Vocational goals beginning in Oman

My interests are very wide, so it is often times difficult for me to focus on one thing in particular that I really want to do in the future.  However, I do know that whatever it is I do vocationally, it will involve travel, working in adverse conditions, and working with another culture and language.  My summer abroad learning Arabic in Oman will greatly contribute to these future vocational goals.

One specific interest of mine is to work in helping refugees and other displaced people in the Middle East from its variety of countries.  I know that the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) is one of the leading groups that are involved in this type of work and are an organization I have interest in.  They have many refugee camps in the Middle East that I can work, or volunteer with.

Studying Arabic at the Center for International Learning in Muscat, Oman will definitely aide in my future vocational goal of working with the UNHCR for myriad reasons.  Firstly I will have gained knowledge in Arabic which is widely spoken throughout the Middle East.  I will also have had experience living in adverse conditions being that Muscat in May-June oftentimes reaches 120 degrees, and is humid.  I also will have lived in a culture that is vastly different from the one I am used to, as well as one that may be similar to some of the refugees I will possibly work with.

I will be in Oman for a relatively short amount of time to be able to do anything major that will contribute to my future goals.  In any case, there are still things that I can consciously do that will help.  Besides soaking in as much of the language, geography, and culture that I can, I plan to seek out some volunteer work that I can do on the weekends (if there is sufficient time!) that involve locals.