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In the Spotlight
Interview, International student: Mwafaq Abu-Shanab
August 24, 2011
It’s the end of the (academic) year. What are the ratings and whether teachers satisfied with your performance?
My average was a B+. As you can tell its not what I am used to given my performance in the past three years in college; I have an average higher than this in my home University. I want to point out that I had no motivation to give my 100 percent because my classes transfer back only as pass or fail. Anyways, both my professors and I in general were satisfied in my performance in class; some went on to say that I have added “color to the classroom by both my outfits and my comments.” My comments are very wide in scope because they are very different from anyone else’s in the class. So overall I feel it was a good experience.
The reason I asked you this is because there were a lot of changes in your life, many universities, different cultures. How do you fit?
I honestly do not have a formula to fit in. However, I would say I try to get closer to the local people and be confident in myself. I think the best way to fit in I found is to become part of the society by eating and living their life style even if it was not the most appealing to me at first.
USA, Spain, France, Ukraine and now here in Bosnia. You met in short time with many different traditions, languages and cultural heritage. What is your experience?
I see that every country that I have lived in has shaped up the person I am today in one-way or another. A vital aspect of life is the understanding of others unlike us. Prejudices on the grounds of differing cultures, religions and traditions are unacceptable because of its inhumane stigma in world history. Most, if not all, issues or conflicts regarding different people stem from an ignorant perspective of the world, which brings about a superficial sense of arrogance. In a distinct quote by Ralph Charell, “It is through cooperation, rather than conflict, that your greatest successes will be derived.” Coming from a Palestinian refugee family, I have faced many challenges in life. After start of the war in Palestine, my grandfather sought shelter in a small city in Jordan called 'Zarqa', which was where my parents and I were born. Even though we set up a home in Jordan, as a refugee, I could never feel a sense of national pride. Though, after living in the United States for a few years, I have learned that it does not matter where you come from, but what you strive to achieve in life. As you can see that I have done that to the max by taking every opportunity and working hard everyday. I am not the hardest worker in the World but I take advantage of every opportunity that drifts my way. I can say one thing about Bosnia and Herzegovina it has taught me to appreciate small things more; before coming here I thought life had to be something spectacular for us to enjoy it. That is very untrue, ridiculous and immature.
I assume that the 'competition' universities in other countries was fierce. Why did you decide to Sarajevo and AUBiH?
I wanted to study specifically in AUBIH because this is a university where I can expect to get a quality education equivalent of the one in my university "USC” and learn about Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia and Herzegovina came to my interest this summer when I visited Kyiv, Ukraine. I know you might be questioning how my trip to Ukraine has anything to do with my interest in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Simply because I loved Eastern Europe and wanted to understand the region; therefore I decided to study in one of the countries there; however, it is only in Bosnia and Herzegovina that I have found a university that could provide me with a quality education which is AUBIH. I am interested in Bosnia and Herzegovina because of its history, which has been under the microscope in the early 90's. The history of Bosnia and Herzegovina is of a great importance to me in-order to understand the region. I wanted to come and live in this region because I think with the education I have, I can strive to help the people in the region. I want to be able to return after I graduate and try to live and change some of the people's lives in the region.
What experience you will take with AUBiH?
I will bring back lots of course, which I will not realize now because they have become part of me now. I will learn to appreciate small things as they are and enjoy life at every level. I have come to understand that I am very blessed and the limit is the sky. I carry back with me lots of love and friendship from great and yet simple people from every walk of life, which is the most valuable thing to me. I have understood that we develop only through the knowledge we strive to get. From BIH I will carry lots of love from the people here and some of the greatest moments of my life were spent here. I want to say that BIH is not shy of being compared with the most developed nations like Spain and France. I say that with great sincerity but the people here have to be a lot more optimistic; BIH has a great potential I am sure of that.
Contacts you have made here may be useful for your career. Do you have in mind now for mutual cooperation with the local people in terms of scientific, business or some other process?
I have lots of connections as I have mentioned earlier I know people from every walk of life and from every age group as well. I know people as young as 14 years old that I play with and look up to me as a brother and role model and others as old as 65 years old that serve as models to me. These differences between the people I know widen my horizon and make me a better person to future serve the society. In terms of people that are educated I know CEO’s and managers and I know gypsies that beg on the street which are both my friends and respect equally. I believe what separates one person from another is how good he is and everything else should not be looked at. These different people have and will help me understand BIH more in the future to develop a business plan for me here; if I decide to come and live here.
After all these experiences, do you thinking about in which direction you will continue your career?
I have no clue where and what I will do in the future. I will say one thing for sure that I need to follow my heart just the way I have done in the past and I think it has taken me beyond my imagination and my wildest dream. I will strive and pursue my dream of owning a clothing line that aims at helping people achieve Freedom by living their dream. I am very ambitious and I shoot for the stars; even if I fall short sometimes. My life has taken me to magical places with the twists and turns that it has taken. I am blessed and grateful for everyone that I know and have helped me I say that from my heart. Everyone that has or had an intention to help me I say Thank you and God Bless you.
