“Dubai, So Much to Do!” by Aisha Mahmoud
I cannot believe that a month of the semester at AUD has already passed by! Looking back on everything, time really flies. One thing I can say for sure is that I have adjusted well to life at AUD.
Currently, I am taking five classes. Some of my classes start as early as 8:00 am and I am done with most of my classes in the morning. Honestly, I like this system of waking up early, because then I have the rest of the midday to catch up on homework and study, as well as have time to go look for activities to do.
Aisha and a friend say “hi” from the FIFA World Cup booth at the mall.
I love being in Dubai – it feels like it is in the center of everything that is happening. One day, my friend and I went to the Mall of Emirates and happened upon a FIFA 2022 World Cup booth that had a 360 Video Camera, a VR soccer game, as well as a Playstation for people to compete in the FIFA video game. It was such a neat area to stumble upon, completely unplanned. I especially loved the 360 Camera – I have never experienced one of those before.
Want to know the activities I have done and places I have visited within just a month in Dubai? Check this out:
JBR beach – swimming there was a unique experience because the water was so warm it felt like getting into a hot tub or a heated pool.
Burj Khalifa – I have been to the world’s tallest building countless times and I never get tired of the water fountain shows.
IMG Worlds of Adventure – the largest indoor theme park in the world.
Gold Souq – I visited twice, and many other bazaars, and have done LOTS of shopping.
WETEX Dubai Solar Show 2022 in the World Trade Center – this was a field trip for my engineering course. What an inspiring and awesome experience to see the work of engineers using technology to improve sustainability.
Recently, I had the chance to go on a cross-border road trip to Muscat, the capital of Oman, to visit my family from my father’s side. It was about a 5-hour drive from Dubai and the view of the terrain was gorgeous. On the way, we passed by Hatta, located in the northeastern side of the UAE and a popular destination for outdoor activities (hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, horseback riding, paragliding, etc.) and eco-tourism.
As for my social life, I found a great group of friends. This is one of the advantages of living on campus. In the dorms, there are always people hanging out in the kitchen or lobby cooking, eating, or just having fun. There are lots of events and activities on campus and I can always find something to do. I played soccer with the soccer team, watched a K-drama series hosted by AUD’s Korean Culture Club, and joined board game night in the C building – just to name a few. There are a lot of things to do whether it is off or on campus. I also joined study groups with my classmates to prepare for quizzes and exams. Thankfully, there are so many ways to meet people and be a part of the community.
Now that October is here, I cannot help but feel the fact that there are only two months left! There is still so much more I want to do, such as a visit to Abu Dhabi and a desert safari (luckily, I heard that those two trips will be organized soon by AUD in October). I have yet to go to the very top of Burj Khalifa or the Atlantis waterpark. There is still time and I will cross them off from my to-do list!
Aisha Mahmoud is a student from Lyon College participating on Amideast’s Direct Enroll program at the American University of Dubai in Fall 2022.
