Reflections from home: There are no foreign lands

 “There are no foreign lands. It is only the traveler who is foreign.” - Robert Louis Stevenson

Considering Stevenson's perspective, the countries we travel to are already familiar with themselves... it is just the traveler whom is not familiar with it. We tend to first see the world with our own eyes and then through the eyes of others. Consequently, when we travel, we strive to gain the eyes of the locals. Doing so changes us from the inside out. Throughout my time in the U.A.E., this quote served as a healthy reminder that America does not encompass the world and that I am just one person in it.

Want to know more about the U.A.E. and Abu Dhabi? Here's some trivia about each. 

The United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.)
http://visiting.definitelydubai.com/why-dubai

1.     "The sun shines almost every day."

2.     Archeologists unearthed hundreds of artifacts, including pottery, weapons, and coinage. These are dated back to the third millennium B.C.

3.     The U.A.E.'s culture is rooted in Islam.

4.     Almost every neighborhood has its own mosque (our host family's compound did).

5.     In a single day, "the tourist can experience everything from rugged mountains and sand dunes to sandy beaches and lush green parks, from dusty villages to luxurious residential  districts and from ancient houses with wind towers to ultra-modern shopping malls."

6.     The hottest months are between June and September, when temperatures can hit 113 degrees Fahrenheit.

7.      More about the U.A.E. at the CIA's World Factbook: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ae.html 

Abu Dhabi:
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/abu-dhabi-facts/

1.     The population is approximately 1,600,000. 

2.     Languages include Arabic and English.

3.     Religions include Sunni Islam and Shiite Islam.

4.     The Abu Dhabi emirate is slighter smaller than Ireland.

5.     Abu Dhabi's growth came with the discovery of oil in 1958. Less than twenty years later, the United Kingdom ceases its treaty arrangement and the seven emirates of the U.A.E. became fully independent. 

6.     Abu Dhabi has many lush hotels, skyscrapers, and business opportunities. 

7.     Islamic heritage is undeniably important to the people.

8.     The country has much beauty aside from the stretches of desert. 

9.     More "fast facts" about Abu Dhabi for tourists found here: http://visitabudhabi.ae/en/getting.here.and.around/facts.and.essential.info/fast.facts.aspx

10.    Check out the amazing photography towards the bottom of the website above.