World Thinking Day – United Arab Emirates
Posted On May 31, 2013
This year I participated in World Thinking Day on the Postcard Exchange. I traded a few postcards and made an e-card about the United Arab Emirates. I visited the UAE last fall for 3 months and volunteered with Girl Scouts in the area.
USAGSO IN AL AIN,
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Above, you can see our new patch! This is earned by doing and learning things around our city, Al Ain.
We are a Girl Scout group consisting of several troops including Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, and Ambassadors.
We are a Girl Scout group consisting of several troops including Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, and Ambassadors.
The UAE is a small country that borders Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the Persian Gulf. It is made up of seven emirates (which are like states or provinces) and is just over 40 years old.
Being part of the GSUSAO, we are not Girl Guides and not local girls, but girls from all over the world that have moved here and get together to enjoy typical Girl Scouting activities.
Being part of the GSUSAO, we are not Girl Guides and not local girls, but girls from all over the world that have moved here and get together to enjoy typical Girl Scouting activities.
(Every year we have a ‘Desert Day’ where girls and their families come to the desert to enjoy typical GS activities and learn about other things in the Middle East. Here you can see we are learning about the falcons that are part of the Middle Eastern culture.)
Although Islam is the main religion of the UAE, other religions are tolerated and the UAE is one of few Middle Eastern countries with a tolerance to different religions.
Every day here can easily be a learning experience. Just going to the mall you can see men dressed in the traditional attire of white robes called kandura and a headdress called Guthra. The women traditionally wear a head covering called a Shela and an abaya which is a black body covering that may have different embroidered patterns. Some abayas can be very expensive if they are made by highly sought after designers!
Every day here can easily be a learning experience. Just going to the mall you can see men dressed in the traditional attire of white robes called kandura and a headdress called Guthra. The women traditionally wear a head covering called a Shela and an abaya which is a black body covering that may have different embroidered patterns. Some abayas can be very expensive if they are made by highly sought after designers!
If you come visit, you can wear whatever you like as long as it is modest. The UAE is a wonderful place to visit and is rich with culture and awesome sight seeing. From beaches to beautiful water parks, from the world’s fastest roller coaster to the tallest building in the world and from the desert to one of the world’s largest malls, we have many things to choose from!
We hope you enjoyed learning about us and our country and happy future Thinking Days for you and your troop!
~USAGSO Al Ain troops
Crafts:
Muslim Paper Doll Friends – Girls love paper dolls.
Hamsa Craft – A traditional piece to ward off the evil eye.
Camel Hand Print – Make your hand print into a camel.
Camel Mask – Look like a camel.
Activities:
How to wear a shela
Watch A Traditional UAE Dance
Games:
Traditional Games – Mancala is a popular one.
Recipes:
Recipe: Hummus – Delicious Hummus.
Recipe: Pickles – Pickles are my favorite thing to eat in the Middle East!
Recipe: Pita Bread – Yummy pita bread.
Swaps:
Create swaps using camels, sand, mini paper dolls, or a mini Hamsa craft.
Hope you learned something new here!
~Zigg
2 Comments
I enjoyed reading your blog on UAE. My girls have chosen this country to represent for World Thinking Day! They are curious if while in GS in UAE if the girls sell GS cookies. If so, what kinds?
Thanks! It's great to see the UAE represented. No they do not sell Girl Scout cookies, in fact, only girl scouts in the USA sell cookies. Girl Guides in other countries may, but they aren't part of GSUSA.