My Exchange at The American University of Sharjah
In a UoA newsletter early last year, I saw a link and segment about going on a 360 International exchange programme. I decided on my first choice being the American University of Sharjah in the UAE. It is a muslim majority country which peaked my interest as being a muslim I’ve never been to a country where my religion is so prominent that it is intertwined in the culture. Everyone there spoke multiple languages and the uni and the whole country is very Westernised but there were so many different nationalities which was similar to NZ. After a long application process of being nominated, then accepted into my host university, getting my courses approved and preparing for my departure, I left and boarded a flight to the other side of the world for the first time ever. I was amazed at how big everything was and how many people there were.
Driving on the other side of the road was weird and there were so many lanes on the motorway. The weather was beautiful and it was so cool to see so many mosques driving along with both modern and older buildings around the city. Driving up to the university I remember saying “wow”, the university was so beautiful and architecturally so different from anything I’d seen in NZ. It was just one big campus, more like a high school with all the buildings a short walk from one another compared to UoA which has so many different buildings on the streets of Auckland.
I had a shared dorm room with air conditioning and it had a bed, a bedside and coffee table, desk as well as a big cupboard. The kitchen had a lot of storage area and there was also a common kitchen. The bathroom was a bit older but everything worked well and once a week, cleaning would be provided for your whole room. The university also has a health centre, post office, as well as other facilities you may need and a bustling student centre which has a cafeteria which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner for a really good price. There is a little supermarket which has everything you need (again, really good prices) and there are also cafes and fast food restaurants all inside uni – Burger King, Starbucks, Subway and Dunkin Donuts in multiple buildings.
There are so many events that the uni holds with free foods and giveaways and the vibes are always so fun. The price of meals are very affordable and the portions are really big so I usually had leftovers. The orientation was so nice. It wasn’t just one day but a whole week of activities all over Sharjah and Dubai, we visited local libraries, museums, restaurants, mosques, beaches and malls. We sometimes paid for meals but most times during orientation week meals would be provided by the university. There was also an orientation evening/dinner for all new students and it was nice to meet more local students and have a sneak peak into the amazing food and diversity of cultures they had there.
The hospitality of IXO (the exchange office) didn’t stop there. We were taken on trips almost every weekend. These included a desert safari, theme/water parks, festivals, to Abu Dhabi and to Musandam, Oman for an amazing boat trip. It was also very easy to travel around not just Sharjah but also the other Emirates (cities) including Dubai which has water transport and the metro.
Even taking into account the exchange rate, everything including transport (taxis and the metro which can take you all over Dubai – The Palm Island, Beaches, Harbours etc.) food, and other expenses are really cheap here as well and the food is so good. There are so many cultures which shows in the food available. There are many restaurants with so many options and again, massive portions. There’s so many American restaurants as well e.g. five guys, Cinnabon, Texas Roadhouse, Cheesecake Factory etc. as well as middle eastern, Indian, asian, Italian and other European cuisines.
We have a three day weekend so classes are only from Monday to Thursday which was amazing. Since the uni is so small (5000 people) you get to meet and make so many good friends. The difference here is that attendance is taken in classes which are very small (almost like a lab/tutorial except your tutor is the actual professor). The workload is a bit more but the weight of assessments is much less, obviously depends on what you’re studying. Also since it’s an American uni they go off the American GPA system so passing grade is 70 and not 50.
There’s so many different cultures here and we have a whole weekend known as Global Day that celebrates that diversity. The courtyard is filled with different country stalls that have traditional foods and things you can take with you. They also build this massive stage where countries perform traditional dances or songs. I was part of the Palestinian Cultural Club and we performed the dabke which was so much fun.
I did fall sick which was a challenge being away from home and not having my family to help me but thankfully with the health clinic so close I could go get a checkup. I also had support from teachers and students in class as I missed a couple lessons but thankfully I was able to catch up fast and my friends were also great in making sure I had everything I needed to get better.
You can travel during the weekends and breaks as well – I went to Turkey cause it’s so cheap while others went to Jordan, Egypt, Morocco etc.
The night life is also so fun, things are open till really late (like 1-3am) so you can literally stay out all night and it’s super safe as well. Women are treated with a lot of respect here and I often don’t have to wait in line when at the supermarket or restaurants. I would recommend not filling up your free time studying but instead exploring your host city and going out with friends.
I’ve made really good friends from all over the world and had the best time. It was my first time away from home for so long and there are times when I missed my family but going on exchange has helped me grow in every way possible so I highly recommend!
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
Getting over my social anxiety and being able to present to my class on a study that my group and I created. Also passing 3/4 classes with an A/A- which are the top two highest grades and having some great conversations with professors.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
I would recommend joining a cultural group and performing on Global Day, it was an experience I’ll never forget. There are so many cultures there and they’re more than happy to have you join, if you don’t want to perform, you can volunteer your time to help set up the outdoor booths which mean you’re included in the preparations which hold a lot of excitement, especially as the day of performances gets closer.
The Exchange Office takes you on a lot of the touristy activities that are unique but you could also go up the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world)
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
1. Come during the months of January-May (semester one) as the weather is nice and you’ll actually be able to go out and enjoy the weather.
2. There are a whole block of restaurants and shops a 5-10 minute drive and 30-40 min walk away from the university known as Muweileh Commercial. The food there is really affordable and yum. My friends and I would have food at a restaurant known as Golden Tasty as it had just about every cuisine you can think of. We would also get Karak (a local sweetened and spiced tea) from Jenan for only 1 dirham which equals about $0.50NZD
3. Learn how to haggle and barter when you go to the markets, whether it’s for clothes, food or souvenirs, you can save yourself some money if you negotiate a price and don’t just buy what the shopkeeper first offers.
How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?
I was lucky enough to be awarded a scholarship which helped to cover my flights and accommodation (around $6000) but I had to save my own money to spend on visa costs, insurance, food/groceries, phone plan, transportation, medication and activities to do while out. I was also getting student allowance (around $150) which helped to cover food and transportation each week so I budgeted around $2500 to use on the things I listed above plus extra travel and spent around $1500 of this while away. I would recommend that if there is an activity or somewhere or something that you would love to do and feel that if you don’t, you might regret it, then don’t worry about money because it’s worth the amazing memories/experience.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
I learned just how differently everyone viewed the world, people, and themselves. Everyone had a unique perspective, and it was so interesting to hear their opinion on topics, no matter if they were about something silly or relationships, religion, politics or world problems. I was able to not only offer and help others see things from a different viewpoint but also broaden my perspective by hearing from people from different parts of the world who had grown up with different cultures and traditions from around the world.
Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?
I was fortunate enough to travel to Turkey which was the top of my bucket list and I’m so glad I was able to go. Even though it was rainy and cold, it was still amazing being able to visit the sights and eat food I had only seen on videos and photos.
Tags: 2023, Psychology, Report