About Me

My name is Abdulla Zeyoudi. I was born in Dibba, Fujairah, UAE. It’s amazing place where the Arabian Gulf meets with the Hajjar Mountains which separate Fujairah from the rest of the country. My father and my grandfather both were divers for pearls. My grandfather taught me how to swim and dives. Later on it became my favorite hobby and sports. In 2006 I received my scopa diving license.

In 2000 I received my scholarship to study in Australia. By 2003 I finished my IT diploma studies from Swim Burn University of technology.

I am married and my children are studding at the same primary school I was before. In 2012 I decided to continue my studies at the HCT Abu Dhabi in security Forensic. It was great decision, as I am really enjoying my time with my studies mates.

Interview Report

An interview with Mr. Rashed Ali AlZeyoudi, a 52 year old who is retired from the Ministry of Environment & Water (MOEW), conducted on 18^th-05-2015 by Abdulla AlZeyoudi, about the traditional sports in the United Arab Emirates.
Abdulla: Mr. Rashed, we are going to discuss the traditional sports in the UAE. Would you mind going into detail of how were the traditional Emirati sports?
Rashed: First, I think the traditional Emirati sports like horse, camel, dhow and saluki racing, along with falconry, emerged from our traditional Bedouin culture. Activities that were once closely tied to the community's survival now find expression in a sporting atmosphere with the express intent of raising public awareness and keeping traditions alive.
Abdulla: Very well, but how we compare the old sports with the modern ones?
Rashed: Traditionally in the past all these ‘sports' were an element of survival. Falcons and Salukis are still used to hunt Arabian gazelles, pigeons, and pheasants. Camels, horses, and the traditional wooden dhows were used as transportation, but nowadays we have fiberglass boats, submarines, cars, trucks and airplanes as new modes of transport.

Abdulla: You just mention dhow racing; how was the dhow race in the past?

Rashed: Dhow racing evolved from pearl diving that was practiced to extract pearls for trade. In the past, they used pearls to trade for food, cloth and daily use items. Nowadays these sports keep the traditions going for future generations and keep the past alive in our hearts.

Abdulla: What do you want to say for the young generation?
Rashed: Until now, there seems to be a lack of awareness and interest about the traditional way of life amongst modern Emirati youth. It is important for young Emiratis to be educated about their past because this is an important part of our national identity. It is also highly significant for the country's tourism. We have lots to offer for foreign visitors in terms of Emirati history.
Abdulla: Did you still go hunting?
Rashed: Nodaways hunting is banned by law in all Gulf countries to preserve Arabian wildlife, except for a short annual open hunting season in Saudi Arabia. For this reason, traditional practices have evolved into recreational sports such as beauty contests and racing competitions. It becomes apparent in a rapidly changing nation.
Abdulla: Any last words or comments?
Rashed: Whatever happens, UAE is still focused on legacy and culture as part of a tradition that will never be lost. “He who does not have a past, will not have a present or future”, said Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
End of Interview.

IOC MOOC

Case Study Reflection

Our group consists of three members Abdulla, Jaber and Rashed. Rashed is the camera man and Jaber is the speaker of our group plus he made the arrangement for the gym meeting. My role was to plan for the questionnaire plus editing the video. The first meeting was at the class to select the gym and to prepare for the second meeting. The second meeting was in the library to make the scenario, questionnaire and to follow up with the arrangement for the meeting time and place.

We chose Cobra gym because we are looking for something different to other groups plus it gives the underground feeling.

The cobra gym is a Tai kickboxing facility located in the basement (car park) of Al Bandar residential complex at Al Raha Beach Abu Dhabi. The facility is a two floors building and each floor is around 375 Square meters in size. We asked Mat the questions that we previously prepared in our discussion. At the same time, Rashed recorded the interview on his phone.

It was a very creative meeting where we found that cobra gym provided training in Muay Thai, Boxing and BJJ. They also offer Vertical Flex, Yoga, Pilates and have a fully equipped weights gym.

Mat is the owner of a hard knock brand. He also made and supplied other gyms with gloves and bags. There were more than 500 members from different countries in the Cobra gym. Also, we found out that Mat is world champion in kickboxing.

From my opinion the next time we are going to use more professional camera and sound kit to produce a high-quality project.