In My Element

Imagine a huge, dimmed auditorium and a 5’2” Saudi female alone onstage improvising to an Irish folk tune. Even though my heart is racing and I can’t see anyone in the audience, I transport the audience to somewhere they–and I–have never been and I am in my element.

But this isn’t the only place I’m in my element.

“Yalla al akil jahiz!” (Come on the food is ready!) my mother screams. The smell of shakshouka and foul (fool) with poached eggs draw me in as I sit at the table with my family, talking about our week, laughing and indulging in the fine Middle Eastern cuisine. I’ve grown up in Dubai, a city of towering buildings, large malls, and countless distractions. But these three hours mark our weekly brunch, a time where phones are put aside and our attention is on each other.

Saturday afternoons I’m in my element as I compete with my father in Jeopardy episodes that we stream on YouTube. He crushes me in film before the 1980s and anything related to Egyptian History, but doesn’t stand a chance against me in English grammar, human anatomy and classical composers. As we scream answers, I’m free to be playful, free to be loud, free to be wrong.

Sometimes I’m in my element on the tennis court: smashing forehands down the line or hitting to opposite sides of the court to tire my opponent out. I learned early on that accuracy wins games, but mindset wins matches.

And I can’t imagine my life without music. Growing up, orchestra rehearsals, singing in the choir, and composing were integral to my life. Music taught me to appreciate a variety of genres, from Indian ragas to African drumming to Baroque classical music and improvising folk tunes showed me that genres had more in common than I thought. In a society where parents often determine lifestyle, and teachers determine education, musical improvisation has helped me find freedom.

In my IB Psychology class we studied two concepts that have helped me gain a better understanding of why I can easily adapt to new environments.

Neuroplasticity–the formation of neural connections through learning and development–has shown me our brain has a natural tendency to adapt depending on its environment. Although I started competitive tennis relatively late in life, for example, I saw how by training extra hours and seeking extra guidance from my coaches helped me target my weaknesses and improve at a faster rate.

Acculturation–the ways in which we borrow traits from other cultures and adapt them to our own–has taught me just how much we’re able to influence one another. Last summer, for example, while attending a summer course at Brown I found myself in a course debating Cialdini’s Six Principles and how influence differed depending on cultures. We discussed everything from gender inequality in the STEM field and social issues in Southeast Asia to marketing strategies and despite our differences we were able to relate to one another.

And while neuroplasticity and acculturation have helped provide me a psychological explanation for my development, I also believe that certain qualities that I possess have helped as well. I’ve always been willing, for example, to step outside my comfort zone (like singing in front of 200 people at a relative’s wedding) and have never been too shy to fail (like the time I tried out for the ultimate frisbee team).

The choices I have made have also have helped me adapt. The choice to do regional music theory exams, for example, helped build my confidence, for example, while joining a rock band helped me become more open-minded.

Now imagine a huge college campus and a 5’2” Saudi female alone and curious waiting to take her first few steps into adulthood. Even though my heart is racing and I’m somewhere new I’m in my element.