My Life in Short Stories: 2. The University

Beirut, Lebanon
1961-1964

The night was young and there was an air of celebration in Tehran International Airport. I was there to meet my family and to say goodbye to them before leaving for Beirut, Lebanon in order to continue my education at the American University of Beirut.

I was surrounded by family members from both my mother and father’s side and I was being showered with their love and good wishes, but there was no sign of my father, my step mother, or any of my siblings. I concluded that they are still holding on to their grudges and their lack of understanding in relation to the fact that I had met my real mother without their knowledge.

When the plane took off I was anxiously looking down from the window to see the lights of the city and to say goodbye to the place where I was born and had spent the most sensitive years of my life.

The Tower of Freedom the symbol of  Tehran

I was overcome with mixed emotions of happiness, sadness, anxiety and fear of unknown. It was my first overseas travel and I did not know what to expect. All I can remember is that we had a smooth flight and when we arrived I was welcomed by the university personnel and taken to the assigned dormitory right away. In the darkness of night I could not quite see the university or the city of Beirut but I knew that I could expect to see a beautiful city known as “The Paris of the Middle East”.

The American University of Beirut (AUB) was founded in 1866 and is located on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. As you can see in the pictures, the campus holds historical buildings and breath taking sceneries.

AUB Campus

AUB Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea

The University Hall

I loved AUB and the host country Lebanon and I appreciated the people, the culture and their wonderful culinary traditions. I also cherished my classmates and the whole international community.

Before we knew it we were already busy with our classes, labs and clinical practice and we had to study and work really hard. There were forty one students in our class from all over the world but towards the end of the first academic year only nineteen of us remained in the program.

Working on a Project

Six months into my education I wrote a long letter to my father and complained about my years of suffering while living with them. I also told him that he had no right to separate us from our mother, and that I can not forget or forgive him for what he did.

A couple of weeks later I received a letter from him saying that the night I left the country they had come to the airport to see me and to say goodbye but because of the crowd around me they kept their distance and they did not come forward. He asked for my forgiveness and offered his blessings and good wishes. He also requested me to go and see them during my summer vacation.

I was too busy to think about his letter or to respond to it. I felt that my heart is closed and I had nothing more to say or to give. I put that letter in a safe place and continued with my busy life.

One day I was informed that I am expected to call the Dean’s office and make an appointment to go and see her. I felt uneasy and a bit nervous but when I finally met her I found her to be a very kind and sweet lady. She put me at ease right away and asked me if I am happy and satisfied with my life at the university. My response was a positive one and I thanked her for her concern. She was delighted but went on to say that it has been brought to her attention that I am mostly alone in my room and I rarely go out to have fun. She concluded that this is not considered healthy for a young girl like me.

International Student Event

I was pleasantly surprised because in my own culture parents and families did not encourage the girls to socialize but supported the boys' freedom. The girls were oppressed in the name of protection and consequently they grew up with no social skills to protect themselves when they needed to.

This was a wake up call for me. I thanked our Dean and I promised her that I will consciously work on myself and reach out to my friends and classmates. In the process of doing so I realized how difficult it is for me to leave my comfort zone and to unlearn what I had learned before. I was particularly clumsy and naïve in relation to boys and I did not have an easy communication with them when participating in social activities.

It was summer time and those of us who had scholarships were each given a plane ticket to go home and visit their families. My older brother suggested that I go home and visit my father and make peace with every one and I did just that. In time our relationship improved and my step mother became my best friend and a strong supporter of me.

My Step Mother and Me

Graduation

I went home again at the end of my second year of education and also after graduation. I completed my education and went back to Iran to start a new chapter in my life.



To be continued….