By Steven Ayad (Egypt), Work and Travel alumnus (Ambassador Scholarship Fund scholar)
“Alaska! You accepted an offer in Alaska?!! We don’t even know any Middle Eastern community there. Why didn’t you ask to be placed near our family in New York?” That was my parents’ reaction when they heard that I was going to travel to Fairbanks, a place that felt unfamiliar and distant.
The uncertainty turned into excitement. The 4th of July became my first cultural celebration in the United States. That day, I filmed an interview with Alaska State Senator Scott Kawasaki and spoke with the Mayor of Fairbanks, Grier Hopkins. It was the first time I truly felt that I was part of the community.
Immersing Myself in the American Culture
As summer continued, I became more involved in the community and friendships. I attended the World Eskimo Indian Olympics, where I danced, sang, and celebrated alongside Native communities, and all the differences between us disappeared. One day, while returning from grocery shopping, I met a bike group, talked to them, exchanged numbers, and soon joined their Friday bike rides. We spent time together, laughing and talking. We went hiking and mountain biking through the trails of Fairbanks, and I saw the Aurora lights.
Sharing My Culture!
The acceptance into the community made me eager to share parts of my culture. I gave everyone I met a coin or a souvenir from Egypt, and I even shared authentic Egyptian food with them. These small interactions inspired one of my friends to travel to Egypt and experience the culture I shared.
My Work and Travel Program Transformed Me into a Global Citizen
By the end of my program, I wasn’t a stranger anymore. I left a place that felt true and beautiful, and friends who became my second family. The Work and Travel Program transformed me from a stranger into a global citizen and an ambassador of my culture and country. As I always say, “you are always welcome in my country, Egypt.”
What the Work and Travel Program Helped Me Achieve
For me, the Work and Travel Program not only benefitted me culturally and personally. It exposed me to new system and communication standards, which introduced me different career paths. While working in the Hotel, my boss asked me to help fix the hotel’s VoIP system. At the time, I hadn’t taken any courses on the topic, so I went to the library at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) to do research. Although I couldn’t fix the system due to time constrains, I decided to learn more about VoIP systems. When I returned back to Egypt, I decided to enroll in a CCNA course as an Introduction to the VoIP systems. I passed the CCNA course with a score of 88%, which increased my knowledge and strengthened my understanding of local networks.
Thank you, Steven, for sharing your Work and Travel Program experience with us! We wish you all the best in your future!
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To learn more about Greenheart’s Work and Travel program visit GreenheartExchange.org.