The Oregonian, 1/11/2011

By: Scott Dawson

When I was a student at the University of Oregon in the 1970s, few of my peers traveled or studied abroad, including me. I was reminded of that when I attended an event in Portland a few years ago that drew some 400 business people, developers and real estate executives. The speaker, who had written books about China, asked people in the audience to raise their hands if they had ever been to China....

.....I recently had the opportunity to join 16 students for a two-week tour of the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia (part of the Gulf Cooperation Council). These are some of the world's wealthiest and fastest-growing countries, with an Arabic culture that is dramatically different than ours. Soaring demand for building infrastructure, housing and offices have drawn companies with Portland ties to the region, such as the design firm Otak and engineering firm CH2M Hill....

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