USA Through my Lens

 Scholarship Process:

I did not believe in my eyes gleaning through the email from the US Education Department, verifying my selection as a US scholar grantee for the year 2012-13. I immediately rushed to my office and broke the news to my colleagues and the head of the department, requesting for an unpaid leaves, but in vain. I was in kind of limbo upon receipt of flat response from the top brass, but did not give in to, and ended up resolving to pursue higher education in the United States of America. I stepped down! Now, the only thing could bar my departure – failure to get through Visa Interview.

On the interview day, I got dressed up, applied hair gel and off I went to US consulate in Karachi, Pakistan. By the grace of Almighty Allah, exactly what I had anticipated happened at the interview. “Who is your contact person in the USA?” asked interviewer. “Why is your contact person so far away from your Area of Activity?” he inquired after my first response. “What made you change three jobs in short span of time?” he said, getting to the concluding question: “What does an editor do in a newspaper?” I felt over the moon having satisfied him face-to-face. He, however, handed down to me a White Paper – Administrative Procedure, saying Mr. Adnan, everything seems to be in perfect order, adding that AP might take minimum 20 days before visa issuance.

US Arrival:

Frankly speaking, I had never traveled abroad before boarding a connecting flight to USA via Dubai. I had very little time for change of flights but I did that excitedly. My first stay – a sojourn, was in Chicago, Illinois where I was to attend a three-day US Arrival Orientation. It was a very exploring experience. I got accommodation in the University of Chicago. That experience was amazing in terms of getting acquainted with peers from all over the world. The introductory sessions, I attended there, were informative as well as handy for my queries concerning with academic life in the USA and the difference between my country’s education system and the USA’s.

Soon, I was in EverettCommunity College (EvCC) in Everett, Washington. I found the weather a bit chilly but sun stood out till 8:00 p.m. during my initial days. I had a wonderful time with my peers from other international countries before the classes commenced. Together we visited many places with our program coordinators to discover the beauty of Everett city. One thing which I liked the most about this academic program was associating students with mentor families. My mentor family was nothing short of a boon for me since they took us (other CCID peers) on a couple of hikes: Waterfalls Hike and Mount Pilchuk Hike and got all of us engaged in different activities involving getting acquainted with US culture, language, transport system, food and etc.

Academic Life:

Before my classes kicked off, I was in a fix pertaining to education system in the USA. After I attended a few classes, I came to know a very unique but different style of studies, which I had been blind to, all my life. I studied four courses in first quarter but never felt like overburdened by ‘learning by rot’ or memorizing of the pages from books – a usual practice I was habitual of in my country because my instructor here never insisted to memorize pages from textbooks. Instead, they always wanted me to understand the core concepts of the topics discussed in each chapter. Taking online quizzes and tests was also a very pleasant experience for they helped a lot develop my grades and boosted understanding my subject. I particularly loved taking papers (assignments) on each chapter as the weeks unfolded. I evaluated a bunch of assignments of American peers and so did they. It was much helpful particularly because I polished spoken English working with peers. I delivered a couple of presentations in almost all courses and noticed the difference between presentations I was used to in my country. Again, it was not mandatory to learn topics by heart for presentations, instead, reflections of my ideas was more worthwhile with the help of PowerPoint slides. 

A pic from International Festival

 Another great aspect of this scholarship is studying Global Leadership. I studied a subject called Service Learning: Learning by Serving People. That has been the highlight of my stay in the USA so far as it also involved volunteering at my community partner. My goals to take this class were to closely observe American culture with respect to community service, polishing conversational English, acquiring experience about working in groups and individually. Initially, I happened to volunteer at different places to try my compatibility with different community partner. I finally settled down with the Imagine Children’s Museum. It was the best place I could avail within my community to meet my goals fulfilled. I volunteered almost 50 hours in first quarter; learning various aspects of working within groups and individually; and resolving issues with group members to meet objectives; increasing contacts with community members; and teaching kids handful learning activities. One surprise which I never thought of, before kicking off volunteering, was getting to know the mindset of American parents about tackling issues of their kids’ education. I resolved that Americans want their kids to be independent at a very young age. They focus their attention more towards making their kids independent. Many a times, I noticed parents not helping their kids at all, but simultaneously encouraging them to practice the way other kids were doing to take part in learning activities at the museum. While on the contrary, parents in my country are more tilted towards lending kids helping hands to evolve understanding about what other kids do. In America, there is a stigma attached with the kids who continue staying with their parents after crossing 18 because they have failed to find other economic options to support themselves than their parents. An American friend once told me that it’s humiliating for a person who is over 18 to say that he/she is staying with his parents. Volunteering has enough potential to teach many aspects of American culture which folks can scarcely learn in normal circumstances.

