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Ellen spent the spring of 2011 in the Middle East as a participant in Northwestern’s Oman Semester program. She and her five NWC classmates lived in Muscat, the cultural and political center of Oman, where they studied Arabic and learned about Muslim-Christian relations. Back at Northwestern, she’s involved in student government, traveling worship teams, and Discipleship Groups. Ellen has a career concentration in pre-law, and following graduation, plans to attend law school and focus on international law.
World wise
I spent my junior year of high school living in Germany with my family because of my dad’s job, so I had already lived in Europe. I decided living and studying in the Middle East would be different, new and exciting, so I chose the Oman Semester when I decided to study abroad.
A new view
What surprised me the most was how different the culture was. I can’t count how many times we would be in a shop in the market, and we would begin talking with a shop owner and they would invite us to their house for dinner or offer us tea or coffee. I’m fairly certain that wouldn’t happen where I’m from. In Oman, it’s normal for you to be welcomed into a home, because that is the nature of their culture.
Building bridges
I’ll never forget the people I met. One of my first weeks there, our group went to the Grand Mosque to hear from John Esposito, a leading scholar on Christian-Muslim relations. As the only girl in our group and because men and women sit separately in mosques, I had to sit by myself. I decided to sit next to two Omani women, and I introduced myself and we became good friends. That next weekend they took me out with their family for a trip and really opened up the country to me. We ended up attending a fashion show and going ice skating together, and I had the opportunity to attend a traditional engagement ceremony. The welcoming, warm and open spirit is something common among everyone I met and will be what I remember.
Beyond the classroom
One of the most fun things we did as a group was go on a three-day camel trek into the desert. We camped outside under the beautiful starry sky and spent the hot afternoons napping under some of the few trees available among the orange desert sand dunes. Even though we spent most of the day sweating because it was so hot, and even though my whole body was sore because camels are not the most comfortable animals to ride, it was fun enjoying nature and God’s creation in such a different way.
Living faith
The Oman Semester is a program that is centered on faith. It challenged me to ask questions about another religion and confronted me with really tough theological questions. Our class—Christian-Muslim Relations—focused on challenging our previous beliefs about Islam. It forced me to go deeper into my understanding of my own faith. In the end it deepened and strengthened my understanding of Christianity and who Jesus Christ is, and it helped me appreciate at a deeper level what Christ’s sacrifice on the cross meant and accomplished.
Priceless
I definitely would recommend a study abroad experience to other students. You can’t put a price tag on the opportunity to experience different cultures. It opens you up to the diversity God has placed on the earth—the variety in people and nature. And of course, you are able to do things (like ride camels) that you may never get the chance to do otherwise.
