'15

The sky of the world has been lighting up today with the colors of the different and crazy fireworks. Resolutions have been set, and many dreams were unleashed towards the next twelve months of this year. Where will we end up?  

I believe that the year of 2014 was definitely a great train ride that took me through a lot of good experiences. I not only have learned new things about the world, but I have also discovered many new things within my personality. I grew up, and became more mature in the different aspects of life. 

This year I am a passenger of an amazing flight that's been flying me everywhere. I started this year with meeting the manager of the Four Seasons Hotel chain in Saudi Arabia who taught me that the biggest reason of success within a team is to be confident that you're surrounded by the best, to believe in yourself and them, and most importantly: to always lead, and never boss people around thinking that your higher positions makes you better than them.  Which means: always stay humble, and never think that you're better than others.  

Two years ago, the idea of representing my country as an exchange student would never have had occurred to me, but my destiny led me here, to the YES Program and to North Carolina.  All the life lessons that I had were put on a test through living here. This whole experience may seem normal, but it's much bigger than normal. Being an exchange student is collecting memories to smile on later on in life. It's meeting friends that we'll keep for the rest of our lives, and not just normal friends, but friends from all over the world. It's being part of something great and leaving a true mark on a community. It's about me, and anyone who's reading this, because we all share the success of this year. 

I honestly don't have much to write this year, maybe because my sister is getting married today on the very first day of 2015 and I can't even find the right words to congratulate her and her fiancé. But maybe because the deal this year is different. I may be different, and the ink of my pen is drying out as I keep myself motivated to write at least for myself through this blog. I'm still positive of a better and brighter tomorrow. I'm anxious for this year. I'm going to graduate and hopefully go to college, and this is all I know. But what about you?  Think of today, take it from me, a seventeen-year-old who had a good experience in life so far. Live for your present, and appreciate your life and the ones who surround you. Be successful, and never think that falling down once means quitting.  Dream, and believe me when I say that dreams can arrive at your door step wrapped in a FedEx box because that happened to me.  2015 needs all of us to become a great year, so be part of it by adding something special to your life.  And if you fear something, then that means that you care. "Fear is what keeps us alive" -Paulo Coelho. 

Happy New Year, and congrats to my sister Latifa and her fiancé Bader!