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OFF-ROAD fans who go along to a series of special driving courses being run at the only Hummer School outside the US could find themselves being taught by the Middle East's only female senior off-road instructor.
Bahraini Narmeen Ismael from Umm Al Hassam, is a shining example of the modern Arab woman with a driving ambition.
The holder of a black belt in martial arts, Narmeen, 36, also helps run a nursery school but loves nothing better than getting behind the wheel of a mighty Hummer, one of the region's favourite motors.
Narmeen said: "People from abroad are usually under the impression that Arab women are trapped within their homes by their husbands and have to be covered up. They get shocked when they meet me and I usually get asked how I am allowed to do this. They see that I wear the hijab and figure, how I am allowed to drive?
"I tell people that what they hear about Arab women is a misconception as in Bahrain women have the freedom to drive and be who they want to be - so being a senior instructor is not an issue.
"I have been married for 15 years and my husband is very happy about my driving skills and, in fact, brags about me. He was OK with me going into the Hummer Academy because he knew from the start that I love this type of lifestyle.
"But, usually I forget when I am with my husband and start teaching him how to drive and then he reminds me that I am not an instructor right now ... I am his wife!"
DRIVING ACE Narmeen Ismael helps keep off-road enthusiasts safe and sound in the desert when they head off on adventures in their four-wheel-drive mean machines.
She is part of the celebrated Hummer Academy based at the Bahrain International Circuit and is proving that girl power can overcome any misconceptions concerning the modern Arab woman.
She began training at the BIC in 2005 long before the Hummer Academy officially opened and said: "I have always been drawn to the idea of adventure and extreme sports. When I heard that the BIC was forming a Hummer Academy and was looking for instructors, I jumped at the chance.
"I started with the BIC in 2005 and trained to be a driving instructor and then I trained to teach other instructors for the 4x4, Apache and the Hummer."
"There are eight senior instructors and I am the only lady senior instructor.
"I went to the US in 2006 and the second I returned I became a senior instructor. I guess you could say I'm not like every other girl - I am also the first female Bahraini to have a black belt in taekwondo. I achieved that in 1992.
"I am on call basically with the BIC. Whenever they need someone trained or a passenger needs to learn how to drive an off-road vehicle, they contact me and I come in. I do this part time because my full-time job is as an administration manager at the ABC Pre-School that my sister and I opened in 2002."
Her Hummer role involves helping to train motorists from around the globe - and they leave the academy better drivers, in tune with their motors and having undergone a life-changing experience.
Narmeen said: "It's fun when you get to meet a lot of people from around the world and that is what makes me love my job.
"Some students at first are not comfortable with a female instructor but I encourage them to try it and they end up loving it.
"They enjoy it so much that they start bringing their family and friends over to watch me drive. Most are shocked that a woman can drive this way. They get impressed and say 'normally women can't drive' and 'my wife surely doesn't drive like this'. I guess you can say that after they see my driving they have a change of heart.
"There were no females at the Hummer Academy in the US but I am not sure if I was the first there. I know that I am the first Bahraini female senior instructor in the Middle East."
The Hummer Academy specialises in giving candidates the full off-road experience in a 4x4 whether it's through in-class sessions or actual practice through sand dunes, obstacles and so on.
At the end of the course, each candidate can explore what the Hummer is capable of and learn through off-road class briefings as well as training.
The BIC's academy has 12 highly-trained and dedicated instructors to run the courses and a fleet of eight Hummer H2s and H3s.
Narmeen added: "By the end of the course, students will have the knowledge of the technical aspects of driving a Hummer, how to survive in the desert and how to winch one out of soft sand.
"Safety and first aid is also very important and we make sure all our graduates leave with that in mind. It is embedded in their brains."
According to events and activities manager Rodney Davies, who also trained Narmeen, the Hummer Driving Academy is a totally unique experience.
He said: "The academy is for both novice and experienced off-road drivers. It is the ultimate school for off-road and we teach the students how to drive and have the GPS navigation recovery course and desert survival course as well.
"The calendar of courses that we have is based on the original academy from the US.
"I think a lot of people who have done the course suddenly realise that they not only had a driving experience but a life experience. They gain confidence in everything not just in driving, plus they meet a lot of new people. It really is great fun.
"In some of the modules you can see the concentration on the students' faces and you can almost see them thinking: 'I can't do this'. But at the end of it all they get big smiles on their faces and feel as if they have achieved something grand. It's brilliant to see."
The Hummer Academy will be holding one-and-a-half day H3 courses starting on October 10, November 21 and December 12.
There is also three-day H2 course beginning October 23. For those interested in participating, booking is two weeks in advance from the course date.
Call 17450000 or visit bahraingp.com for further details.
FACT-FILE
Course modules (off-road techniques) include:
Controlled obstacles: Guests drive on the off-road course and tackle other obstacles around the Hummer Academy building. This introduces the driver to techniques that are necessary for off-road driving in a controlled safe environment.
Off-site trails: Guests will be taken on various trails around the southern part of the island. The trails are designed to put techniques learnt on the controlled obstacles into practice.
Drivers will be challenged with soft sand, extreme hills, rock crawling, negotiating gravel and unstable surfaces.
It will also teach drivers how to select a safe route that will avoid personal injury and minimise damage to the vehicles and the environment whilst enjoying the sport.
Recovery tools and techniques/off road preparation: This module is a combination of classroom and practical lessons in recovery tools and recovery assistance.
The practical will also introduce the use of winches in a controlled setting. Off-road preparation will cover what is necessary when planning an off-road trip. This includes route planning, packing supplies, vehicle preparation and understanding the 'What if' factor amongst other things.
Medical assistance: This is an introduction to first aid techniques and other exercises in medical assistance whilst off-road.
Desert survival: The guests are taught how to survive if stranded in the desert. Drivers will be made aware of potential dangers, methods of energy conservation, how to make use of limited resources and how to be seen using internationally recognised rescue signals to increase the chances of survival. There will be some classroom and practical training in this module.
Navigation: This module will teach orienteering with map and compass and navigation techniques using GPS and the surrounding environment. This training will then be put into practice when driving off-site.
