Last time when we checked in with Jordan, one of BE’s See the World, BE the Future scholarship recipients, he was lighting up the city of Abu Dhabi and learning about the religious culture at theSheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. This week, he was in for a pleasant surprise.

When Jordan’s family first told him they would be visiting, he was a little irritated because it would interfere with his spring break plans. He quickly got over it once they arrived, reminding him just how much he’d missed them. He soon realized how lucky he was when other exchange students said they envied his opportunity to have his father, mother, brother and two dear family friends witness how he’d adjusted to a new culture. Jordan soon became eager to make his family proud.

The first night they all dined at a Lebanese restaurant. It was nice for Jordan to hear his family’s first impressions of the city he had become so accustomed to. And it was wonderful to hear his dad entertain the group with stories of learning the Arabic signs, learning to use the train station, and learning the differences in culture.

The first night of the Sparks family’s visit: Jordan’s father, mother, brother, a family friend and son, and a local friend and her husband.

The following day, Jordan took everyone to see the Dubai Mall, the largest mall in the world. As difficult as it was to impress a family from Houston, with the enormous Galleria and Katy Mills Mall, Jordan’s family was clearly impressed based on how many times they got lost.

A breathtaking view from the Burj Khalifa of the Dubai Mall and the Address Hotel.

After the mall, the group took a trip up to the Burj Khalifa (the world’s tallest skyscraper) to see what the view was like from way up there. It was absolutely mesmerizing! After stepping off the short 1-minute elevator ride, they were all instantly taken by how high they actually were. The group was fascinated by the sights and getting to see what the world looked like from that height.

(Left to right) Jordan’s mother, brother, family friend, Jordan, and Jordan’s family friend’s son taking a cheesy picture at the top of the Burj Khalifa.

Towards the end of their visit, Jordan sent his family off to take the desert safari, something he’d done a few weeks back. No matter if they were thrilled by the camel rides or getting henna applied, or not, Jordan was encouraged and thrilled to know that his family was excited to see him expand his knowledge and experiences living in the UAE and Dubai, the world’s most talked about city.

As Jordan prepared for his spring break trip to Thailand, he said goodbye to his loved ones and felt comforted in the fact that they were able to visit him while he was deep in his abroad studies.

Check back next week to hear about Jordan’s Thailand spring break getaway!