Day 9 and 10 - A Yacht and Al Ain

Post by classmate Sean Crossley

On Tuesday, January 5^th, we returned to the AUE, for two consecutive lectures.

The first presentation, titled “Marketing Strategies for Fast Moving Consumer Goods in the MENA Region” was given by a representative of Proctor and Gamble’s Corporate Communications department in the Arabia Peninsula, Mr. Alex Malouf. Mr. Malouf was a very engaging speaker and focused on the general concept of branding and marketing as well as specifics from Proctor and Gamble. He indicated that the main concept of branding is to get a consumer to try a product whereas brand building is targeted at getting consumers to keep using a product over time.  P&G has 26, billion dollar brands so it is extremely important for their company to build a strong brand framework to communicate P&G products to its consumers. Malouf mentioned that P&G is currently undergoing a couple of product spin-offs (ex: Duracell) so that the company can focus on its core markets. He also discussed the importance of sustainability and how P&G continuously tries to find ways to recycle its waste and defective products. Recycling actually serves as a profit center for P&G. P&G recycles its defective unused Pampers by selling the cloth materials to farmers to retain water and also by selling the plastic components of the diapers to the oil and gas industry. Malouf indicated that when introducing a product and brand to a new region, it is important to breakdown the “who”, to understand the culture of that area and to localize the product and find an appropriate local brand ambassador. With respect to the MEAN region, Malouf mentioned that the MENA society is very engrained in habits and customs which requires companies to be very patient while introducing a new product.

The second speaker was Dr. Sawsan A.S. Al Madhi, Director General at the Friends of Cancer Patient Society. Dr. Sawsan gave us an overview of healthcare management in the UAE indicating that the health service in the UAE is comprehensive, fully funded by the government and that there are two type of laws concerning health care: federal laws and specific laws for the Emirates. The federal law is administered by the Ministry of Health and the specific laws are under different jurisdictions of the Emirates; examples include Health Authority – Abu Dhabi (HAAD), Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Sharjah Health Authority (SHA). The overall health in the UAE is quite good with most of the normal health statistics being close to those of 1^st world, developed countries. There is easy access to clean water in urban/rural areas, life expectancy is 76.8 and people die more of non-communicable diseases (hear disease, cancer, diabetes) than anything else. Dr. Sawsan gave us an overview of the health authorities and cited the strengths and weaknesses of each. She indicated that although the health system in UAE has been quite success for all of its constituents; the main health challenge facing the UAE is the supply of specialized surgery and other health centers.

After these lectures, our class departed the AUE for a buffet lunch at the InterContinental in Dubai-Festival City. The President of the AUE, Profesor Muthanna G. Abdul Razzaq, joined us for a few minutes, thanked us for our partnership with the AUE and presented us with gold, AUE pins. Following our scrumptious lunch, our entire class chartered a private yacht for 3 hours to tour the Marina district. Among the sights were the skyline of the Marina district and the famous Burj Al Arab. Definitely an incredible way to end the day!

On Wednesday morning, our class departed for a full day at Al Ain, the second largest city in Abu Dhabi. We first ventured to the camel market, where locals participate in trading live camels. Unfortunately, when our bus arrived to the camel market, we were told that we were not allowed to enter and although our professor made several attempts to negotiate our way into the camel market, we were told by the guards of the camel market that there were new rules in place that prohibited us from visiting. We found this strange as there were clear signs for “tourist entry” but we had no other choice but to turn around.

We next ventured up Jebel Hafeet, a very high mountain in Al Ain. We made two stops for photos and sightseeing: one in the middle of the trek up the mountain and one at the very top of the mountain. When we reached the top of the mountain we saw impressive views of Al Ain and many, many miles of barren desert as well. After our tour of Jebel Hafeet, our class went to the base of Jebel Hafeet where the hot springs were located. The hot springs were actually divided into two buildings; one for males and one for females and basically served as a bath house/pool for the locals. Some of us paid 15 durhams to enter but only spent about 10-15 minutes inside of the hot springs as the water was very warm.

When we returned to Abidos, the rest of our evening was open. Some of us visited the Souks again to buy gold, daggers, pashminas, try on our fitted suits and dress shirts etc. while others went to the Global Village. The Global Village is a large theme park attraction for tourists and locals alike in UAE and is considered to be the Disney Epcot of the Middle East. It features exhibitions of over 75 different countries and has many different kinds of restaurants, shops, and carnival-like rides for visitors.

Day 8 - Tea at the Burj Al Arab

We began our day with a seminar at the American University in the Emirates. Our speaker, H.E. Jamal Saif Al Jarwan, was unlike any of our previous presenters. He had no formal structure or even a presentation at all. We spent 2 hours firing questions at him regarding leadership, investments, and more. I don’t know if we lived up to our reputation as a “tough group” (his words not mine), but I did find everyone’s ability to rally and ask pertinent questions impressive especially considering the night before was Tim’s birthday celebration.

