Eric Hensel - Salam Coordinator

Only few hours before he flies away from my home country on his way to Tunis to his next adventure. He has been in Dubai since December 2004 for around 9 months coordinating for the Salam program as part of AIESEC (@), but I only met him sometime in March 2005.

I still remember the first time I met him. I had a meeting with Nadine and Jennifer, both aiesecers, one in Dubai and the other from the US. I walked through the Media City hallway towards the @ office to be received by such a BIG smile from a person I did not even KNOW!! I told myself, "why is he smiling so big, does he even know me?!" As I came in with this suspicious kiddish look on my facing looking around for Nadine, he asked, "are you Hana?" I was like O_o, "yes..." N then he offered his hands to shake mine and I didn't know what to do, so simply as always puttin others in embarrassin situations, "Sorry don't shake hands.." At that moment we both went red.. I saw his face go RED n i mean RED, and I felt so embarrassed doing that to him for the first time seeing him. But well, ppl learn the hard way:P I bet he would never forget this day too... or would you Mr Hensel? I DOUBT IT!!

So since that day, esp with him being the Salam coordinator, I kept in touch with him. Well to be honest I annoyed him most of the times visitin and tryin to help out with my internship. I sometimes would call him asking to meet, and then bring out a paper full of organizations in the States that I would like to try n get a traineeship with and he would start doing the call. I would not dare try callin the orga esp not knowin what to say

...Nyways...

Eric and Nadine were also part of our volunteer group "UAE Young Leaders" presentation at the Women something conference hosted by Zayed University. They have been part of the audience who were impressed by the uniqueness of our group. And it was a success!! (ooops seems am driftin away from the topic.. hehehe)

So with all the meeting i've had with Mr hensel, we did have discussions about different topics, such as Islam, his love to the Arab culture, personal experiences in life, family, etc.. Let me elaborate in a topic I very much was impressed with..

We one spoke about tourism in the country and how US, ARAbs, tend to show foreigners the NEW Dubai at first such as for sure, Burj Al Arab, and totally forget about the old Dubai or the culture it self. A person with no past, shall not have a future. And that is exactly what Eric has been pointin out. For we at times are ashamed to be our ownselves and show ppl the real Dubai and here i mean the old part of it, our ancestors. What amazed me about Mr Hensel is his devotion to the Arab culture. He, unlike most of us, tour new trainees around the old souq, a trip in the abra, n then the museum. That is how everyone should experience Dubai and the UAE at first.

Oh that brings me to a shock we both had. When I got to know Eric in the early stages, I told him about a belief I had, "I don't seem to be able to build a sustainable long lastin relation with expatriates, esp Americans and British." This belief has existed because it seemed that relations are built btw us and let's say the professor for a short term then it fades away once we graduate or the professor moves away. This scenario works with employees too and any other form of relation. But with Eric, this assumption simply faded away that it bought a shock to both of us esp me for sure. Eric became such a close friend of mine that I don't even feel the difference we have btw us that at times would have acted as barriers to building a relation. So I am thankful to God for having such a good friend in my life, plus another foreign friend, who's a professor at the University, Mr. Zia. I only got to k now him in the last few weeks of university, and now i'm so in touch with him and it feels that i've known him for so long.. Thank Eric.. Thanks Zia..

Thanks for adding so much to my life and teaching me to be myself. Thank you for supporting me at times I indeeded needed a good friend to be close. Thanks for changing my own belief about friendship knowing that I can be friends with anyone, not just Arabs.

There is alot to thank... but for now .. to FAREWELL..

Eric.. I believe you shall be leaving soon to the airport... n get to see Dubai for the last time.. going back to all the memoirs you had here. Know this .... You will be missed so much and you would be remembered... N always know that our hearts are open .. as well as our houses to have such a special person visit us:)

Take care my buddy...