Life changing experiences can be a two way street

Okay, so here it goes.....

An amazing opportunity presented itself , the Qatar chapter for the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the Qatar Geologic Society hosts a yearly geology field trip abroud. This year it was to Abu Dhabi. They had some spaces open and asked if we wanted to take some students. RasGas which is a huge company here said they would pay for the students portion. Dr. Hoskins had the bright idea that we should try to get female students to go. Now this is unheard of because Qatari females do not travel without their fathers or husbands EVER. (and they do not travel without their personal nannies either) I came up with a list of five female students (4 Qatari girls and one Omani) I wanted to attend and asked the girls...who were all excited...but they knew it would be impossible to get their fathers permission. So, I gave them my cell number and they all went home and begged their fathers to allow them to accompany me on the trip. Soon after that, I started to get phone calls from the fathers. All who were on the fence. SOme said to me, "it is not you that I don't trust...it is not my daughter who I don't trust, it's me that's the problem...you are asking me to allow something that we just do not do...it is against our culture." I had one father who said that he would pay for all 38 students to go and that would make him feel better (although an impossibilty for space reasons). They called all day, some said they would have to pray on it and Allah would provide the answer, one had to look me in the eye, finally one called during dinner when Jacob was talking in the background and when he heard his voice he realized I was a mother and said, "you are a mother...this makes it different, this makes us have the same values...you take care of my daughter as you would your own children" I said I would and he said,"okay...I am a reasonable man" and he hung up. The next day the other fathers fell into place. The next challenge was getting the girls ready to do things we all take for granted, carrying their own lugagge around an airport or hotel, packing appropraitly for the field, being willing to take off their abayas, even fixing their own hair and clothes.

They were a bunch of giddy school girls ...they were so excited about not only traveling without parents, but actually learning in the field. Their fathers dropped them off at the University and one followed to the airport at 5 am on Friday morning. All of the fathers had to go to the passport control office to sign permission for the girls to travel without them. They all followed instructions and packed light and they were ready to go. We met the group of 14 professional engineers and geologists at the airport...all who were impressed that these women could go, but none of whom expected the girls to even talk to them much less get dirty in the field.

Upon landing, the girls wefre engaged and enthusiastic. Two refused to remove their abayas...but it never slowed them down for a second. We were split into pairs and all introduced to 8 additional geologists from Abu Dhabi who drove us around for the next day and we all had someone from industry in our group as well. The girls immediatly started asking the people questions about geology and the petroleum industry on the drive to the first stop. At the first stop the amazing thing happened where one of the girls grabbed a rock from an outcrop and they all looked at it and identified it correctly. It was one of those lightbulb moments...where they realized what they have observed in the lab actually does happen in nature and then IT WAS ON!!!! They never stopped, they talked to everyone wanting to see everything, learn everything they possibly could. For some of the professionals it was the first time they have evr interacted with a Qatari female and they were floored at their enthusiasm to learn. They hiked for se veral mkilometers up and around the formations including a 1km hike in water...where at the end they wdere standing in waist deep water...they never complained...in fact they smiled the entire time. Their up beat and positive attitude and energy took over the entire trip and all of the professionals were having the best time with them. They got so comfortable with the girls that they felt like they could even ask them specific questions on their culture and upbringing and the girls were so open with all of them.

That evening we checked into the hotel and based on some of the father's wishes, we did not dine with the group (females don't socialize that way with the males) so we went to Marina Mall and had dinner there. They had me smiling and laughing the entire time. I got to really get to know these young women and I was amazed at all of them. They were so excited to be out and away from their families for a change and they took in every moment. We all acted so goofy and giddy. It was incredible. Abu Dhabi was playing in a huge soccer match that night and at the exact moment that our driver was to pick us up, Abu Dhabi won the match and the closed the streets for celebration. We waited at the mall for an hour an a half and the traffic never opened up...so here we are at midnight and the girls decide that we should try to walk back. I apologized and hoped that it wasn't going to ruin their trip and they all stopped me and with huge smile said, "No No No this is all part of the experience...we love it" In fact they joined in the celebrations with the locals as we walked along the streets. We eventually made it back to the hotel and crashed for a few hours before our boat trip to the oolitic shoal islands the next morning.

Once again, they were up and at 'em the next morning...ready to go with the energy of Jacob. Once again engaged in the task. Needless to say all of the professionals at some point came to me and raved on and on about these women and their attitudes and their hardwork. By the end of the day they were all getting internship offers from the professionals (which was unexpected) and everyone was so impressed. I also have to say that these girls were Aggies through and through. That's how they identified themselves to others. "We are Aggie engineering students" and god help the few Aggies who crossed our paths in Abu Dhabi...the girls would immediatly introduce themselves and start with the Howdys and Gig 'ems even to random Aggie strangers.

ALso for me, they bought a necklace that said I "heart" UAE and thanked me a 100o times and told me I would have to attend their weddings and graduations and would always be a aprt of their lives. When we got to the airport in Doha, they all had already told their parents about the trip and their mothers and fathers were so kind and sweet. The girls and moms hugged me and a few of them shed tears ( for real) and so did I. They all thanked me for their "life changing" experience for being able to travel with out their parents and learn with real engineers and geologists in the field. I don't think I can ever express to them how much each of them touched my heart, how very proud of them I was for being so amazing, for doing what all said they couldn't and for doing it so well. This trip will always be close to my heart. I will always treasure this experience and these 5 women. I cannot wait to see hpow they will grow and change..not only themselves, but those around them.

I will say this and be done, it is against their culture for pictures of women to be shown, but they all gave me permission to share these with you and in fact, they said that they would even be willing for the more geologic pictures (most are NOT shown here) to be shraed in some of the TAMUQ publications...

Like I said, they are breaking down all sorts of barriers.

I introduce Nawal, Mona, Balasm, Zaynab, and Maryam...