Two weeks from today, I’ll be in Abu Dhabi, participating in the first day of NYU Abu Dhabi’s faculty orientation. The students arrive a week later. In the interval, I’m hoping to start up a set of conversations among the faculty and deans about ongoing curricular and pedagogical initiatives. I’ll be at NYUAD an average of once a month and look forward to participating in these conversations, which will address such matters as writing across the curriculum, linking pedagogy and scholarship, and transforming “the ARC” (a.k. the “Academic Resource Center”) from a simple writing and tutoring center into something much, much more.
This morning, I was pleased to come across a blog co-written by Beth Lindsay, NYUAD’s Access and Public Services Librarian, and her husband Vic. The blog is called “Sight Unseen: Vic & Beth Move to Abu Dhabi,” and thus far it’s been full of delightful anecdotes about life in Abu Dhabi and about regional travel.
Finding their blog has prompted me to create an “NYUAD Blogs” section in my sidebar. In addition to their blog, and the official NYUAD blog, “Salaam,” I’ve included links to two blogs I’ve discovered by incoming NYUAD students.
Leah Reynolds calls her blog, “BiH Bound: Living, Loving, and Learning in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina!” because she has been studying at United World College in Mostar.” In her post “New York University Abu Dhabi” from last April, Leah describes why she chose to attend NYUAD. Apparently, she’ll be giving her blog a new name come September.
Stephen Underwood’s blog is “The Unheard Sermon of a Lesser Scholar.” It aims to tell the stories of the challenges faced by the members of the inaugural class of of NYUAD. My favorite of his posts so far is, “Cosmopolitanism and Christianity,” his response to Anthony Appiah’s Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers, which members of the Class of 2014 were invited to read over the summer. Stephen wonders how one can reconcile a belief in cosmopolitanism with his beliefs as “a devout Christian” that “there are universals” and that these universals are expressed in the Bible. I didn’t tackle this important question in my online lecture for the summer colloquium, but I’m hoping that Stephen, his classmates, and I will be able to start a conversation about that question next month in Abu Dhabi.
If you’re a member of the NYUAD community and have a blog, drop me a line so that I can include it in the sidebar.
I haven’t yet had a chance to explore the various blogs that are listed at “Blog Abu Dhabi,” which are written by expatriates living in the emirates, but it’s on my to-do list for the next few weeks.
Hi Cyrus, glad to hear that you enjoy our blog! You inspired me to actually contribute — my husband Vic has written all the previous posts. Looking forward to meeting you in a few weeks.
Hi Professor Patell,
My name’s Alex Wang; I’m also NYUAD bound next year – and I also have a blog!
http://flaubertish.tumblr.com/
I’ve done a pretty awful job of updating it lately (due to a series of unexpected illnesses, wisdom teeth extraction, etc) – but I promise it’ll be more consistent later!
@Beth: Excellent post: thanks for the great tips. (http://uae.viclindsay.com/2010/08/ramadan-kareem/)
@ Alex: I look forward to meeting you, and I’ve added your blog to the sidebar.
Thanks for spreading the word and linking us all together!
Rather than just change the name I’ve opened a new blog for the NYUAD experience: My Parallel Life in the Persian Gulf at http://parallellifeabudhabi.blogspot.com
Only one post so far, but I’m planning to repost the Candidate Weekend experience and add more soon!
@Leah: I’ve updated the blogroll with the new link. (But I think in Abu Dhabi we call it “the Arabian Gulf.”)
Duly noted, and blog title officially updated. Hopefully THIS the blog title will stick.
My blog:
http://chani-dontpanic.blogspot.com/
I’ve tried to blog once a week but as the big moving day is coming closer I have been falling behind! Also, I am about to follow you on twitter. See you soon!!
I have no idea if it would be the kind of thing you’re looking for considering its in spanish, and more of a set of short stories I’ve written than an actual blog, but here’s my link.
http://literaturajuan.blogspot.com/
Thanks Juan Felipe. I’ve added your site to the list. I look forward to seeing you here in Abu Dhabi next week!
Thank you for the add sir
I got on the actual blogging train pretty late, but here’s my input:
http://jfsand.blogspot.com/
Thanks JF. I’ve added your new blog site to the list of links. Bon Voyage!
Cyrus has already linked to this, but I’ve started a restaurant review site Abu Dhabi Eats. If interested in contributing, please let me know and I can add you to the author list. The more the merrier, and if you try any of the restaurants on the list, please leave your experiences in the comments section. Safe travels to those of you not in AD yet.
I’m current student, and I rely on your compilation to keep my “NYUAD BLOG” folder current, so I’d be honored for you to add mine! http://desertstars.tumblr.com
@Erin: Done! See you tonight in the Ramadan tent.
Hi there! I have read many of these blogs several times from start to end, but now, as an admitted student myself, I have also started a blog! http://taleof3cities.tumblr.com/ is the address, although it only has my recollection of the CW being NYUAD-related (so far). Other types of posts will pepper my blog until September… but please add me to the list!
Welcome to the NYUAD community and to the patell dot org blogroll!
Hello Professor Patel!
I firstly would like to thank you for making this post! It really helped me find out what Abu Dhabi looks like from NYUAD undergrads’ perspective. As an incoming Class of 2015, I’m eager to share my blog too:
http://guinandra.com
Thank you, I hope all of the new students will get the chance to meet you soon.
I have this blog writing about my life at NYUAD- http://www.peaceloveandcamels.blogspot.com. Great archive!
-Brook