What is Fall like is Abu Dhabi?

The Facts:

On September 29th, fall will begin in Abu Dhabi. In the fall, the days become shorter. With less sun to heat the environment the temperature begins to drop. The average high temperature in Abu Dhabi will drop to 98 degrees. (In the summer the temperature could get as high as 122 degrees!) The humidity (the moisture in the air) will also decrease, making it seem much cooler outside. The changing of the temperature and of the moisture in the air makes October the foggiest month of the year. Finally, in November the chance of rain increases. I have been in Abu Dhabi 52 days, and it has not rained one time! 

Questions to Consider:

What is fall like in your town? Describe the weather and the changes in the environment.

When does fall begin in Georgia?

How is fall in Georgia different than fall in Abu Dhabi?

What causes fog?

What kind of environment has very little rain and is very hot?

Learn an Arab Word:

No -- La -- ن

Learn More About Abu Dhabi:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Dhabi

What Do Men Wear in Abu Dhabi?

The Facts:

Men in Abu Dhabi dress in many different ways. Many men wear pants and a a shirt. Their pants may be jeans, slacks, or part of a uniform. They wear the same types of shirts men in Georgia wear. Some Emirati men choose to wear the traditional clothes that signify their culture.

The traditional outfit for an Emirati man is a kandura and a guthra. The kandura is a long robe that is usually white, though can be any color. The guthra is the headscarf. It is usually solid white or with white and red checks. The guthra was originally worn to protect the men from the harsh desert climate. The egal is the black rope that holds the guthra in place. Many years ago this was a convenient way to carry a rope with which to tie your camel. In their traditional dress, men appear just as modest as women by being covered down to their wrists and ankles.

Questions to Consider:

What clothes are popular for boys in your neighborhood and school?
Do you have to dress differently in some places than others? Explain.
Why would the desert climate affect what the men wore? 
In what type of climate do you live?
How is your climate similar to and/or different from a desert climate?
How does your climate affect the way you dress and the things you do?

If you are a boy, would you like to try to wear a kandura with a guthra?

Learn an Arab Word:

No -- La -- ن

Learn More About Abu Dhabi:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Dhabi

What Do Women Wear in Abu Dhabi?

The Facts:

Women in Abu Dhabi dress in many different ways. Some wear dresses, jeans, and pants. If you were to go the Abu Dhabi Mall, you would see women dressed in the same way as the people do in Georgia. However, you would also see women who are dressed very differently. Many women wear the traditional abaya (long dress) and shayla (head wrap) of the Emirates. (Remember an Emirate is a state that is part of the United Arab Emirates.) The women wear the abaya and the shayla to be modest by not showing the shape of their bodies or their skin (except for the face and hands); by doing this, they show respect for themselves and everyone else. Women may also wear a nijab with their abaya. Young ladies will begin to wear the abaya in their teen years, as children they dress the same as children all over the world. The nijab covers the face, except the eyes. I have seen many women wearing black gloves when they wear the najib. Here is a picture of me wearing an abaya and shayla. 

The abayas I have seen are black with a variety of decorations. The shaylas are usually decorated to match the abaya or the lady may wrap her head in a scarf or pashmina. Here are some pictures of women wearing abayas.

Questions to Consider:

What clothes are popular for girls in your neighborhood and school?
What is your favorite thing to wear?
Do you wear anything that is particularly special to you? (lucky socks, team jacket, a gift from a friend, etc.)
Why do you think the women want to be modest?
How do you treat someone who looks different than you?
Is it okay to ask people about to tell you about their culture?
If you are a girl, would you like to try to wear an abaya with a shayla?
Who can design the best abaya in your class?

Learn an Arab Word:

Yes -- Na'am -- نام

Learn More About Abu Dhabi:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Dhabi

School in Abu Dhabi

The Facts:

School in Abu Dhabi is a lot like school in the USA. School is five days a week. The students are expected to be polite and follow school and classroom rules like raising their hands to speak or walking in a line in the hallway. The students here like to play, talk to their friends, and use the computers. They love their family and friends and have favorite television shows. 

The school here is also different. They go to school on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The weekend is Friday and Saturday. Boys and girls go to school together in kindergarten, but have to go to separate schools for grades 1 through 12. All the kindergarten teachers here are women. The school year begins in September and ends in June. 

Questions to Consider:

What is your favorite subject in school?

What is your favorite television show?

What days of the week do you go to school?

What days are your weekend days?

Do you have boys and girls in your class? 

How would your school be different if it was a boys only or a girls only school?

Which months do you go to school?

Can you guess why the students here go to school on Sundays and are off on Fridays?

Why do you think school begins and ends later in the year than school in America?

Would you like to have a different schedule for school? If so, when would you go to school? Why?

Learn an Arab Word:

Yes -- Na'am -- نام

Learn More About Abu Dhabi:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Dhabi

The Language of Abu Dhabi

The Facts:

The official language of Abu Dhabi, and the UAE, is Arabic. Other languages spoken in Abu Dhabi are Urdu, Hindi, Somali, English, French, and Russian. So many people here speak English that almost all the business and road signs are in Arabic and English. I have been able to speak English to people in every store I have been to, so far. One reason English is so important here is that it is considered the language of money and science. One reason so many different languages are spoken here is because this country is very rich and growing rapidly. People from all over the world come here to work. Arabic language looks very different from because it is written the opposite direction on the page than English and their letters are different. 

Here are some English words and phrases written in Arabic with English pronunciation.

Hello                    Al-salam alaykum

Goodbye               Ma'a salama

Good morning        Sabah al-kheir

Good night            Tisbah ala-kheir

Questions to Consider:

What is the official language of the USA?

What other languages are spoken in America?

Why are some of these languages spoken in America?

Why would English be called the language of money and science?

What is another language you would like to learn to speak?

What facts can you learn about cultures of some of the people who speak other languages in America?

Learn an Arab Word:

Yes -- Na'am -- نام

Learn More About Abu Dhabi:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Dhab

The Government of Abu Dhabi

The Facts:

The government of the UAE is a monarchy. Typically, in this form of government, an individual inherits the authority to rule a country from his or  her parents, not through elections. In an absolute monarchy, no organization or individual has enough power to challenge the authority of the nation's ruler. In the UAE, each emirate is an absolute monarchy that has its own ruler exercising complete control over that emirate. The constitution that unites the emirates does not create a federal government as the constitution does in America. Its primary purpose is to govern the interaction between the emirates and foreign affairs under the supervision of a president. That president is elected by the monarchs of the seven emirates. The president of the UAE since 2004 is also the monarch of the capital emirate Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.  

Questions to Consider:

Who is the president of the USA?
What type of government does the USA have?

Can you name and describe some other forms of government?

Which government has more power the state government of Georgia or the federal government of the USA?
In what ways is the power of the president of the USA prevented from growing too great?
What are some advantages and disadvantages of a monarchy and of the government of the USA?

Learn an Arab Word:

Yes -- Na'am -- نام

Learn More About Abu Dhabi:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Dhab