Skip to main content

"I am what I am because of who we all are" -Ghandi.



"Real education consists in drawing the best of yourself" -Mahatma Ghandi.  I started my weekend by deciding to wear the comfiest clothes to Asheville which were basically an old Nike sweatpants that I bought two years ago for my PE class in Saudi, and a Tarpon Springs sweatshirt which I bought from Florida this Christmas break. My decision was because I wanted to satisfy my personal need of comfort. People at the mall won't judge me based on my clothes because they wouldn't care.  Yet the joy the I had out of that choice was worth letting go of my Ugg boots and Zara coat, and I felt very comfortable.  My decision simply shaped my mood of the day, and this is just a small example of how our decisions whether they're big or small can shape the route of where we stand in life. 

Back to my quote, I bought a book called Peace about Ghandi that consisted of several inspirational quotes by him, and I reached this quote that simply reminded me of my host mother and coordinator. Not only are they working efficiently, but also I see them everyday working with a lot of great energy that draws an impressive relationship between them and their students.  I believe that a successful educator is a person who puts everything he/she has into the work, and by that I mean having enough passion to educate and inspire the next generations. 

Finding brilliant ideas to influence a community could be challenging, but today as I visited the STEAM Expo of McDowell County Schools (after I changed my comfy clothes), I witnessed an impressive collection of science projects made by elementary, junior high, and high school students. Their ideas were very bright for their ages, and their excitement upon explaining them was indescribable. I knew that some amazing teachers were behind that, because when you educate a child, you educate a nation. And here I am coming from another nation and learning a lot of things today that I'll surely carry in my memory as a special thing during my exchange year. 

The best part about the expo was having the chance to try a very unusual smoothie that was blended by the energy of a bicycle.  What really caught my tasting buds was the flavor and the new texture. It tasted like blueberries and bananas to me, but it actually had spinach in it hidden with some other ingredients. Now those people were drawing the best of themselves in education. They came up with an idea that's new, and also creative. 

Our choices shape, define, and create us. The start of our days matter, so dress comfortably, but not everywhere. Take the best of every experience even if it was just an expo, because McDowell's was rich with valuable projects. Try new things just like the smoothie that I had and test your tasting buds.  And as for the educators out there, we, as students, appreciate everything that you do for us. We can see you drawing yourself into your work, and I just need you to know that not all students are careless, because we always know and notice all the efforts that you do.  

"I am what I am because of who we all are" -Ghandi. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Two Days With Dad يومان مع والدي

*This blog post was written only two days before my dear father's accident -may he rests in peace-. *هذا المقال كُتب يومان فقط قبل وفاة والدي الحبيب رحمه الله  Tears may express both happiness and sadness. A shaking voice can describe either fear or sorrow. A shivering body can describe all of the mentioned above. But what if, only if at one point in life, all of these emotions combine together to crash the human's body? What if our emotions can break our hearts in a second, then build them back again in the next?  الدموع قد تعبر عن كلا السعادة و الحزن. الصوت المكسور قد يعبر عن الخوف و الأسى. الجسم المرتعش قد يعبر عن جميع ما ذكر بالأعلى. و لكن ماذا إذا، فقط إذا في وقفة معينة في الحياة، كل هذه المشاعر تجتمع سوياً لتكسر جسد الإنسان؟  ماذا إذا كانت مشاعرنا قادرة على كسر قلوبنا في لحظة، و إعادة بنائها في الثانية التي تليها؟  Goodbyes are meant to happen to everyone. As I grow up, I realize how hard they can be depending on whom I'm saying goodbye to....

Hoping before McDowell's School Board

Not every exchange experience is the same, simply because every student is different, and every place is different too. Comparing an experience to another is a huge mistake, yet looking at each one individually triggers curiosity to those who are not part of it to know more.  Not every day is rainbows and sunshine, but surly not every other day is clouds and rain. One bad day shall never ruin a year long experience, and one good day will create memories that will spring in the happiness of many other days to come.     My day today was one of a kind. A day that shall keep me motivated for a good period of time. It's a day that I can smile at and tell myself that I actually invested my time in the project of my successful ways of living. I'll never be the wise person who advises people with powerful talks.  I'll never be the big boss who's in charge. Instead, or at least for now, I am going to live for the present and do my best in influencing a change in this communit...

"Glocal" at the United Nations Youth Assembly

Those who dream, will definitely achieve.  The efforts we put into chasing our goals will be recognized.  Our faith in God, and those long nights praying with so much hope in our hearts.  The taste of accomplishment, that happiness, the laughter, oh and those tears of pure joy.  Standing up for the right, and fighting for the good.  We were all born great, but at the end of the day, it is up to us to realize that greatness and use it proactively.  Nobody’s better than the other, we are made different so we can come together and join those differences together for our own good.  If we’re the same, then competing will never get us anywhere, because “team work makes the dream work” according to a great wise friend of mine.  Working hand by hand to reach the finish line will get us further and further in life.  This past week, I had the honor to be the Saudi Delegate to the United Nations Youth Assembly, and this is the story of how this week t...