Hello Michelle,
I hope you are excited for our summer trip to Abu Dhabi! I have some great news to share with you. We have been invited by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to spend dinner at his palace for one night. His Highness is a Muslim, and he resides in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The United Arab Emirates is a middle-eastern Nation, and you may think that since we are from the United States of America, we would not be treated well. However, when I went with my family to the same place, the tour guide who gave us a tour of Dubai was very friendly. He also included that the city of Dubai, is religiously tolerant. I know that you are a Christian so there is a church in the area, and since I am a Hindu, there is a temple as well.
The United Arab Emirates is a unique nation, which boasts amazing architecture, constant advancements, and yet still holds on to the tenets of Islam. Now get this straight, one of the tenets of Islam is to be peaceful, NOT violent. You must need to know a few major points regarding the etiquette at the dinner table, and while moving around the city. Michelle, I know that you could be uncomfortable to hear this, but one important point to note is that you must not eat with your left hand. In these Muslim nations, it is considered unclean if someone eats with their left hand. Secondly, I know that you eat meat, but keep in mind, the consumption of pork in the United Arab Emirates, and other Muslim nations are frowned upon. Instead, you must halal meat, where the meat is prepared in a certain way. Observant Muslims do not smoke or drink, but alcohol could be served at hotels in Dubai. If we are at a local restaurant, and alcohol is not served better not to ask for it.
The food that we will be having is baba ganoush, an eggplant dip that is served with pita bread, as the appetizer. His Highness has just informed that there will be Khuzi, a stuffed whole roast lamb, served over spiced rice. Since I am a vegetarian, His Highness has made sure to have felafel, fried chickpea patties served with pita bread. Also, I would be having vegetable biryiani, spiced rice with mixed vegetables. The vegetable biryani, is more of an Indian dish, but it is a common food served both in the Hindu and Muslim cultures. We will meet His Highness at around 7:30 pm local time in Dubai after he returns from his evening prayer service at the mosque.
See you soon,
Pranav
The websites:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/737620.stm (Country Profile of the UAE)
http://www.uae-embassy.org/travel-culture/traveling-in-muslim-country (Traveling in a Muslim Country)
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