Following the lecture, we went back to the hotel for a quick break then off to the Burj Al Arab. On our many nighttime excursions, we were able to see the hotel from afar, but up close the hotel truly lived up to it’s seven-star reputation. 

Prior to entering, the only warning we received from Dr. Sohail was “the water does stuff, you’ll see.” Well, it did and it was awesome. We walked around the main lobby taking pictures of the “water shows”, for lack of a

better word, and went into some of the high-end stores. The staff was kind enough to let some people try on expensive watches and jewelry that none of us could possible afford now, but fingers-crossed maybe someday. Someone in our group did make a bold purchase, a gold-encrusted dagger, sorry to call you out Chris…

Finally, we ventured up to the 27^th floor (really the 54^th since every hotel room is a duplex) for tea in the Suha Boardroom. During our time there, we were gifted with a tour of one of these rooms. In my opinion, it was one of the most lavish rooms I have ever seen and obviously we had some fun there.

We then returned for tea, well, I feel like I am misleading you here with the word tea because I, in fact, never drank any tea. Really it was multiple courses of absolutely the best food I’ve ever had in my life. Since it was so good, I don’t feel like I would be able to do it justice. Actually I know I wouldn’t, so I’m handing this blog post over to our trip’s resident food critic, someone who truly missed his calling in life (no pressure), Tim Herrman. All you Tim!

Tim's Flog (Food Blog):
The place settings were like something out of a British polishing school. As I struggled to remember which way you should work your utensils (outside to in? Inside to out?), the loud pop of champagne bursting caught my attention. As our server delicately filled each of our flutes with an unwavering hand, my mind in conjunction with my stomach, began to fantasize about the journey my pallet was about to embark on. The first course was a pouched green apple sorbet with a white chocolate webbing to cleanse the flavor profile. This aesthetically delightful provided a complex sweetness which was complemented expertly by the tartness of the green apple. 

The next course was a beautiful contradiction to the first. As an elegant array of miniature sandwiches was placed in front of me, a battle ensued in my mind over which to try first. The cucumber and cream cheese on a white bread won the fight. The green of the cucumber cut through the soft tones of the bread and cheese like a sharp sail through angry winds. The cucumber also provided a refreshing crunch, through the dampness created by the coalition of the other two ingredients. The next petite sandwich that caught my eye was a salmon concoction on a circular croissant. The croissant donned a playful hat of some pink landing topped by what appeared to be caviar and golden shavings. The flakiness of the breading paired well with the richness of the fish and allowed for a breathable dish. There were several other parcels on the plate that seemed uninspired, but expertly prepared. 

The third course was the paramount of the entire meal. When the crescent shaped bread with a healthy topping of salmon and cheese was bequeathed upon me, I could tell that my mouth was about to partake in something special. The gooey cheese formed a partnership with the salmon and sat on the cheese almost akin to brie. The porous nature of the bread provided the perfect vessel for such a savory topping. The rich and robust taste danced in my mouth leaving nothing to be desired. By the time my plate was cleared, even of crumbs, I began to lament how fleetingness of the encounter and longed for more.

The final course was a choice of several different deserts. I chose a chocolate torte to accompany through the sadness of finishing the previous, tantalizing treat. The only criticism that I had about the entire experience is that I was actually never offered any tea. At one point, our server came about and offered us coffee- but that was it. Overall- the time spent in that beautiful room, surrounded by an even more breathtaking view, far surpassed the high expectations that I had for that afternoon.

Day 6 - Welcome to 2016!

Happy New Year!  After a fun night out most of us took advantage of the free day and slept in.  Once we finally got out of bed we headed for the beach for a little recovery rest and relaxation.  We decided to check out Baristi Beach Bar at Jumeirah Beach.  I was blown away by the fact that you could see an amazing skyline to one side and the beach to the other.  We enjoyed food and buckets of Corona and hung by the water for most of the day.  Not a bad way to ring in 2016!

Skyline side

Beach side

The Baristi Beach gang

Day 4 - Sharjah and Desert Safari

Another early start to the day, we hopped on the bus at 8am to head over to Sharjah, the land of museums (seriously there are 15).  We started out at the Sharjah Heritage Museum. Our tour guide walked us through the various aspects of the Emirati lifestyle, such as life in the desert, birthing rituals, childcare, medical practices, wedding ceremonies, and funeral customs. The gallery culminated with a video depicting the story of an Emirati girl who selflessly gave her life to find water for her sister. 

During the visit one of our members who donned (or should I say tried to don) the traditional thobe for the visit was informed he was, in fact, wearing the undergarment section of the thobe on his head. Thankfully, due to the generosity of our tour guide, this was quickly rectified!

We then had some free time to enjoy the rest of the Sharjah area. Being the fun-loving group that we are, some played on the swings and seesaw outside of the museum.

