Who knew travelling abroad would change my perspective in so many ways? As an international American- Egyptian student, I took a journey I never expected. College life wasn’t as glamorous as the movies.
Upon my arrival, the weather was humid. I initially thought nothing could top the humid weather of Egyptian desserts, but I was wrong. The streets were very different in America, and there was a lot more greenery. Houses of different shapes, colours, and sizes lined the city. I was comforted by the way they were lined up. The sky felt painted. It was a shade of blue that was foreign to me, and the cotton-candy clouds were mesmerising.
After the initial shock subdued, I started noticing the differences that ran deeper. My inability to connect with different people started weighing on me. It was something I expected going through this experience, but nothing prepared me for the extent of our differences. On top of that, I had a fear of whether they would accept me or not. They had some speculations about me, and I had a few about them. It was hard not to form stereotypical ideas about them because of my American media consumption.
One thing I wasn’t expecting is arriving at my college dorm was immediately being taken into my roommate’s crushing embrace. I wasn’t used to affection from people I just met. The shock was visible on my face because she immediately apologised for her enthusiasm. They appreciated this contrast and were shocked how naturally it came to me.
This interaction set the tone for others of the same kind. Everyone was so enthusiastic all the time, which was peculiar . Every person I met made me feel like we were the best of friends. At first I mistook it for naivety, but I later discovered they were happy to see me.
One thing they noticed about me straightaway was my willingness to help. This was a foreign concept to them. Everyone fended for themselves, no one really went out of their way to help someone.
After getting casualties out of the way, I observed how differently we dressed. Another thing I noticed was the difference in the way we dressed. Other than the religious differences in clothing, I observed that they dress for comfort and practicality rather than self-expression and fashion.
I was extremely overwhelmed by the lack of connection I felt to anyone there. It was a lonely feeling that I had to eventually overcome.
What helped me get over that hurdle was finding common ground. I found similar things we were interested in and friendships started to blossom from that point on.
It was easy to accept our differences once we set them aside and focused on our similarities instead. I expressed my boundaries and listened to my friends express theirs.
This experience opened my eyes to how important it was to find understanding of different cultures and practices. Overall, this experience was something I needed. I wouldn’t have appreciated the beauty of differences until I came face to face with them. I have passed a milestone in life that prepared me for greater challenges.
Mariam Sallam is an intern
at The Egyptian Gazette
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