Rush. I’m sitting on an 18 hour plane flight, yet all I feel is a rush. A rush of nostalgia as I yearn for another sunny day in Dubai. A rush of emotion as I depart the unfamiliar back to the place I’ve always known. More than this, I feel a rush of gratitude. I am grateful for a university and program that is committed to taking our core values across the globe. I’m filled with thankfulness for my new friends who feel like home. More than this, I feel grateful for the hospitality of the Emirati people, those kind souls who guided us through an unfamiliar land. I’m not sure what to do these feelings. All this awe and amazement seems to be fleeting, like it may be replaced with jetlag as soon as we make our descent. Yet I want to hold on to it forever. Thankfully, this long journey has gifted me time to reflect. I’ve come to realize that what made this trip so special was not the breathtaking scenery, innovating company visits, nor preparation and research that went into it (though these were wonderful), but the presence of others and self. Being mindful of our cell phone service, my fellow students and I were forced to sit longer in the uncomfortable, fight harder for conversation, and rely more on others. It became commonplace to ask a stranger for directions or a local what restaurants they would recommend. We stayed up late with our professors and woke up early to watch the sun rise. All of this awe, ironically, took place in the mundane. But I was present enough to fully see it. Long bus rides became time to contemplate, reflect, and laugh instead of scroll. Having a simple conversation with someone means learning from an individual with a life as complex and meaningful as my own, it is a tremendous opportunity for growth and learning. The change I experience UAE does not need to stay across the world. No, this awe can occur waiting for a class to begin, sitting on the Aggie Spirit bus, or during a professor’s office hours. Though not as picturesque, the world around me is filled with people, and these people have stories to tell and wisdom to share. This wisdom can rush over me, much like it did in the UAE. I titled this “Put Your Phone Down” because it’s true. There is world to explore and wisdom to gain. May we be present enough to see it.