Community Experience:

From the social viewpoint, I went through a number of encouraging and worth-adopting aspects of American culture. I noticed destitute people on wheelchairs helping themselves even when it comes to taking the bus rides. They don’t seek anyone’s help even if someone offers for free. There is no conductor in buses who could collect fares. Busses only make stops on bus stops or stations. People don’t smoke inside homes. Active smokers are so much careful for the hazardous effects of smoking on passive smokers that they only smoke in open-air, not at public places. Smoking is prohibited within the 25-feet circle range of bus stops that is worth-appreciating. There is no culture of bargains as opposed to Pakistani culture. It is handy to safe time of customers and sales staffers alike. The price mentioned on the price tag will be charged by the sales person with no bargain whatsoever! There are many shops of electronic, food and clothes for people with limited or low income. Thrift Stores, Ross Departmental Stores, Value Village and Safeway are to name some. People are generally cooperative but are too much busy too. They would love to help you only if you ask for. People are punctual. They will arrive five minutes before the scheduled time for meeting instead of five minutes late. Most Americans don’t like talking to strangers on busses or at public places. I think it’s because they want to avoid one another on the bus rides so they would rather read newspapers, books, magazines; use mobile phones, browse internet on laptops and iPads than talking to strangers. Americans loves pets and are over sensitive about them as well. The pets are their family members. A suggestion for people from subcontinent is that never be humiliating about pets in an American family; you will not be welcomed. When it comes to driving, Americans are much disciplined drivers and want everyone being disciplined too. If you are planning to drive in the USA, try to learn all the laws and rules before touching steering or else you will be in big trouble – monetarily: you might get pulled over and wrote a ticket – ‘Fine’ in British terminology! 

A pic from White Elephant Party

 How Americans Are:

Americans love eating out and hanging out with friends: both boys and girlfriends. They are different in many ways because they are Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Atheists, and Agnostics but what they are not is critical of others’ faith. They live and work together and respect one another’s faith. They are engaged couples, they are only boyfriends and girlfriends, they are married couples, they are gay couples, they are lesbian couples but quite interestingly, they don’t criticize other’s ways of life and beliefs. If you ask any American what is your view about such and such belief. He/she would simple say ‘I think this is my belief instead of criticizing others’ belief.’

 

 Americans celebrate festivals with great zeal and enthusiasm. I happened to attend a few American festivals. To name some were Halloween, Black Friday, Thanksgiving and Christmas; I enjoyed all a lot. Halloween is a festival in which they dress in funny outfits and carve pumpkins in beautiful facial shapes, meet with friends and share their foods. Black Friday and Thanksgiving fall in November in which they gather and exchange gifts, thanks to God, play games, and share foods. Christmas is the most prominent festival in the USA. People greet each other and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ (May Peace Be upon Him). People do lots of shopping stuff. Visit their relatives in different parts of country. Travel too much. Exchange gifts with friends and families, share food and etc. One thing which I am dying to mention here is American never put burden on one person for any celebration whatsoever. They always share responsibilities, especially food. A very famous term is much common in America is Potluck: the American version of One-Dish Party like we have in Pakistan. They love to try new foods from different places in the USA and from across the globe. I have been lucky enough to attend at least 12-15 potlucks during last four months, and have tried lots of American foods including cuisines, desserts, beverages and etc. Likewise, I have tried a bunch of Pakistani foods and have been pretty successful; not only in cooking but making a couple of close American friends love my cuisines: Biryani, Chicken Curry, Fried Rice, Chicken Tandoori and Lamb Masala.

Fun on the way towards Leavenworth with our very own American friend Jesse Keppen

 Americans are extra careful about smoking and drinking liquor. No person under the age of 18 can purchase liquor or smoking stuff from any place across the Washington State and presumably all over the USA. For instance, I remember once I was in 7eleven shop: a very famous international chain of convenience. There was a guy, looked over 40 years of age from his face, asked for liquor. Salesgirl demanded his ID card. He excused for unavailability of ID. The salesgirl refused to sell him liquor despite he tried all what he could verbally, but needless. After that guy was gone, I asked that lady to illustrate laws about sale and purchase of liquor. She told me very interesting thing. She went on saying, “If you purchase a liquor bottle and before making payment, if you happen to open the same, you got to disclaim that despite you provide ID with your picture on it.” “I cannot sell that bottle then,” she concluded. Similarly, clubs, bars and pubs cannot allow anyone inside (not to mention of drinking alcohol) unless they assure his/her age, fearing the least penalty of intruding this law is losing the registration.  

Conclusion:

I have so many things to say but time and space do not seem to be favoring me. I, however, would like to conclude my perceptions on this short note that America is a very beautiful place to live. People are friendly, loving, caring and reasoning. I mean they are not stubborn. You reason with them, they will say ‘it makes sense’ to agree with you and would reason, if they disagree with you. Although they do have grading system, but none gets first, second or third position in academic exams unlike what we have in Pakistan, because they believe positions create divide. “Do visit the USA at least once in your life and live it,” my own quotation!


Article written by Adnan Ali Syed. Mr. Syed is a CCID Scholar at Everett Community College. He has several years of experience at working in Pakistan's leading News Organizations.