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1. Running head: AN INTERVIEW OF THE VIEW OF THE PAST 1
An INTERVIEW of the VIEW of the PAST: This Essay is Comparing the Past to the Present
Hamad Al Mehrezi
Higher Colleges of Technology

2. AN INTERVIEW OF THE VIEW OF THE PAST 2
Introduction
The past and present can change rapidly and vastly. That’s exactly what happened in the United
Arab Emirates. The interview was conducted in Arabic, the interviewee’s native tongue so she
could understand. She had witnessed how the U.A.E changed with its rampant gain of wealth to
the amazing country it is today. In the interview the differences of luxury and sports from the
past and the present are discussed.

3. AN INTERVIEW OF THE VIEW OF THE PAST 3
This Essay is Comparing the Past to the Present
For this interview the over 50 year old was my grandmother who witnessed the growth of
the U.A.E. I asked her if, she could describe the main differences in today’s society compared
with luxuries and sports when you played as a kid 40 or 30 years ago? My grandmother’s
response was
“I didn’t play much sport. My mother used to sew clothes with her hands and she didn’t
have a sewing machine to sew clothes. I used to collect the cut materials and make small dolls.
The dolls I used to make looked like our natural U.A.E national dresses. I used to share some of
my dolls with my friends to play with. My father didn’t send me to school because the school
was mixed boys and girls. I also used to play with my friends with swings under the tree and we
sang. I wanted to go to school but my father didn’t allow me which I totally understand because
he was worried about me. We used to play also something called “kook”, we hid and then we
said kook and our friend needed to go around and find us.”
We have luxuries today that we might not realize, for example schools and colleges
being segregated in the U.A.E this allows a lot more people to be culturally and religiously ok
with going to school. With the money and new technology we are able to Tailor a lot faster and
efficiently with the things we wear or just go to the shops and buy whatever we want. There is no
reason to go to a tailor to make our clothes and instead we have the option of shops that just
provide these things for us. I also asked my grandmother what sports she played in the past and
sports she plays now?
“The most things I used to enjoy is playing with toys and when it was “Eid” time we
played on swing. When its “Haj” time all the kids used to gather and say Takbeer “Allah akber ,
Allah Akber . La Ellah ella Allah, Allah Akber , Allah Aber walellah Al Hamd” for ten days

4. AN INTERVIEW OF THE VIEW OF THE PAST 4
before Eid Al Adhai. Now I don’t play any sport. On a daily basis I have to take care of the
animals (sheep, goats, chickens). I do cut grass from the farm to feed them.. I do plant trees
(dates and mango and other fruits) in my house and in our farm. For me I consider that as sport
just to keep me healthy and active.”
She hadn’t played many sports as a child but considering how she tends to take care of
her plants and animals is quite impressive in her old age. They didn’t have the luxury back in the
past to play sports like basketball and soccer. Most people maybe didn’t have the chance but
some of them did. They worked very hard to help their family instead and what was sport to
them was playing around with other children. Taking care of their animals and plants was work
and a joy so it stuck with her till now. The next question I asked her was what luxuries you have
now that you didn’t have in the past?
“We have a car which makes life easy for us to travel. There are many hospital that are
available now and the government gives a lot of support to medical care. There are universities
and all of my kids had a good education and have good jobs where they are also supporting us
financially which makes me happy. We have free big houses from the government to fit our
family members with enough space to accommodate all us living comfortably”
In the past they had to travel by using camels and some people traveled by walking if
they didn’t have animals to travel by which took them quite long time to reach some
destinations; in the old days if someone got sick most of the time there wouldn’t be any
medicine to help them and they only used the traditional medicines. There weren’t any
universities in the past and the people had to travel elsewhere for their education. Some people
used to live in tents, or house which were made from trees . Now, in today’s society they are
lucky enough to be provided were a home that can fit the whole family.

5. AN INTERVIEW OF THE VIEW OF THE PAST 5
Then I asked her what things you have in your past that has changed over time.
“Before we used to feel free playing outside and now our grand kids are scared to go and
play outside. Now we have to be careful sending our kids outside by themselves in some places
like the big city. I lived in a small village and I used to go with my father everywhere and we
used to go freely wherever we wanted to go. Our kids before they used not to give us troubles in
school but our grandkids now need a lot of help and support after school and don’t have time
play like us in the old days.”
As the wealth grew so did the population of the people in the U.A.E and we can’t assume
everyone is friendly and over time our family realized it isn’t safe in many places. Our family is
very careful of with whom and where they leave their children. It seems sort of sad to not let
them just go play wherever they’d like. The education has gotten better, but in the past students
didn’t leave school until they understood everything and they got what they needed done first
from school, then went to play. With today’s school the schools maybe stronger and tougher but
it leaves her grandkids needing support after school and most of the time they don’t go to play
outside; they stay home and study.
Then I asked her what the biggest differences are in convinces and sport from today compared to
the past and her response was “before we had TV and radio we used to spend a lot of time with
family and relatives. There was more interaction between family than now. Now people spend
time in their house entertaining themselves by watching TV. We used to go to the neighbors and
they told us night time stories and we talked.” The truth is she is absolutely right we spend more
time on our devices than we do talking to one another or even interacting with one another and to
be honest. I have no idea what the names of my neighbors are and I’ve never even said hello to
one of them we live completely separated lives.

6. AN INTERVIEW OF THE VIEW OF THE PAST 6
The next question I asked her was throughout the years what are the biggest changes
thanks to the new wealth the U.A.E has gained? The response she gave me was this “Everything
changed, before we used to have small houses and now we have big luxury houses with nice
furnishings. There are many hospitals. More opportunities of education available now and there
are many universities. Cars make our life easier than before where people used to have camel to
travel by or sometimes they walked distances if they were real poor.” I really like this response;
I’m glade life has been improved for everyone it’s a comforting feeling.
Then I asked her what changes in the past years do you find that changed for the worst or
you dislike? “The food before was all natural, we used to eat nothing that harmed us and now
food is not natural which cause some diseases for children and others. Most people eat from
restaurant s which I don’t really like but sometime you don’t have a choice.” She described to me
how she would eat from her farm and they were perfectly healthy and they only used natural
ways of getting better instead of using medicine. She feels that most of the food she buys
nowadays hurts her and her family and friends. She rather eats organic fruits, vegetable and meat
from the farm to feed her family as much as she can. Then I asked her what luxuries do you
wish you had in the past that are available now? She had responded with “Cars, T.V. I only had
gold and when I got married I sold it and bought dishes for my house”

7. AN INTERVIEW OF THE VIEW OF THE PAST 7
In the end we ended up talking about would we be better off how they lived in the past
compared to the way we live now ? She had this to say. “Life style now is better but food is
better in the past; yes our life style today is much better for us and our kids. We are trying our
best to teach our kids from what we have learned in the past.” This is her thoughts on overall
was she happy with the way the U.A.E turned out?. “Yes we are very pleased of what we have
today and thanks to our government in making our life better.”

8. AN INTERVIEW OF THE VIEW OF THE PAST 8
References
This is all done by my own research; I interviewed my grandmother Shaikha Al Mehrezi.