Blabber By Hackensack River- Pre-departure events

In July.14.2011, I received a very interesting information from the US Embassy regarding my University placement and pre-departure orientation.

Congratulations for being selected as a finalist

Shahin,Hossam  Fairleigh Dickinson University

Fairleigh-Dickinson University

Fairleigh-Dickinson University is the largest private university in the state of New Jersey. The Metropolitan Campus is home to about 4,000 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students from the United States and 63 countries. The campus is located in the suburban community of Teaneck, with all the benefits of being in close proximity to New York City. FDU offers more than 100 academic programs in the disciplines of business, education, engineering, hotel and restaurant management, liberal arts, nursing and allied health, and the sciences.

  

 Pre-departure Orientation

Please plan to be at the Embassy for your pre-departure orientation on July 24 at 10:00 AM. Please enter from the West Gate . The session will take place at the Information Resource Center at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo. Please bring your ID with you. It is expected that we will finish at 4:00 PM.

The departure orientation was a great opportunity for me to know more about the details of my program, and the officers were very nice and friendly. We started the orientation by talking about what I should do, what amount of stipend, cultural shock issues, and what is expected from me.

After while, an educational specialist from AMIDEAST who talked with me about the educational diffirences and how I can overcome the US on campus new life. She told me, you are going to a very fine and prestigious campus in a very nice area of USA. She warned me from different cultural differences such as:

Do not call you friend multiple times, he or she might be busy, and they will call you back when he or she has got time, and Hossam, do not flirt with girls, it considers as a verbal sexual harassment in America. We took lunch together, Pizza.

Last words from US Embassy officer were, you are going to blue city blue state, you are the luckiest!

I left the Embassy at 4.00 having the passion of being lucky; grateful for having my family who launched my personality to achieve all of this.

*******************************************

Dear Hossam, Your visa appointments will take place at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, June 21^st, 2011.  I will meet you at 9:00 AM at the North Gate of the U.S. Embassy . 

Counselor: Hi, how are you !

Hossam: I am wonderful, thanks

Counselor: so, what do you study?

Hossam: Clinical Pharmacy

Counselor: so you are Hossam who is going to USA on US Department of State fellowship?

Hossam: Yes, I am

Counselor: Congratulations, your visa is approved  and I will send it to the public affairs section in US Embassy?

Hossam: Thank You

I got my Visa, can not wait to have my tickets to DC, can not wait to have my American Council coordinatory contact information, and before all, I can not wait to phone my mother telling her what she already expected to happen.

On my way to Tanta, I had a nice chat with another passenger, and after long conversation, he said " you have such enlightened positive energy"

To Be Continued

Blabber by Hackensack River

 Very refreshing day in my second year of Pharmacy school when I woke up early to start my college day.The day was very vivid, and I was too excited not only because I will spend nice time with my friends but also because I was invited to take my dinner at evening at the residency of the US Ambassador, Margrate Scobey. The final class was Biochemsitry section;therefore, I flew home to prepare myself for the dinner among US diplomats and cultural specialists. As usual, I turned on my computer to check my email, and here was the big surprise whcih was the first brick to build the rest of my life; my pursuite of happiness; my blabber by Hackensack River:

Dear Hossam,

    I am pleased to inform you of your selection as a finalist for participation in the scholarship funded by the United States Department of State to pursue undergraduate study in the United States.  The scholarship Program was established with funds allocated by the Congress of the United States and is intended to promote mutual understanding between  U.S. and your country.

    The Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo will provide you information regarding your acceptance of participation and the terms and conditions of your scholarship. Once your participation in confirmed, further information will be provided regarding your visa and placement at a host college or university in the United States.

    The  scholarship provides round-trip travel from your home city to your U.S. host college or university, tuition, housing and meals, and a stipend for living expenses as well as enrichment activities for the period of the program. 

From here, the journey of personal development, independence, passion, love, friendship, and excitement fired up. After reading the message, I realized, it my time to go to the US Embassy to take my dinner feeling so proud and HAPPY.

To Be Continued 

**********************************************************

Advice: Circumstances? What Circumstances? Do your own Circumstances....