A brief visit to the Western Emirates

Wednesday's work excursion was to visit the area of Al Gharbia.  Also known as the Western Emirates.  Specifically, we visited one of our campuses in Baynounah.  (Map reference: we took E11 south.)

Now, google all you want, but finding Baynounah on a map or otherwise is not easy.  If you check out this map, know that it's near Madinat Zayed in the enormous Al Gharbia region.  BIG empty desert for the most part. Didn't know sand came in so many colors!

http://www.algharbia.ae/contents.php?pageid=91

The Liwa Oasis is a bit further south from Madinat Zayed, and I am told it is definitely worth a visit.  So, putting it on my "places to see / things to do" list while I'm here.

Baynounah has a sister campus, Mirfa. That is on the map linked here,  and lies on the coast. They are about an hour drive apart. I'll visit Mirfa another day.  Both small and newer campus sites for Al Rowdah. 

Since Al Rowdah partners with ADVETI, and we fall under the leadership of IAT, we don't have our own facilities.  We go to where the students are on ADVETI and IAT campuses, and "borrow" offices and classrooms on an on-going basis. The possibility exists to expand and partner with additional UAE colleges and universities.  For now, the 9 separate campus sites keep us plenty busy!

This trip included me (obviously!), Shaikha (associate director, as you might recall) and Iain.  Cultural note: Emirati women do not ride in cars with male non-family members, unless it's a hired driver or staff driver. Since Shaikha and I had not had a chance to catch up and talk about Al Rowdah business, I rode with her (thankfully she drove; she grew up here and knows where she is going; but believe me -- I took notes on the roads and routes!), and Iain then drove separately.

One of the many benefits of this job is that I will be visiting several areas of the UAE on a regular basis ... some I might have visited even if my job kept me only in Abu Dhabi, but this way I am guaranteed to get to know a bit more of the country.

More camel sightings on this trip. My brother had described how camels are transported in the back of pickups. Yup. We passed a couple of pick up trucks with tall sides walls and back gates, with two camels lying flat, and stretching up their heads a bit. Maybe next time I can get my camera out in time to take a photo.