Kate Geldaker is a Sojourner Advocate and a Junior at PLU. Kate writes from Dubai, where she and 15 other PLU students are studying Peace Journalism during the month of January. Dear PLU Parents,
We have been here over a week as I write this and already we have met with editors, reporters and producers from local and regional media operations. We also had the chance to speak with local Emeratis who surprisingly make up just between fifteen and twenty percent of the population, according to government statistics. Our class recently met with students from Zayed University, a local women's college. The conversations we had with them included topics of local opinion of the United States, UAE school systems, healthcare, the Iraq War, and media roles in our perspective countries.
We have been fortunate enough to connect with a PLU alum from the UAE. He has helped us look into the culture of the city through new eyes so we are not fooled by all the exterior glamour. Recently Dubai has been, very deservingly, featured in US news for its architectural feats. Looking across the bridge, we see the skyline of the Dubai financial center with so many beautiful and unique skyscrapers. Among these buildings is the Burj Dubai which is still under construction, like much of the city, but it is already the tallest building in the world. This country constantly leaves me in awe of its ability to meld cultures in many aspects of business and life, while still keeping its culture alive. Dubai is truly a multicultural metropolitan area that has so much to share with the world.
With so many nationalities condensed together, it is a perfect place for PLU students devoted to global education. Just walking through markets and city streets I see so many different people speaking various languages and feel as if I really am a member of a global community. The opportunity PLU gives to its students for intercultural exchange is so important and I hope that every student gets the chance to partake in at least one of these programs!
Go Lutes!
-Kate
PLU students are currently studying on each of the world’s seven continents! To read reflections, like Kate’s, and view pictures of their experiences thus far, visit the
Wang Center’s Sojourner Blog.
