A Girl’s Journey to Study Pharmacy
From Zaatari camp, where life was filled with hardships, where life was filled with challenges. After finishing high school, my dream was to study pharmacy. But this dream was not easy to achieve. When I told my father about my desire to pursue this field, he was very concerned. He feared for my safety, as the university in Irbid was far from the camp, and he worried about the risks I might face on the way. In our community, it was believed that a girl should stay close to home and not travel far to study.
It wasn’t easy for me to accept this reality, especially with so many questions running through my mind. How would I face society when I go out alone every day? How could I pay for my education with a salary that didn’t exceed 150 dinars? I even wondered if I deserved this opportunity, or if my dreams were out of reach compared to my brother’s. But despite all these concerns, I decided to follow my dream.
My mother was also worried. As any mother would be, she feared for my safety and the dangers I might face. But I convinced her that I would take care of myself and focus on my studies. After a lot of persuasion, my parents finally agreed to my decision, and my father told me that the next day would be the last chance to register at the university in Irbid.
I was overjoyed, but the very next day, I faced my first obstacle: I got lost. I mistakenly took a road to another governorate instead of Irbid, and when I realized the mistake, panic set in. There were only a few hours left to register, and I had already wasted time. I felt hopeless and started crying, but I refused to give up. I called my father and he suggested I go back home, but I didn’t listen. I was determined to continue. With a lot of effort, I finally made it to the university and managed to register just in time.
My academic journey began, and every day I had to travel from the camp to Irbid. I would leave home at 5:30 a.m. and return at 6 p.m. The journey was exhausting and long. In the beginning, I couldn’t make it to the first lecture, so I decided to find a faster way to travel. I found a bus that took female workers to the same governorate, and I started using it. But this decision came with its own difficulties. I was harassed and bullied by some of the women who mocked me for taking a bus meant for workers, not students.
At first, their hurtful words made me cry, but I refused to let them stop me. I knew that if I gave up, I would never reach my goal. I continued to travel this way, ignoring the insults, because I didn’t have a better option.
Days passed, and I kept going. After two years of struggles and hardships, I’m now in my final year at university. I only have one semester left until I graduate. Society had bet on my failure, but I proved them wrong. I have been patient, I have fought hard, and I won’t stop now. I want to achieve my dream, and I want to prove to everyone that determination and strong will can overcome any challenge. I won’t look back. I will continue moving forward with confidence and hope.
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