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The United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates, or the U.A.E., is a country located in the Middle East. It shares its borders with Saudiarabia and Oman. The capital of the U.A.E. is Abu Dhabi. U.A.E. consists of a population of approximately 4,500,000 people.

The economy of the U.A.E. is extremely strong. It flourishes from the income of their greatest and most important natural resources – oil . The United Arab Nations produce approximately 10% of the total oilproduction in the entire world. 90% of the total oilreserves comes from the Abu Dhabi region. Because of this, Abu Dhabi is the central location for many oilrefinery industries. Dubai is the site for the more commercial areas, with office buildings, etc. In recent years, the non-oil businesses have stood for two thirds of the country’s GDP. However, the country still relies heavily on it’s oil related income.

The United Arab Emirates GDP is currently $270 billion. Since 2007, the GDP has grown by 7%. The GDP per citizen is 55,670 US dollars. The government has a national debt of 22.4% of the GDP. The U.A.E. has an inflation rate of 12.9%. This amount has increased a small amount every passing year.



With the incredicle income that the government recieves, they are able to finance many projects within the country. It is currently one of the most developed countries in the world.

90% of the total oilreserves comes from the Abu Dhabi region. Because of this, Abu Dhabi is the central location for many oilrefinery industries. Dubai is the site for the more commercial areas, with office buildings, etc. In recent years, the non-oil businesses have stood for two thirds of the country’s GDP. However, the country still relies heavily on it’s oil related income.

The United Arab Emirates GDP is currently $270 billion. Since 2007, the GDP has grown by 7%. The GDP per citizen is 55,670 US dollars. The government has a national debt of 22.4% of the GDP. The U.A.E. has an inflation rate of 12.9%. This amount has increased a small amount every passing year.

Beneficiary - Person or other legal entity for whose present or future interest (benefit) an annuity, assignment (such as a letter of credit), contract, insurance policy, judgment, promise, trust, will, etc., is made.



Coverage -Extent to which the assets of a firm (specially the cash flow) are adequate in meeting its debt obligations.



Deductible - Fixed amount or percentage of an insurance claim that is the responsibility of the insured, and which the insurance company will deduct from the claim payment. Sometimes deductibles are voluntary (to qualify for a lower premium rate) but usually they are imposed by the insurer to avoid paying a large number of small claims. Also called excess. Not to be confused with tax deduction.



Co-pay - The amount an insured person is expected to pay for a medical expense at the time of the visit.



Premium - The amount by which a bond or stock sells above its par value.



Compound Interest - Interest which is calculated not only on the initial principal but also the accumulated interest of prior periods. Compound interest differs from simple interest in that simple interest is calculated solely as a percentage of the principal sum.



Liability - An obligation that legally binds an individual or company to settle a debt. When one is liable for a debt, they are responsible for paying the debt or settling a wrongful act they may have committed.



Negligence – Failure to act.



Double Indemnity - A life insurance policy provision that calls for an additional payment, usually equal to the face amount of the insurance, in the event of accidental death.



Promissory Note - A document signed by a borrower promising to repay a loan under agreed-upon terms.

Beneficiary - Person or other legal entity for whose present or future interest (benefit) an annuity, assignment (such as a letter of credit), contract, insurance policy, judgment, promise, trust, will, etc., is made.



Coverage -Extent to which the assets of a firm (specially the cash flow) are adequate in meeting its debt obligations.



Deductible - Fixed amount or percentage of an insurance claim that is the responsibility of the insured, and which the insurance company will deduct from the claim payment. Sometimes deductibles are voluntary (to qualify for a lower premium rate) but usually they are imposed by the insurer to avoid paying a large number of small claims. Also called excess. Not to be confused with tax deduction.



Co-pay - The amount an insured person is expected to pay for a medical expense at the time of the visit.



Premium - The amount by which a bond or stock sells above its par value.



Compound Interest - Interest which is calculated not only on the initial principal but also the accumulated interest of prior periods. Compound interest differs from simple interest in that simple interest is calculated solely as a percentage of the principal sum.



Liability - An obligation that legally binds an individual or company to settle a debt. When one is liable for a debt, they are responsible for paying the debt or settling a wrongful act they may have committed.