Then we took off to explore the area. First up, and of particular torment to me, was the bird and animal market (I’m terrified of birds). Lucky for me, this was just a quick stop before the Sharjah Souks and then lunch.

By about 1pm, or a little later thanks to those who broke off to get their names written in calligraphy, we began our journey back to the hotel. The latecomers were let off with some light booing on the ride back probably because we were all a little jealous we didn’t get our names written in calligraphy, or at least I was.

After our break, we headed out on our way to a desert safari, complete with dinner, camel rides, dune racing, and henna tattoos (this one was just for the girls).  I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves there!

Day 2 - Heritage Tour, Class, Out on the town

Jet lagged but filled with adrenaline for the first full day, we hopped on the bus at 8 am to depart for the Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU).  Upon arrival we were greeted by our host, Mr. Nasif Kayed.  Nasif really made the experience as he was funny, informative and insightful.  He encouraged us to ask the question "why" as we discussed numerous topics such as history, culture, religion.  The slogan at the cultural center is "Open doors. Open minds" giving our group an opportunity to really open up and ask questions we had all been wondering about the Arab world.  A few things that I found interesting are as follows.  Fisrt we learned that pearls were the original trade item.  Next we viewed the different types of houses begining with those made with goat hair, then palm tree leaves and eventually coral.  A common curiosity was about the dress - which we learned are called abayas (for the women) and thobes (for the men).  The people dress the same for unity.  According to the Quran one must be modest, not materialistic and they try to limit distractions by covering womens hair/knees/shoulders.  Following the tour we enjoyed a delicious brunch where we were served dates, coffee and traditional Emerati food.  We learned that they serve coffee and dates before meals as an act of hospitality.  Little did I know, coffee dates back to the 15th century originally from Yemen.  This was a great way to begin the trip!

Lunch at SMCCU

Group Tour at SMCCU

After lunch we headed to our host university, AUE, for two seminars.  We first heard from Professor Nabeel Jurdi,  Provost/VP for Academic Affairs.  Professor Nabeel gave a lesson on how to negotiate in the Gulf.  He stressed the importance of finding a common denominator between the two parties and establishing a friendship rather than looking at them as competition.  Once the lecture was complete we had a mock negotiation between two classmates.  After a quick tea break which also included sandwiches and dessert (common among "tea breaks" here) we received a presentation from Mr. Dimitris Floros, Global Corporate Account Manager, Global Sales for Emirates Airline.  His presentation was very informative, giving us a solid understanding of the brand and how it competes in the ever changing airline industry.

Mr. Floros lecture at AUE

Running on about 4 hours of sleep each we decided why not go out and explore the town.  We headed to the Dubai Mall area for dinner and drinks.  We wound up at the most American bar you could possibly find called The Claw.  We also got our first view of the amazing fountain show (that puts Vegas to shame) and the extremity that the Dubai Mall is.  The crowd was a melting pot of people, the most interesting thing to me was seeing little kids up so late at night.  I'm exhausted just writing this and can't wait to see what is in store for tomorrow!

Day 1 - Arrival Day

Our travel lasted about 17 hours and 30 minutes, a long day to say the least.  Our program participants gathered at the Philadelphia Airport at 7:30 am, with a take of time of 11:15 am.  The first leg of our journey was a 12 hour flight from Philadelphia to Doha, Qatar, which meant we arrived in Qatar at 6:45 in the morning with a connecting flight to Dubai taking off at 8 am.  We deplaned, rushed through a security check point and navigated to our next gate.  Fortunately we had enough time to sit down, some people found water and snacks, before boarding.

The next flight from Doha, Qatar to Dubai, United Arab Emirates was a little over an hour, arriving at 10:10 am. Our next step was to clear immigration, which easily took an hour.  Between our flight and many others coming into the airport there were hundreds of people waiting to move through.  As we slowly trickled out of immigration we collected our bags, exchanged or withdrew money, stopped at the Duty Free shop and congregated until we had found everyone.  Fortunately, no ones bags were lost over 6,000+ miles of travel.

We found Dr. Sohail just outside of the arrivals and preceded to the bus.  At this point, my body was completely confused on what day and time it was.  We arrived and checked into our hotel, 4 people to 2 bedroom apartment, and then headed upstairs for a quick lunch at the hotel.  Our next stop was a program introduction at the American University in the Emirates. And then finally, and as an attempt to beat as much jet lag as possible in the coming days, we headed out for a group welcome dinner.

Dinner was a three course Lebanese meal at Kan Zaman in the Al Shindagha Heritage Village, which is on the banks of the Dubai Creek. First were a tapas style appetizers, everything from hummus and tabouli to chicken livers and falafel stuffed with beef and pine nuts.

Next was an array of grilled and roasted chicken, beef and lamp, followed by a dessert of semolina and sweetened cream cheese.

Finally, the group ordered several different flavors of shisha and relaxed until departure at 10:30 pm.  We all rolled into our beds around midnight and caught some much needed sleep.