Al Ain: Born on December 17, 1971, Al Ain-based Dr. Habiba Saif Al Shamsi has fond memories of the UAE’s unification. It makes her realise how lucky she is as it had opened the doors for girls to take up education then.
“I remember my parents telling me that after the union of the UAE in 1971, Shaikh Zayed was very keen on encouraging parents to enrol their children especially girls in schools,” said Dr. Al Shamsi, professor in civil law, assistant dean in college of law, at UAE University.
“The government would give the students an annual allowance to motivate them to go to schools and get an education,” she said. Dr Al Shamsi did her Masters and PhD in Egypt, after completing her bachelor’s degree in UAE.
Dr. Al Shamsi still remembers with fondness the years spent at ‘Al Ain Kids’ kindergarten and ‘Um Salama’ primary school, and recalls how her family would drop her off and pick her up from school, as buses were few. At times she would even walk to school.
“We were about 20 students, all girls, mostly non-Emiratis. My teachers were from Egypt, Sudan and Palestine. I still remember my classmates and our uniform, which was brown and white, and in primary school we would wear a white headscarf. In school, we had classes on nutrition and how to learn simple skills,” recollected Al Shamsi, adding that the teachers were role models for them.
“They were like mothers to us, compassionate, tender, loving and caring as they were the only ones we were exposed to other than our family. I also remember how all my classmates would gather at one house and do combined studies. In the summer, we would learn how to recite Quran and would get a reward if we memorised verses,” said Al Shamsi.
“In school, we would celebrate National Day wearing traditional costumes. We would sing the national anthem and salute the flag. We would decorate our school and classrooms and hold activities and contests. [It was] not as spectacular as it is now.”
Talking about her birth city, Al Shamsi says it has managed to maintain its old charm over the years.
“Compared to other Emirates, Al Ain city has remained the same. The infrastructure has improved a lot, but it is still a peaceful place to live in, as the community is small. At that time, our house was located in Al Kuwaitat district in Al Ain, close to the north of Al Murraba Fort, which was a police checkpoint. There were date farms adjacent to our house which still exist. The hospital where my siblings and I were born, still functions, but its name has changed from Canadian Hospital to Oasis Hospital,” said Al Shami.
“We have renovated our old house and rented it out, but that place still remains the same and has the spirit of the past. Our neighbours still live in the same place. Relationships between neighbours was very intimate and special then. Families that had television sets would invite all the neighbours to gather and watch TV,” said Al Shamsi, who felt that the mindset and nature of people has changed over the years.
“There are many families whose social and traditional values have changed. We had core family values, respect for the old, for others, for time and for listening attentively. I really yearn for those old days, where values were cherished and respected,” says Al Shamsi.
“I also miss waking up at dawn to the smell of my mom grinding and roasting coffee beans, baking fresh bread and preparing breakfast. Those were the days.”
-Asma Samir is a trainee at Gulf News