Negligence – Failure to act.



Double Indemnity - A life insurance policy provision that calls for an additional payment, usually equal to the face amount of the insurance, in the event of accidental death.



Promissory Note - A document signed by a borrower promising to repay a loan under agreed-upon terms.

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, teachers and faculty members, parents and friends, and of course, the graduating class of 2009, I bid you all a warm welcome to the 2009 Garrett High School Graduation Ceremony. My name is Alexander Pitches and I have been an exchange student at GHS the past school year.

We have all gathered here today to witness the union of two important events. The congratulations and celebrations of successfully completing your high school careers, and the start of a new adventurous journey, which will lead all of you on to greater things.

You have all worked extremely hard to achieve this goal. Haven’t we all endured the savage ferocity of Mrs. Walls’ vocabulary quizzes, the vicious menace of Mr. Pressler’s television set, and the wrathful vengeance of Mr. Frickey’s BFS program. We might have all thought that the teachers and principals are evil ghouls, who wish to prey on young innocent Seniors, but the reality is far from it. During my year here at Garrett High School, I have noticed through my carefully planned observations that the teachers and faculty members are considerate people, who devote their lives to make us reach our full potential and excel in life. As well teaching, the staff here at GHS has provided so much more. Mr. Lobsiger’s speeches have inspired us all, and filled us with such proudness to be at Garrett High School, the best high school in north east Indiana. I would on behalf of all the senior class like to extend our appreciation and gratitude to the staff, who have all worked their hardest to help us.

But great teachers alone will not achieve great results. This Senior class has so much potential to go far and reach the peak of the mountain of Life. There are so many different and interesting, as well as memorable characters in this crowd before me. Who is not able to recall Madison Diedrich urge her teammates on during a sporting event, or seeing Courtney Wisel the hardest of questions with the simplest of ease? Who is not able to recall hearing Clint Custer’s frequent catchphrase “Excuse me”, or recall hearing Gavin Wisel talk about his “big guns”?

As I look out over this group, I see a massive difference in personalities. Personalities that have grown together into a family.

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, teachers and faculty members, family and friends, and of course, the graduating class of 2009, I bid you all a warm welcome to the 2009 Garrett High School Graduation Ceremony. My name is Alexander Pitches and I have been an exchange student at GHS during the 2008/2009 school year.

We have all gathered here today to witness the union of two important events. The congratulations and celebrations of successfully completing your high school careers, and the start of a new adventurous journey, which will lead all of you on to greater things. All of us have different goals set after graduation. Some of us will go on to pursue a degree in college, some of us will seek to gain an occupation, some of us will join the military forces to defend your great country, and some of us will return home to, let’s say Sweden, to complete two more years of high school.

You have all worked extremely hard to achieve graduation. Haven’t we all endured the savage ferocity of Mrs. Walls’ vocabulary quizzes, the vicious menace of Mr. Pressler’s television set, and the wrathful vengeance of Mr. Frickey’s BFS program? We might have all thought that the teachers and principals are evil ghouls, who wish to prey on young innocent Seniors, but the reality is far from it. During my year here at Garrett High School, I have noticed through my carefully planned observations that the teachers and faculty members are considerate people, who devote their lives to make us students reach our full potential and excel in life. As well as teaching, the staff here at GHS has provided so much more – such as leadership and inspiration. For instance, Mr. Lobsiger’s speeches have inspired us all, and filled us with such pride to be at Garrett High School, the best high school in north east Indiana.

I would on behalf of all of the senior class like to extend our appreciation and gratitude to many of the people in this crowd before me. Firstly, we would like thank the Garrett High School staffs, who have all worked their hardest to help us achieve our goals. I would also like to extend a warm thank you to our parents and other family members, who have encouraged and motivated us during our long or brief spells at Garrett High School. Without your encouragement and support, I highly doubt that this graduation would have been made possible.

However, great inspiration and great teaching will not go far without great recipients. This senior class has so much potential to go far and reach the peak of the mountain of Life. There are so many different and interesting, as well as memorable characters in this crowd before me. Who is not able to recall Madison Diedrich urging her teammates on during a High School sporting event, or seeing Courtney Wisel answer the hardest of questions with the simplest of ease? Who is not able to recall hearing Clint Custer’s frequent catchphrase “Excuse me”, or recall hearing Gavin Wisel talk about his “big guns”?

