Dakota Reed on Traveling to Bahrain, 2019

In April 2019, two first-year MFA students–Dakota Reed and Rosie Kopman–traveled with Prof. Bret Lott to Bahrain to meet their University of Bahrain creative writing students. During the week, they held workshops, gave readings, toured, feasted, and learned about Bahrain’s history and culture.

Dakota Reed (MFA poetry ’20) with camel.

Dakota Reed

To be granted access into someone’s world is an incredible privilege, and one we, as creative writing mentors, didn’t take lightly. The students at the University of Bahrain not only physically allowed us into their school and classrooms, but also into their lives. As early as the first few weekly Skype sessions, students were sharing some of their most personal moments through their writing. They were vulnerable and unabashed. We connected over experiences of heartbreak, grief, insecurity, and loss. Flash fiction and ghazals unspooled stories of feeling alone, or different, or out of place. Creative essays celebrated moments of goodness, childhood memories. Despite being thousands of miles apart, we found such solid common ground to walk upon. We quickly discovered we were all so much more similar than we could have previously imagined.

Within the program were two separate classes: poetry and fiction, each pulling a couple lesson plans from the other so that the students had the chance to write a bit of both. They had one creative nonfiction session as well, and all wrote tremendously both within and outside of their individual concentrations and comfort zones. It was especially wonderful to watch the students surprise themselves with their own writing and truly feel proud of their work.

The opportunity to be flown out to Bahrain to meet our students was unparalleled. The country itself was beautiful, the people even lovelier. Our guides from the embassy worked hard to make the trip feel special. We observed traditional textile weaving and visited the Royal Camel farm. We tasted Bahraini produce and juices at a farmers’ market and strolled through the lush botanical garden in which it was held. All the food we ate during our time there was incredible, ranging from chicken liver for breakfast to lamb biryani for dinner. Being able to share meals with the students who we had spent the past several months getting to know from afar was a feeling much like coming home.

Before traveling to Bahrain, we compiled our students’ work into an anthology of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, including two original works by each student. Presenting them with these books of their words, ideas, and thoughts was a really special moment—their pride and excitement was palpable, as was ours. Two readings were held, one at the university and one at an art space in town, where we and the students all had the chance to read our work to an audience. Watching other people listen to and react to the work our students had put so much energy into made for a wonderful and heart-swelling evening, one that we will certainly not forget.

We are so thankful to everyone involved in the facilitation of this program, as it functioned as a fantastic bridge between cultures. The entire experience was met by all the students, professors, and embassy ambassadors with such love, openness, and an eagerness to learn and connect. We feel incredibly lucky to have been so wholly welcomed into Bahrain, for the chance to teach what we’re passionate about, and for the new friendships we will always cherish.