Living abroad came with an entirely new set of responsibilities and challenges. I did not have to worry about completing everyday chores on my own any more thanks to the army. I taught myself how to get my everyday life affairs in order and told myself that being impatient has no advantages whatsoever. I trained myself how to be patient and look on the bright side of everything. Instead of overthinking about being home sick I thought of it as an adventure to be on my own and experience new adventures, make mistakes and learn from them on my own. After all, there is no better mentor than your own life mistakes. The biggest challenge came when my travel companion and best friend had to leave London and go back to live in Abu Dhabi. We grew up together and had each others backs. At first I was devastated but kept my faith in the fact that anything that happens is a blessing in disguise. My faith was rewarded when I realized that being on my own pushed me to meeting new people from all around the world. London is the town where the world’s cultures meet. Multicultural diversity is a very interesting subject. You realize that the more your cultures are different the more you are the same. For example, you subconsciously start applying the qualities you liked from your new Russian friend such as being more straightforward, while your Arabian hospitality is what he learned from you. I do not think I would have made this many new friends from different cultures if my friend hadn’t returned to the UAE because we always went everywhere together and did not really go out with new people. In the short span of time I have spent living abroad so far really brought out a better version of me. I returned to the UAE for holidays, training and community service and all the people around me were telling me how much I have matured. I was proud of what I have become. The school of life teaches you more than any textbook or seminar does. It teaches you about you in the most peculiar way possible.
I am human, and just like every human I have my strengths and weaknesses. Everyday life lessons brought out qualities I never knew I possessed. I was always a confident person. My confidence has helped me settle in a totally different way of life. I find it quite fascinating how one trait you have can lead to another compatible trait you learn. Self-confidence and being able to speak your mind and be straightforward are two very helpful qualities to have when you are a person who likes to participate in class to show your professor that you’re really benefitting from his seminar. It is my favorite characteristic about myself, and for that I am truly grateful