As I look out over this group of young adults, I see a massive difference in personalities. Personalities that have grown together into a family. All the experiences and events that this graduating class has gone through over the years, whatever they might have been, have brought this class together. This class has experienced joy together, excelled together, and grown together. The Senior Class of 2009 has the fantastic potential to achieve many great things in life, whether it will be in their careers or in their family lives. The sky is the limit and you will all go as far as you allow yourselves to go. As William Arthur Ward once said, “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it.”

Lastly, I would personally like to extend my deepest of gratitude to the community of Garrett. Leaving your family and friends to enter a new culture has not been easy, but your kindness has made this experience much easier, and one of the best year’s of my life. I would also wish to let all of you know that it has been an honor and privilege to graduate alongside you all, and I wish you all the best for the future. Good luck, or lycka till, as we say in Sweden.

Thank you!

Lucia is a festival occurring on December 13, or Lucia Day. Lucia is a young girl, wearing a white garment and with a Lucia crown with candles on her head. She is followed by a number of girl attendants, also dressed in white and with candles in their hands. There are also boys, 'star-boys', participating in the ceremony. They, too, are dressed in white and they wear pointed caps. Lucia and her attendants visit places like schools, hospitals, offices and churches and sing traditional songs like Sankta Lucia. They may also bring coffee, gingerbread biscuits and 'Lucia cats', a kind of saffron bun.



Advent is the period of four weeks immediately preceding Christmas. Each Sunday during this period a new candle is lit in a special Advent candlestick. This means that, on the fourth Sunday, there are four candles burning, and Christmas is about to begin.



From Lucia and on, a lot of preparations for Christmas are being made. Decorations are put up, cookies, cakes and bread are baked, and the ham to be served at the Christmas buffet is either boiled or roasted. In most homes there is a Christmas tree which is decorated with stars, straw animals, spangles and festoons.On Christmas Eve, some families still do the 'dipping in the pot', an old tradition where slices of bred are dipped into the broth from the boiled ham. The ham itself can be found on almost every Christmas dinner-table, and so can sausages, meatballs, herring, plums, sallads, etc. A dish only to be served around Christmas is lutfisk, or boild ling which has previously been soaked in lye. It is served with a white sauce, salt and pepper. The dessert after the Christmas dinner usually consists of boiled rice pudding with milk, sugar and cinnamon. 



"Christmas" to Swedish children most of all means Christmas Eve, the day when Father Christmas comes. He does not put his gifts into a stocking, but gives them to the children directly. On Christmas Day a lot of Swedes get up early to attend a special church service at six or seven, which is called julottan (literally: Christmas-early-in the-morning). 



New Year´s Eve is celebrated in the way most Western people do it. You go to a party or invite some friend and at twelve o´ clock great fireworks are let off, and people make a toast in champagne and wish each other a happy new year.



Next to Christmas and Midsummer, Easter is the most important festival of the year. In the old days, it was thought that, during this period, all witches went away to see the devil and the place where they met was called Blåkulla. If you spend Easter in Sweden, you will see allusions to this belief in the papers and on TV. Also, on Easter Eve many children today dress up as Easter witches. They put on the gaudiest clothes they can find, paint their faces in the same fashion and knock on people´s doors asking for candy or money in exchange of drawings.



The celebration of Walpurgis dates back to the Viking Era. It was a festival to honour the return of Spring, and is only one of the several pagan festivals still celebrated in Sweden.



Midsummer's eve is probably the most popular festival day in Sweden, together with Christmas. Midsummer is an old pagan celebration, dating back to the Viking Era. It was a fertility rite originally, where the May pole was a phallic symbol, "impregnating" Mother nature. It was hoped that this would help to give a good harvest in the autumn. In modern times, it is a national holiday, where family and friends meet, eat herring and fresh potatoes and drink schnapps and beer. The actual day of the celebration is also the longest day of the year (summer solstice), signifying that summer has reached the half-way point. 

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