Persia Meets the Land of Opportunity
At first glance, Dubai, The Golden City and America, The Land of Opportunity might seem to be worlds apart. But on a closer look, you can notice some similarities as well as some differences. The differences are innumerable but there are some similarities as well. Dubai, a small city in the midst of nowhere holds up to America, a vast culturally diverse land in various ways. I was 13 when I moved to America. Even though the transition was pretty excruciating, it was manageable for me and my siblings who were detached from their friends and surrounding. When we left Dubai, our culture, our attitude, and our lifestyle was altered.
In Dubai, I often heard my father murmur about the struggle of money due to the fact that we all attended private school. Each semester was closer to a sum of $500. But there was no other option because the nation didn’t provide free public education. Even though the courses were vigorous, it was well worth it. The British based teachings helped I reconstructed my environment.
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But surprisingly, the American government provided free public school. I attending Jackson MS and South Grand Prairie HS knowing that my parents weren’t struggling for me and my siblings anymore. But the discrimination among my fellow students was extreme at times. Getting picked on for being “Arabian” was a common trend throughout middle school. But as time progressed, I learned to adapt to these surroundings.
Riding my bike back home from school was rare because Dubai was a densely populated city. Even though it was small in size, it was large in traffic and buildings. Hence Dubai lacked sidewalks. But among this crowded community, we grew united and I wasn’t afraid to show my true character and identity.
The people, or should I say stranger, looked at me in a curious way whenever I played outside and talked in my native language. They saw it was a random loser talking rubbish. I was forced to hid my...