the last part of the UAE series.
In this blog, I will share with you the bittersweet end of my journey from Day 6 to 8, the days leading up to my departure from the program and my return to Malaysia.
Day 6, 17 March
The closing ceremony was a day of mixed emotions. It marked the end of our program, and everyone would soon leave for their respective countries. It was a day of joy as we all had the chance to reflect on the experience we had over the past few days, but it was also a day of sadness as we realized that we would be saying goodbye to each other soon.
The speech ceremony was the highlight of the day. Every representative from each university had the opportunity to take the stage and share their experience and review the program. As the moment approached, my heart was filled with emotions. I remember writing down my experience on paper, trying to hold back my tears, but it seemed like it was no use.
When it was finally my turn to speak, I could not hold back my tears. It was hard to say goodbye to people that I had grown so close to over the past few days. I could not control my emotions as I spoke. But as I looked around, I saw the faces of all my new friends, who were cheering me on. They gave me the strength to continue with my speech and share my experience with everyone.
As I spoke, I mentioned quite a few names of my friends, Hira and Haleema. Alhamdulillah, but somehow, I managed to deliver my closing speech with a red face, signalling the tears that had fallen.
After that, we had a voting session for the best volunteer and participants according to a few categories. The room was filled with excitement and anticipation. However, I was in the process of calming myself down, when suddenly I heard Shi Yi saying to Mohamed "I couldn't believe that you won the award for the Most Reliable Volunteer", and then Mohamed just make me laugh with his reply "Where's yours?" to Shi Yi as she didn't receive the award yet. Haha, I was like chuckling while thinking "Wow, that savage!". Allah!
After the awards ceremony, we all gathered together for a group photo. As we hugged each other tightly, I couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness knowing that our time together was coming to an end. But the day wasn't over yet, as we were allowed to visit the Renewable Energy Lab of UAEU. It was a fascinating experience as we toured the Department of Integrative Agriculture, where we learned about aquaculture fish. It was amazing to see how our knowledge from our respective fields could be applied in such innovative ways. It was relatable to me as I am a Biotechnology student.
However, their aquaculture setup was bigger than my college. Therefore, it was interesting to walk around while learning more. The greenhouse was massive, and the ecosystem inside it was awe-inspiring. They practice aquaponics where they cultured tilapia fishes, and then filtered the water and used it to grow wheat and tomatoes. The greenhouse has the whole ecosystem inside it.
In case you are wondering know how aquaponics work, you may refer to the picture below:-
They have cultured plants using a similar concept.
Next, hold onto your hats, folks, because this part of my journey in UAE was nothing short of exciting! After the Friday prayer, we set off to Dubai which was a two-hour journey. As we drove, I was bored sitting behind as everyone around me was asleep. Therefore, I walked to the front, only to find Hira and her friend talking about shopping and "Haggling".Haggling is like manipulating the seller to sell a product for a cheaper price. This practice is very common in Desi and Arab households and I knew I had to try it out for myself.
However, the really exciting moment was when we saw a glimpse of Burj Khalifa from far in the bus when we were discussing Burj Khalifa and how it would be hard to observe it from Global Village. It was apparent that Burj Khalifa is indeed the tallest building compared to the nearby buildings.
As we arrived at Global Village, the sights and sounds continued to amaze me, with different sections for various cultures, representing everything from food to souvenirs. When we walked into the Global Village, Maryam surprised me by telling me that she had prepared a souvenir for me, which I treasured and kept with me until now. She is indeed a sweetheart!
And let's not forget the impressive haggling skills of Mshary, Humaid, and Salman, who managed to haggle and buy a product with a 40-50% discount! The funniest part was Salman being excited and exclaiming to everyone that he managed to get a huge discount for a pair of clothes in front of the seller. The seller was shy because of him. Hahah. We had our last dinner together at the Al Romansiah restaurant. I couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness knowing that our time in UAE was quickly coming to an end.
After our meal, Haleema, Hira, and her friend talked about checking out some abayas, but the prices were exorbitant (expensive) compared to what they should be. The souvenirs were also priced sky-high. When we returned to the buses, it was time for the Sri Lankans to leave, and saying goodbye was difficult. I didn't want to cry in front of them and make them feel worse, so I tried to hold it in. But as I watched them waiting with their bags, my tears started flowing, and I had to move to the back of the bus to hide them. Cris noticed and asked why I was crying, but I couldn't explain. I distracted myself by listening to Salman's haggling tips, which were quite entertaining. I have seen people haggling before but it was my first time, for someone to give exact tips to haggle. Later, I joined Fatima and we talked about our backgrounds and shared stories. We even talked about the celebrity that I saw at Global Village, Archana Gautam. Haha!
When we arrived at the hotel, we said goodbye to everyone, and hug each other. It was saying goodbye to Haleema, Hira and Hassan at that time, but we have to!
