Taking the Road Less Traveled

Taking the Road Less Traveled

         ''If you take tomorrow’s flight consider our engagement off'', were the last words of my fiancé before I came to America. Two years ago, I left my country, family, relatives،friends, ex-fiancé, and mostly my well-planned life, to pursue higher education here in the States. At that time, despite all of the obvious obstacles of leaving home and taking the road less traveled, I had to walk that mysterious path because only lives that take the not-taken road leave life and find life. That night I left my well-planned life, a life where I lived according to my society, family, and my ex-fiancé’s plans, for a spontaneous life driven by instincts.  I can still remember all of the details from that night at the airport with my family  all of the tears, all of the sad smiles, and all of the disappointed thoughts everyone had but no one shared. How foolish I was, leaving my fiancé for a 16-hours flight that would take me 10,000 miles away from everything I knew, from everything I was used to. It is always easy to take the common road that most people take, but taking the road that no one likes and everyone fears makes us different. Therefore, the night of October 5th 2011, I took that road, flight 555 from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to Los Angeles, United States of America. It has been a difficult road, where I had to come out of my world and reach out to others, yet this experience changed my life, my future,  and shaped my personality by teaching me to be strong, confident, and independent.    

         I was born and raised in what is known to be one of the most conservative countries in the world, especially in regard to women. Sadly, Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where women are not allowed to drive. Also, Saudi females are assigned to legal male guardians from their immediate relatives; he can legally ban her from education, work, and even marriage. No matter how old I am, I will always remain a minor in the eyes of the Saudi government.  Fortunately, I was blessed with a wonderful family that supports me in every decision, even when they did not agree. My mother is a very traditional Middle Eastern woman, who believes that the primary purpose of every woman is to get married, have children, and establish a family. She hated my choice of leaving home to study abroad; she never thought that her daughter could survive by herself without a man's protection. She used to say '' You are way too spoiled’ ‘and maybe I am. I was raised in a house with two maids, two drivers, and two brothers. I never had to pay any bills, do any chores, or even make my own bed. My father and my brothers always took care of everything at our house. Therefore, I had to do myself a favor and leave that pampered life to travel solo.

        Stepping out from my comfort zone and living away from home, family, and friends has been an eye-opening experience, and it produced very important effects on my life. In two years of living in America, I learned more than I did in my whole life. I remember the first time I ever went grocery shopping two years ago as an international student at the American Language Institute in California State University, Long Beach. I spent half an hour trying to figure out the best laundry soap for my clothes. Sadly, I was a 23-year-old girl, who did not know how to do laundry, cook, pay bills, or even drive. I was 23 years old, yet I didn't know how to be an adult. I cried a lot that night. I felt lost, and I wanted to give up, but something inside me said ''No.'' I woke up the day after and registered for driving and cooking lessons. A month later, I earned my driver’s license, hosted my first party, and never had to spend more than five minutes in the laundry detergent section.