One step at a time, wherever these adventures lead.: Week 4

First time with Iftar

This past Tuesday, I had the pleasure of attending my very first Iftar dinner which was hosted in Sama Tower. The security guards (who were fasting) were taking their dinner break and my supervisor and I were invited to join them. They had picked up meals from a mosque near Madinat Zayed which is one of the locations closest to Sama to host a large tent for Iftar; they always bring a few extras to share with their colleagues. Getting the invitation was such a humbling moment. It was an honor to share this tradition with the staff.

At first I did not know how I was supposed to act: here I was at the dinner table, the only female in the space and I was concerned about the Iftar etiquette. A dinner spread was ready on a medium size table in one of the side rooms. When it was time, we all devoured 3 dates followed by samosas, fruit, desserts, chips, bagel like bites, chicken and rice, sodas, Laban Up Milk (which tasted more like a plain yogurt), fruit, and desserts.

Apparently every day, the mosques provide different types of food. The day before it was lamb and rice. Through dinner conversation, I learned that fasting is a way to be humble and promote peace; when you begin to feel hungry, this is a time to think about people who are less fortunate and have to live without many resources. This why it was important for Muslims to share the Iftar with others; typically the meals are shared with family, and this was an extension of Islamic hospitality.

One gentleman also describe eating after breaking the fast as 3 stage process: food, water, breathing. Sometimes one takes up more space, which is why it is important to take your time to nourish your body. Next meal will take place between 3am-4am then they fast through 7pm. The conversation over Iftar was so lighted hearted; it was intertwined with conversations in Arabic and English. We even shared jokes about comparisons between Thanksgiving dinner to Iftar.

Because we were the guests, the staff would not allow us to clean up the table. When we reached out, it seemed like a major faux pas to assist. The guards did invite us for future Iftars in fact, Sama Tower will be hosting a public Iftar in the dining hall on August 23^rd for the NYUAD staff. If I am available, I will make an appearance.

Preparation for the arrival of our staff

Part of the welcoming process for students at NYUAD, is to provide greeters and transportation from the airport. A grid of approximately 6 pages outlines all arriving flights for our incoming student body-316 people. To the best of their ability, a travel company works with NYUAD to coordinate the arrival times. With people flying from around the world, some including multiple transfers, this is not an easy task. Thankfully several staff members are able to assist and be present to greet the students once they arrive at the airport. This includes arrivals at Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports.

I had the pleasure of participating in this rotation. A car picked me up from Sama tower and took me to the airport; I was escorted by a travel ambassador who was there to provide support and communication with the airport staff. The first flight did not land until 12:45am and the next at 2:30am. One resident assistant (RA) was coming from Argentina and another from Pakistan. Between these flights I stayed at the Abu Dhabi Airport Starbucks to pass the time. This gave me an opportunity to enjoy a small coffee while getting a glimpse of the various travelers i.e. people watching. Since it is Ramadan I could not listen to my mp3 player and honestly this was the best way to pass time. When it got around 1am, the next option was reading a book. Also I had no internet or WIFI access!!! The bonus in this experience is the opportunity to meet our staff first hand and sleep in the next morning.

Within the airport