That little counselling session on chat yesterday really got me thinking. What am I doing? Why do I even going to USA? Am I running away?
It started with me asking my American Guppies Chat friends about American weather and then it went to which cities are not that cold and it went to talking about Chicago, Dallas, New York and California. She asked me what I am going to be doing in Chicago and I said Journalism. As the chat continued I told her that but I really wanted to do Agha Khan Islamic Architecture Masters programme from MIT and then I told her no and she said just wait and stop. Think for a second about what you really want and I said MBA. Then she told me but you will not be able to work in America because you wear an abaya. It got all confusing to me and by the time I left chat I was really confused.
However, I kept on thinking what I want and I have come to a conclusion. What I really want to do is go to UK and not USA. All my life I studied in British system schools and have a British passport and I am highly patriotic about anything UK. I advocate and talk about London as if I live there. I watch British shows, I have British friends, my English spellings are British. If I go to USA it will be like changing myself completely. Do I really want that? I mean I also got admission in to Warwick university and that is supposed to be really good. It is like ivy league university of UK. So if I have that option available to me, why not.
I will regret all my life if I went to USA instead of UK. I know myself and I know I will regret it and then there will not be another chance. How many masters am I going to do any ways. Just once. So all this thinking led me to believe that I do not give a crap about what F and W say, or what anyone else says for that matter and I am going to UK. Oh and I am also going to regret for life if I do not tune my accent to be truly British. This is also a once in a lifetime opportunity so finally PCG gave me that final push I needed to decide between countries and oh PCG you are correct, I should not ask other people about what I should do and think for myself and not let them take decisions for me or to a certain extent influence my decisions. I have finally decided.
I thought the purpose of higher education was to broaden one's horizons and not confine them to one particular geographic area. I still think post graduate education is way better in the States than anywhere else in the world.
Not trying to confuse you further but I don't think you are still not listening to yourself. You are listening to another guppy!
Funguy actually as I mentioned I am very pro UK and if I missed this opportunity to go and study there then I will regret all my life and plus she only asked me to think about what I really want and instead of degree I actually started thinking about the whole UK vs USA thing and unfortunately degrees from these two parts of the world have the most value so I cannot go anywhere else also.
You are deciding your education institution based on the abaya factor.
Actually no, when PCG was talking to me about abayas on chat and Jafri made fun of me wearing an abaya I told him I do not even give a crap. Abaya does not stand between me and my education.
I named countless other factors there which are the reasons of my balance shifting towards UK
That little counselling session on chat yesterday really got me thinking. What am I doing? Why do I even going to USA? Am I running away?
It started with me asking my American Guppies Chat friends about American weather and then it went to which cities are not that cold and it went to talking about Chicago, Dallas, New York and California. She asked me what I am going to be doing in Chicago and I said Journalism. As the chat continued I told her that but I really wanted to do Agha Khan Islamic Architecture Masters programme from MIT and then I told her no and she said just wait and stop. Think for a second about what you really want and I said MBA. Then she told me but you will not be able to work in America because you wear an abaya. It got all confusing to me and by the time I left chat I was really confused.
However, I kept on thinking what I want and I have come to a conclusion. What I really want to do is go to UK and not USA. All my life I studied in British system schools and have a British passport and I am highly patriotic about anything UK. I advocate and talk about London as if I live there. I watch British shows, I have British friends, my English spellings are British. If I go to USA it will be like changing myself completely. Do I really want that? I mean I also got admission in to Warwick university and that is supposed to be really good. It is like ivy league university of UK. So if I have that option available to me, why not.
I will regret all my life if I went to USA instead of UK. I know myself and I know I will regret it and then there will not be another chance. How many masters am I going to do any ways. Just once. So all this thinking led me to believe that I do not give a crap about what F and W say, or what anyone else says for that matter and I am going to UK. Oh and I am also going to regret for life if I do not tune my accent to be truly British. This is also a once in a lifetime opportunity so finally PCG gave me that final push I needed to decide between countries and oh PCG you are correct, I should not ask other people about what I should do and think for myself and not let them take decisions for me or to a certain extent influence my decisions. I have finally decided.
1-Gong to US does not mean you have to convert from being British to some thing else.
2-Ticket back to UK is like 200$..why would you regret---unless you come on a ship which sails away after dropping you off.
3-You may lose aabyea--and still dress very modest--there is always room for change.
Be open.
I say go to US, and experience life. Don't think to much over it.
Aisha, it all depends on which state you're going to. I live in VA, which is full of rich muslim immigrants... I see a lot of girls wear abayas and headscarves here .... nobody stares at them or bugs them, since this state is full of muslims who have established themselves very firmly. I've also seen ladies shopping here in full burqas, with the naqab and everything. I'm not sure about the workforce though (although they're not supposed to discriminate but you never know) so that may be a valid concern, but do you intend to work in USA... or just go back to Dubai and work there?
Whatever your decision is....... good luck and I hope you have a great experience.
3- I did not start wearing abaya to lose it. I know you might beg to differ that there is no harm if other articles of clothing do the same job but this is not the kind of family background I come from. Plus LOL my mom will kill me In my mind, there is no room for change about my religious and moral values.
2- When I said regret not going to UK means to study because after studies and marriage I do not intend on staying in USA or UK. I want to live in Dubai but with the advantage of having a world class degree from abroad.
1- You are correct in saying that but 2 years is a long time and I might pick up on American things like spellings, or accent or stuff like that.
2- When I said regret not going to UK means to study because after studies and marriage I do not intend on staying in USA or UK. I want to live in Dubai
For this reason alone you should NOT come to the US. Because once you get the taste of U.S. of A then there is no turning back. Go to Warrjashaher, UK and then it will be easy to motivate yourself to live in Dubai.
Aisha, it all depends on which state you're going to. I live in VA, which is full of rich muslim immigrants... I see a lot of girls wear abayas and headscarves here .... nobody stares at them or bugs them, since this state is full of muslims who have established themselves very firmly. I've also seen ladies shopping here in full burqas, with the naqab and everything. I'm not sure about the workforce though (although they're not supposed to discriminate but you never know) so that may be a valid concern, but do you intend to work in USA... or just go back to Dubai and work there?
Whatever your decision is....... good luck and I hope you have a great experience.
MIAinVA finally someone who posts and talks to me about the situation sensibly. Instead of commenting on my intellect and maturity level. Anyhow just because I do not know that much about USA does not mean I am not mature enough or do not have the intellect. It just means I am not aware and that happens.
So you say Virginia has a lot of Muslims with headscarves and abayas? That is really nice. Yes I was talking about the workforce because it was my intent to work alongside my Masters. So I was thinking what if I do not get a job just because I wear an abaya and like you said it is a valid concern. I do not intend to stay in USA I am going to go back to Dubai as soon as I am done. Thank you MIAinVA.
all I am saying is you are thinking too much,
Its only going to enhance your life.
I say other then you faith,ego and trust in your self, lose every thing and indulge.
see what happens.
You are thinking too much, I doubt that It will help you make a decision.
I do not intend to stay in USA I am going to go back to Dubai as soon as I am done. .
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Please do not repeat this. We know you don't like the USA other than for education. We will make sure we kick you out once you are done with your masters. And don't let the door hit you on your way out.
In my mind, there is no room for change about my religious and moral values.