CMC Magazine, Summer 2006

Imagine stepping off a plane and finding yourself in a giant beehive. This introduction to the architecturally unique Abu Dhabi airport was the first of many delights I experienced during my time in the United Arab Emirates. After 25 hours of travel, Erin, Becky Reichard (the Kravis post-doctoral fellow), and I arrived in the capital city on March 11, excited to represent CMC and the Kravis Leadership Institute at the Women as Global Leaders Conference.

This year's conference, Communities in Transition, highlighted women's leadership roles in community and social change, and provided a whirlwind of lectures, discussion groups, and networking with women from all over the world. Delegates were treated extremely well: our favorite indulgences were the huge feasts, heated toilet seats, and a laser-and-fireworks show at Babelshams, a nearby desert resort.

The night before the conference officially started, we were introduced to keynote speaker Mary Robinson, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, who visited CMC in March 2003. I was a bit nervous about meeting the first female president of Ireland, but she put me at ease with a diplomatic smile and we chatted about our leadership interests. I almost didn't wash the hand that she shook.

To avoid conflict, I figured it might be best not to mention the Dubai Ports deal or the war in Iraq. However, the Emirate university students were eager to discuss controversial events with us. I made friends with Amani, an Emirate woman, and we covered topics from current politics to Muslim dating protocol to reasons for Arab women covering themselves with headscarves.

One of the most interesting breakout sessions I attended was a panel on women in the workplace in the UAE. The Emirate women explained feeling torn between getting a university degree and taking a place in the workplace to represent the interests of their country (foreigners comprise approximately 90 percent of the workforce in the UAE) or staying at home to raise a traditional Muslim family.

Before leaving Claremont, we had considered forming an international network of women interested in women's leadership. At the conference, we exchanged business cards and e-mail addresses so we could keep in contact with the women (and the few men) we met, in hopes of using this network at CMC.

Of course, our spring break was not all leadership seriousness. We rode camels in the desert, went sand surfing and dune bashing, and explored the renowned hotels, beaches, and shopping in Dubai. The United Arab Emirates is an amazingly modern, accepting, and diverse country and was a great introduction to the Middle East.

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