Narrative: Studying at UCA
During my life, growing up in Saudi Arabia, I worked for several different insurance companies and learned over time it was what I wanted to do with my life. From a young age, I loved it and wanted to pursue an education in the field. Today, I am only twenty-seven years old, and as an undergraduate, I have begun studying insurance and risk management in an effort to achieve this dream. There have been many obstacles along the way, but I have always proven to myself that if I stay dedicated and committed to my education and the plans I have for my future, I will be able to accomplish anything. In my quest for an education, I decided to attend UCA; I understood I needed to develop qualities within myself professionally and personally in order to one day get promoted and rise in the ranks of insurance and risk management. My aim is to one day become manager; unfortunately, my father disagrees with my dream, but I will prove to him that I can do it.
My first semester in the Intensive English Program, or IEP, began on August 20, 2015, and ended on December 9, 2015. I learned all of the necessary skills in order to read and write English after I took the placement tests. I was placed in level three, from which I started the English portion of my education. I passed it with ease and continued on to level four, wherein I learned more essential tools in the English language. It was deemed unnecessary for me to proceed on to level five of IEP, as I had earned all required IELTS scores. I was fully admitted from the program, and thus free to start my college career in an English speaking school in 2016.
After succeeded so gracefully in the IEP program, I traveled to Florida State with my older brother, Tariq. He has an American passport because he was born in Tallahassee. While there, we were able to visit such places as Miami, Orlando, and even Disney World. I was able to exercise my new English skills on a daily basis, and found that I am better at reading, writing, and speaking English than I once though. Though I graduated from the IEP program and did not have to take the final course because I was so proficient, the language was intimidating. It was not until I was fully immersed in it that I realized the full extent of my skills. I must admit I was very proud of myself and what I had accomplished. Most importantly, I began to understand how much I wanted to study abroad, specifically in America. I enjoyed the people and the culture, as well as understood it would open many doors for my future. I made many decisions during this trip, one of which being to study at UCA.
As I began my studies in the spring of 2016, my course schedule consisted of College Algebra, Film Appreciation, Global Environment of Business, and Foundation of College Literacy. Film Appreciation proved to be the most difficult for me, personally, because in Saudi Arabia we do not offer this course or anything resembling this course. I had never remotely prepared myself to take anything like it. Moreover, in my country, we do not have cinemas. Movies are not enjoyed the same way in Saudi Arabia as they are in other countries, making Film Appreciation quite challenging. College Algebra was also difficult, primarily because it was a strange and foreign subject for me to learn. When I say “foreign,” I mean it in specific terms. For example, I have always been used to writing equations and solving them from right to left; this is how I was taught and how I learned. Solving them from left to right was strange at first, and felt very different to me. I was able to adapt, however, and did quite well for never having performed math in this way. At the end of the semester, my GPA was 3.67 of 4.0, and again I was proud of what I had accomplished.
Over the summer semester, I did not think it was a good use of my time to be idle. Therefore, I took Accounting I. It was a very difficult course, but I was able to navigate my way through it quite successfully. Once more, I ended a difficult class with an A, and was able to raise my GPA from 3.67 to 3.75. After Accounting I ended, I was able to visit Washing DC, which was quite enjoyable. I was able to take a picture in front of the White House, which is something I had always wanted to do. At the end of summer, I was afforded the opportunity to take a road trip to Dallas with friends, allowing me to get an even better sense of my new home. I am always making continuous efforts to raise my GPA, take challenging classes, and improve myself personally and professional in these ways.
In sum, my time at UCA, as well as traveling around the country as allowed me to become more confident in myself and my abilities. I am glad I was able to find something that makes me happy in life, and have been able to pursue my dreams in such a manner that has enabled me to explore the world and become a more educated person. I look forward to seeing where I will be this time next year. It has become my dream to rise through the ranks in the insurance industry and risk management industry and despite my father’s disagreement with what I want to do with my life I know I am proving that I am capable of fulfilling my own life’s goal. My aim for the fall of 2016 is to return to UCA to continue studying. My courses include Insurance and Risk Management, Life and Health Fitness, Writing I, and Transitional Writing. I know if I continue with my previous stamina and dedication, I will continue making myself proud, making my dreams come true, and make my father believe in me.