Day 7, 18 March
Today was a rollercoaster of emotions - I woke up wanting to stay in my room and just explore Al-Ain today. This is because I wanted to avoid joining the others who will be going back today via Dubai Airport, including the Saudis. However, I ended up joining the others on a trip to Dubai to see the Burj Khalifa. After leaving the hotel, we all headed to Dubai Airport together, but I was surprised to find out that the Saudis' flights were in the evening.
This meant they would be able to join us for the Dubai metro ride. It was my first time riding the metro in Dubai, and the train was packed with people (it must have been during rush hour). Our destination was the Dubai Mall, but I was hesitant to go and questioned Cris about it. He compared it to Suria KLCC and Petronas Twin Tower and convinced me to go.
As soon as we stepped out of the Dubai Mall, I was amazed by the stunning sight of Burj Khalifa. We took some photos before grabbing some food at the mall's enormous food court.
After lunch, we headed to the Bur Dubai metro station. Little did I know that the same train we boarded to go to Bur Dubai would also carry the Saudis directly to the airport. It was a sudden realization that hit me hard. I couldn't hold back my tears as I bid farewell to them. They were one of the kindest, most friendly and gentle people I have ever met.
However, once we exited from the Bur Dubai station, we saw a huge souvenir store in front of us. I guess it's true what they say about shopping makes you feel better, because I bought a lot of souvenirs there (not just for myself, but for my family too). After that, we went to Al-Seef to see the old Dubai. The place was very picturesque and beautiful. From the bridge in Al-Seef, you can witness the combination of old and new buildings that symbolize the progress of the UAE over the years. Next, we headed to the nearby bus station called Al-Ghubaiba, where we could catch the bus back to Al-Ain. Amazingly, while we were walking to the station, we stopped at a clothes shop where I found a simple abaya that suited me in terms of size and height. I bought it as the price was acceptable. Finally, I had something for myself that would remind me of the UAE again.
Our experience at the bus station was full of surprises and challenges. Despite arriving early to avoid the long queue, we still had to be careful of people cutting in line. We were shocked to see a man taking money from a passenger to exchange seats with him. While Cris was infuriated, I explained that such scenes were not uncommon, and some people are skilled at making money from others' weaknesses.
P.S: The "view" in Al-Ghubaiba station
Despite the chaos, we managed to secure a spot on the bus and rushed back to the hotel. To our relief, the dining area was still open even though it was almost 11 pm. We sat down for dinner, silently reflecting on the day's events.
DAY 8, 19 March
As I packed and unpacked my bags, trying to fit in all the souvenirs and memories from my time in the UAE, I couldn't shake off the feeling of sadness that had settled in me.
To distract myself, I switched on the television and stumbled upon my favourite actor, Nakuul Mehta's show dubbed in Arabic. I couldn't help but burst out laughing at the sight of Mr. Kapoor played by Nakuul Sir, in a completely different language.
P.S: How Mr Kapoor sounds in the Arabic language
p.s: How Mr Kapoor sounds in real.
However, after checking out from the hotel, Cris and I engaged in a deep conversation about our journey and everything we had experienced, learned and felt during our stay in the UAE in the car. As we reflected on our time there, it dawned on me that I was leaving a different person than the one who arrived. Alhamdulillah, it had been a transformative experience.
Review: What have I learnt from these days?
- Friendship is made from the heart.
- It is important for us to enjoy the moment, rather than worrying about what will happen. As worrying will only ruin the moment.
- If you get a chance to express yourself, just grab the chance because if I have not stepped on the stage to share my feelings, I will always regret it.
- Grab every chance we get to learn something new.
- Don't be shy to cry. Crying is not a sin.
- Always grab a chance to say Goodbye even though its hard.
- Explore, travel and learn about the country that we have travelled to.
- UAE is truly inspiring in its approach to sustainability. It's heartening to see how a country has harnessed the power of the sun to promote renewable energy. From solar panels on buildings and ships to vast solar panels in the desert, the UAE has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and preserving our planet for future generations.
Let's try to identify the solar panels in each of the photos below:-
Overall, this trip was an eye-opening experience for me, because it taught me about the importance of gaining knowledge not only for ourselves or our careers but for the world around us too. It is also important to know that it is not enough to acquire knowledge but also to use it for the betterment.
In addition, I believe travelling to different countries can be an excellent way to learn about how they are working towards sustainability, and I believe educational trips like this one are more effective than personal ones. When we travel in groups, we are exposed to the locals, new information, cultures, and a fusion of different expertise, which we might not get on solo trips.
I still remember how I was able to share my biotech knowledge when someone asked about aquaculture, and others shared their knowledge in architecture and engineering. It was a unique and rewarding experience to learn from each other. Finally, I have developed a deep affection for UAE, and if I ever have the opportunity to come here again, I will do so with an open heart, ready to learn and be inspired once more.
Credit: I want to express my gratitude to my friends who shared their pictures with me and helped me remember the names of the places we visited. I also want to thank every single person who made my journey to UAE memorable. I also want to thank Google and more. Haha.
Alhamdulillah.
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