Oh I had no idea you grew up in middle east! That does give us some similarity. See that is exactly was I was thinking, I am a British national so I can always go to UK so I wanted to go to Chicago and experience USA and also because my barrey abbu is there and he wants me to come. I hope I do not end up staying! Who knows I just might love it so much that I would.
in my case staying was less bring in love with the place than being in love with someone who was here :) plus by the time i got done i realized i had more pals here that i was close to then i had in UK and i was just better adjusted here.
my bros made very opposite decisions, younger bro came here, just like i had planned, did his undergrad, and went back to UK, did his masters there and is happily living and working there,
youngest one was not a fan of US, so did not come here for his undergrad, did that in London, then came to US for masters and then just stayed, although he toyed with the idea of moving back off and on until last year when he decided his career was here and he would be starting from scratch there so why not stay.
paths of ppl like us are very very diff from others...u know, brit childhood, background pak, living in ME..and then moving to yet a whole diff country.