Growing Up in the Middle East

by Alex Hawley

Arielle Gamboa: Growing Up in Dubai

Arielle is a sophomore at Rutgers who lived in Dubai. She recounts her education, her experiences with religion, and the sides of that society that she experienced from living in Dubai during her formative years.

One story she shared was of a brief encounter with police. Her boyfriend of the time was walking her to the train station to send her home one afternoon after school. She was still in her school uniform at the time. Her boyfriend gave her a hug before boarding the train and was subsequently harassed by police. She never learned what exactly transgressed, but she did know it was in response to the public display of affection they showed.

She went on to share stories of how she could see the larger world issues intertwine with her daily life. One such instance being when her teachers instructed the students to remove Israel from their atlases. Another being her church's outreach with poor immigrant worker camps that live on the fringe of Dubai.

Belal Said: Growing Up in Saudi Arabia

Belal is a sophomore at Rutgers who lived in Saudi Arabia. He recounts his childhood in Saudi Arabia living in an Egyptian community in Riyadh. He told stories of his parents, his education, his playmates, and how he sees the society changing.

One story he shared was a story of him and his playmates playing soccer. He was talking about the generalized Egyptian personality and spirit, saying how they are very passionate and hospitable people, but this passion can sometimes become emotionally-charged. He cited an incident where he and his playmates were playing behind the mosque in a big, flat, open field that was ideal for playing soccer. Along came some older children who wanted to use the space but weren't very nice about sharing. Thing between them got heated and escalated to violence, with one of the children pulling a knife and stabbing another.

Amongst other things, Belal spoke about his family, his Egyptian heritage and his Saudi Arabian upbringing. He shed light onto gender inequality in Saudi Arabia and living under Sharia law. Belal also talked extensively about politics, a passion of his, offering a very insightful breakdown of the Egyptian and Saudi Arabian political landscape. 

Special thanks to Arielle Gamboa and Belal Said for taking time out of their day to talk about their upbringing. None of this would be possible without the professional help and equipment provided by 90.3 The Core, credited at the beginning and end of each recording.

All information, photographs, and recordings are given proper consent and permission by pertinent parties.