Good things come into your life when you least expect it. For me, it all started when my sister called and told me to apply for the YES foreign exchange student program, which would give me a chance to experience American culture.
Knowing nothing about the program, I submitted an application and hoped for the best. Two weeks later, I got a call saying I was selected for the next round and began preparing for an online interview. Every time I passed each round of the selection process, the curiosity of getting chosen grew more and more.
Pakistani society places traditional gender roles onto girls, such as working on household chores or not pursuing a higher level of education. Getting selected for this program was a way to show that women can do more than what they are expected to.
A girl who never left her house to go somewhere without her family had to leave her home, her family, and her country to go to a completely new family, house, and country 12,346 km away. It was never easy to leave but the curiosity to learn more and more was what let me come all the way here without feeling that I might regret this.
Every alumni who came back last year always said the phrase “Life in a year”. I never believed them thinking that they were exaggerating about their experience, but after coming here I started using the phrase “Life in every day”. I now realize this is not an exaggeration but the easiest way to say how awesome and new every experience has been for me each day.
Whether it is experiencing my very first Chipotle bowl, parasailing or experiencing famous holidays like Christmas and Halloween, all these tiny things hold thousands of memories.
Many people were included in this who made it possible for me; Allah, my mom, my sister and my host family (especially my host mom). This experience would have never happened if these people hadn’t believed in me, helped me and loved me while encouraging me to be myself whichever corner of Earth I go.