Abu Dhabi 2019: Understanding your own definition of ‘different’

Similarities will bring a group of people together, but their differences are what will draw them closer.

Adeela Abdullah Shaya became a volunteer at the Special Olympics World Games to understand more about people with intellectual disabilities. Little did she know, they would want to understand her world as well.

Niqab
The UAE citizen and mother of two covers her head, face and body with a niqab, for religious purposes, leaving only her eyes to be seen. As the team leader of the Fun Fitness section at Healthy Athletes, Shaya was surrounded by athletes daily that were intrigued by her look. One American athlete came up to her and started to question why she was covering her face.

“This is something that I think other people think, that covered people are killers or something,” Shaya said.

The young American girl went on to ask her if her face was deformed or if she was ugly? Shaya laughed and told the girl that it was not the reason. The young girl, still not satisfied, asked if she could see. Shaya gladly agreed and showed her face.

“You are so pretty!” The young girl exclaimed. “But why do you wear it?”

Feeling safe
Shaya explained that it was a part of her Islamic religion and that wearing it makes her feel safe. When she was finished explaining Shaya was not sure how much the young girl understood, but the girl looked right into her eyes and said, “I love you!” and Shaya said it back.

“Anything they want, we tell them,” Shaya said. “And they understand, and they hug you. And these really are the moments that you feel like you are not only there just for work. You are giving a message to others that you are welcoming, you are happy about Islam, about our culture itself.”

There is so much to see Shaya continued to passionately speak about her country and how they want the rest of the world to understand, if only they would try, to see what the UAE is really all about.

“We wish if we had more time, to spend more with them to take them around our country, or at least our city,” Shaya said. “I wish we could just let them come and taste our food, see the old women preparing it and how they are, even if they don’t speak English—there is so much to see. They would feel like they are with their own family.”

Volunteers Shaya’s children are also involved at the Special Olympic World Games. Her son is a floor manager at ADNEC and her daughter works as a volunteer in Healthy Athletes as well.

Symbols of the world
Throughout the week, people around the games have been exchanging pins with one another to keep as a symbol of friendship. Shaya has received many pins in return from her new friends, pins that she will cherish forever. “I feel like I have traveled all over the world, because of these people and their backgrounds. And even by having these pins, they tell me what they are all about.”

SOURCE:AIPSMEDIA.COM