I spent my entire childhood in a small town in Northwestern Pennsylvania. It’s not the kind of small town where you know every person that walks by, but the chances of me seeing someone I know at the grocery store are very high. It was not a diverse place to live at all. Predominately white and conservative, the culture was “country”. Personally not my cup of tea, but I lived here and I found the people and places I enjoyed. Most of my city consists of suburban neighborhoods with average looking homes. Skyscrapers, busy traffic, and 4 lane highways were not a part of my everyday life. The poverty rate in my town is roughly 28%, so luxurious standards of living were very rare. The climate in Pennsylvania consists of wide fluctuations in seasonal temperatures. The winters in my hometown were harsh, and the summers at best are 80 degrees. I am grateful though to have grown up in an area where I could truly experience all four seasons.
Winter in Bradford, PA
In contrast, one of my exchange partners grew up in Canada, the other in the UAE. Specifically Montreal, Quebec in Canada is where my exchange partner lived. The climate there is relatively similar to the climate I experienced. All four seasons are present in Quebec and the winters are just as harsh, potentially harsher. My partner described a diverse culture which is something I didn’t experience in my hometown. Another major difference is the Native language. My partners first language was French, while my first and only language (as of right now) is English. A big difference I see in myself and people from other areas of the world is that everyone seems to be bilingual or even multilingual. It’s fascinating to me and also disappointing because I feel left out. I am working on it though.
My second exchange partner grew up in Sharjah/Dubai in the UAE. The weather is drastically different from where I grew up and where my Canadian partner grew up. The climate is high in temperature year round. Being close to Dubai the culture and environment is much different. The landscape of Dubai consists of massive, modern architecture, and I tend to picture luxury cars on every street. One thing that both my exchange partners mentioned was their love for cars. They both had a particular car they either owned or planned to own. The cars that they described were much different than a car I would prefer, and specifically one was for sand terrain. The only sand I have ever experienced is on a beach. But being from the UAE, deserts are a typical environment for the people living here.
Both of my partners are more accustomed to big cities. Large cities typically result in more diversity and this is something I have lacked exposure to. Now living in Carlisle, PA at Dickinson College, I am surrounded by peers from all areas of the globes. Also, particularly this course is inspiring for me, and being able to interact with students from the American University of Sharjah is a great experience that I look forward to.
Salim
September 8, 2023 — 12:26 pm
In the UAE specifically in Sharjah we have the same thing, where we can go out and have a high chance to see people we know because Sharjah is a small place too and most of the people know each other which is a nice thing cause you can see people you haven’t met in a long time coincidentally, and I also enjoyed your blog I felt like I got to know more about the place where you live.
Hind Alansari
September 8, 2023 — 2:19 pm
Thank you for this relatable blog post during your first week back on campus! I can relate to a great extent regarding what you have mentioned about your hometown, Bradford. My hometown, Al Madam in Sharjah, lacks diversity too. It is a conservative area where locals are firmly attached to customs and traditions passed down from generation to generation. Also, I am jealous that you get to experience all four seasons. Living in a desert climate definitely has its pros and cons. In summer, to say the least, the costs outweigh the benefits. However, if you ever plan on visiting the United Arab Emirates, our winter season is very cozy, cold, and fun. Around November until early March is a great time!
Similarly, I was exposed to a more diverse community after enrolling at the American University of Sharjah, where I realized that working with a diverse team usually leads to more productivity. It is an opportunity for our institutions to meet those around us globally and respectfully embrace our differences and similarities for a better future. I recall reading that you are working on learning another language, which is an interest that we share. What other languages would you like to learn?
rileyw
September 8, 2023 — 2:59 pm
Wow, this is very interesting. I particularly like how you mentioned the specific area of where you lived in Pennsylvania and plenty of details about where you lived there. That seems to be a very large contrast with what your exchange partners are. It’s largely similar to my experience with my exchange partners. I wonder what other differences will be revealed as you work more with your exchange group.
Meghri
September 8, 2023 — 6:49 pm
Hi, thank you for your insight on town-life and how largely it contrasts with that of a metropolitan city. As someone who has watched a lot of American TV shows, the small-town experience has always intrigued me, and I think (more or less) knowing everyone within a smaller society can be a blessing and a curse based on how you perceive it! To return the favor, I would like to debunk a common myth about living in the UAE: life here is not as glamorous as it is often portrayed in the media. I can say with certainty that most of the people living here lead pretty regular lives (and sadly, you don’t see luxury cars on every street). That being said, having come from a smaller town, do you struggle to keep up with the pace set up by a more competitive environment, or do you believe that where you are right now is where you thrive the most?
Meghri
September 8, 2023 — 6:49 pm
Hi, thank you for your insight on town-life and how largely it contrasts with that of a metropolitan city. As someone who has watched a lot of American TV shows, the small-town experience has always intrigued me, and I think (more or less) knowing everyone within a smaller society can be a blessing or a curse based on how you perceive it! To return the favor, I would like to debunk a common myth about living in the UAE: life here is not as glamorous as it is often portrayed in the media. I can say with certainty that most of the people living here lead pretty regular lives (and sadly, you don’t see luxury cars on every street). That being said, having come from a smaller town, do you struggle to keep up with the pace set up by a more competitive environment, or do you believe that where you are right now is where you thrive the most?
bensonal
September 9, 2023 — 2:06 am
It definitely has been a big adjustment for me not only being on my own, but also being in a larger town than I am used to. I have found though that Dickinson College is the perfect size for me and the town of Carlisle is also just the right size. I’m still adjusting to crossing streets so often, which is something I am not used to from my hometown, but other than that I think I am having a good experience here. Also thank you for correcting me on my perception of life in the UAE! I am not familiarized with the UAE at all, I only see the UAE through an internet/social media lens- which glamorizes everything.
jardene
September 9, 2023 — 1:06 am
I found it very interesting about the environmental differences between where you grew up, and where that of your partners grew up. The city, the weather and the culture were all parts I had never really thought about before. It’s crazy to think that for some people 80 degrees is very hot while in another part of the world 80 degrees might be an all-time summer low of temperature. Along with that, in a big city you are almost always walking by strangers, versus that of a smaller town where everyone knows each other and says hello.