Why did you choose to study at the American University of Beirut (AUB)?
As a double-major in Philosophy and Spanish, I had completed two study abroad programs in Mexico during my junior year as I fulfilled my course requirements in Spanish. These experiences motivated me to continue seeking opportunities for going abroad, but, at least at first, I had a hard time finding a university that had both an exchange agreement with my home university and the specific philosophy courses needed for the core sequence of my Philosophy major. Then, I stumbled upon AUB and realized that they not only had the philosophy courses I needed, but also an assortment of language and philosophy electives that fascinated me. Consequently, I knew that going to AUB, far from hindering the timely completion of my major, had the potential to greatly enrich my academic life.
Putting academics aside for a moment, my other reason was personal interest. Spending time in Mexico had profoundly affected how I viewed my own history and my place in the world, and I had a feeling that spending time in Beirut would continue this shift. I knew enough about Lebanese history and Orientalism to not approach the semester with starry-eyed romanticism—but I also believed that such knowledge would remain incomplete if it were never complemented by concrete relationships with people and places. Thus, my decision to study at AUB was much like my university experience a whole: a close intertwining of the academic and personal.
After spending a semester at AUB, I couldn’t stop laughing at myself for having grown up imagining the entire Middle East as one endless desert.
What made your semester in Beirut extraordinary?
Studying philosophy in Beirut made my experience extraordinary. Being in the Middle East and having professors who could discuss the accuracy or inadequacy of the English translations of Arabic texts added a layer of intimacy to the study that I had not experienced in the U.S. These experiences renewed my love for language learning and impressed upon me the importance of caution when comparing philosophies across cultures and times. In short, studying philosophy in Beirut made me a more nuanced and discerning thinker.
Moreover, my professors were extremely generous with their time outside of class. Some of my fondest memories of Beirut were afternoon chats about philosophy, language, and history in my professors’ offices. My home university had a relatively small student body compared to AUB’s, so it was a great relief to learn that going to AUB would not require me to sacrifice the 1-on-1 relationships with professors I had come to cherish at Augsburg.
Visiting centuries-old structures like the citadel in Tripoli made me rethink what I had thought of as “old” buildings in the U.S.
What surprised you the most about Beirut?
If there was one thing I did not know when I chose AUB, it was that I would eat so well while in Beirut. To be sure, I knew nothing about Lebanese cuisine. However, I also have an assortment of food allergies, so I don’t associate travel and food as closely as many people do. But with the AUBMC close by and many Arabic-speaking friends willing to clarify ingredients for me, I ate to my heart’s content.
The diversity of cuisines available in Beirut was also a pleasant surprise. Having been raised in the U.S., I am accustomed to being able to choose among a variety of national and regional cuisines. In Beirut, I also found a plethora of foods all around me: South American, Turkish, Italian, Western, Lebanese, and South Asian. Beirut’s culinary variety prevented me from getting bored or feeling as if I was without options.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time?
I lift weights, so I spent a lot of time in the gym on campus—it is well-equipped for all your fitness needs. I’m also a constant reader, so I spent many afternoons wandering through the stacks of Jafet Library and simply selecting random books that piqued my interest. Thanks to the internet, I also spent every Saturday night watching live streams of my home university’s football games.
Off-campus, I took trips outside of Beirut and got to know other parts of Lebanon. However, my favorite activity was the English course I co-taught with a couple of other international students. We taught intermediate English to a class of adults, and I spent a few Sundays at the home of two students. Getting to spend time with their family and being taken on hiking trips was a definite highlight of my semester. Beirut also has a vibrant nightlife, and many students have fond memories of those settings. I do not drink or party, but I still had an incredible semester and do not feel as though I missed out on anything important. “Sometimes I feel like this is a message that prospective students do not receive as often as they should.”
When I took this picture from atop the Phoenician Wall in Batroun, I realized how perfectly it summed up the experience of being in Lebanon: you are constantly witnessing natural beauty while surrounded by layers and layers of history.
How has your time abroad impacted your life?
It is difficult to overstate the impact my time abroad has had on my life. I am currently seated at my desk at United International College in Zhuhai, China, where I am studying Chinese and interning for a year after completing my B.A. this May, and my hope is that this will be the first of many places I live as an aspiring English as a Foreign Language teacher. This trajectory is a direct consequence of the time I spent abroad. The relationships I formed and growth I underwent abroad made me want to continue seeing the world from different places.
What advice do you have for prospective students?
Try to take seriously any sort of intercultural competency training you are given prior to going abroad. It is nearly impossible to be a respectful guest in another culture if you are unable to reflect upon the normative assumptions that govern your experience of another culture. That being said, it is also necessary to be gentle with yourself and admit when you need to take a break, eat food from your home country, and schedule an extra phone call with family. Living abroad is immensely rewarding but can also be quite stressful, and everyone should recognize when he or she has reached the reasonable limits of cultural or emotional stress.
Another piece of advice, take public transportation! It gives you a more realistic view of life for the average local than taking a taxi everywhere. Learning how to navigate the bus and the train systems makes you a more empowered traveler and individual.
Why do you think it is important to study in the Middle East?
Look, any thinking person knows that the large media companies in the U.S. do not give an honest and nuanced portrayal of the Middle East, but it’s not enough to replace that caricature with a superficial universalism and say oh but there are good and bad people everywhere. Now, of course, that is true, but it’s a vague and insufficient answer to a specific and very effective process of conditioning. In my experience, I have found it necessary to have concrete and personal experiences to replace the imagery I had previously internalized. It seems to be an unfortunate fact of human psychology that we have a hard time feeling connected to things that do not affect those in our immediate social circle.
Consequently, the ultimate importance of studying in the Middle East is having the opportunity to be changed by your relationships there. I am unable to process the news in the same way that I did before going to AUB. “It made me a more informed and engaged citizen”, and I think it engenders the kind of simultaneous global-self-awareness from which we all benefit.
