"At Dubia we were given a reception by the Marhaba Service and driven in style to Nuran Residence which is a very sophisticated area there. Each artist was given an apartment. We had our work area in the Polo Club, under tents for 20 days. We ordered the sizes and types, and they provided the canvas, paints and brush. We had sumptuous lunches and dinners plus snacks, to be had in breaks, when we had the interchange of our ideas and experiences. After dinner we had seminars with slide shows on the works of the artists of our countries and our own individual work. We got $ 1,400 as pocket money to spend as we liked," says Gulshan.

The group went for a desert safari. Gulshan says that with all her travels, this was something unique. They had dinner and dance amid the sands.

On the gala night Gulshan got a nomination and she had interviews in the TV channel, which she enjoyed. All three of her paintings in acrylic were bought. Her "Red dream" was not completed but this too was lapped up. The other two paintings were called 'Poetry of moonlit night' and 'The story of an old city'. The experience of seeing the works of artists the world over was also a wonderful occasion for her. "Such experiences in workshops and symposiums helps us build our own confidence and also improve on our work, " she added.