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A Tribute to G'town “The
person who has his two days equal is at a loss.” Prophet Muhammad.[1] Have you ever had an opportunity you wished you never had? Right before I left Izmir for US –which was about two weeks ago-, all I thought was “I wish I had never applied to Georgetown!” for obvious reasons: It would be my first time in the US -therefore in Washington DC and in Georgetown-. I knew noone in the US –therefore there was noone I loved in this place-. I had never been away from my parents for more than three weeks –I guess no explanation is needed for that-. I’m not saying “I wish Georgetown never admitted me!”, because I felt special when I received that letter about the applicant pool, I had fun in April. In late August, however, I wished I never had this alternative – and chance. I wished it never came to me that I had an alternative: To study abroad rather than studying in my country. Leaving the place I belonged to was hard. Making persistent bonds to some place and gradually belonging there takes work and time. I had developed interests over the course of time. I knew my likes and dislikes, I had proven myself in certain areas and I had shown no talent in others. People knew me and accepted me. People were speaking my language. I was somebody with a personality and a past there. I was used to the person I was, maybe it was a comfortable stereotype which prevented me to try new things. When I get back to Turkey, I will be a Georgetown student. But in Georgetown, I am only a student. Still, I had applied to and admitted by Georgetown. My friend Hori says when a train is waiting in the station for you, you shouldn’t miss it. I wasn’t brave enough to miss it. Once you are aware of the alternatives and possibilities that are laid upon you, how can you pretend they are not there? Today in the Proseminar, our Professor told about people who just enjoy their lives: They don’t try to step forward, they don’t try to make their next day different from the previous one. It’s a beautiful and comfortable life, as long as you are not aware that your life could have been different. This reminds me of the movie Matrix: Sometimes you don’t want to learn anything that will make you question your life. Once you discover your possibilities and choices, you know there will be an “opportunity cost” of your choice: “What would my life be like if I went to Georgetown?” is the question which would lead me to regret – if I didn’t come here. Over here, I discover new things about myself and the world I’m living in every day. Sometimes, during discussions, I feel like an angry baby who doesn’t know how to express herself. I also understood that I am quite ignorant about some concepts and events. I’m overwhelmed by the discussions which are going on in my classes. Many students are quite smart. You can’t say “I did what I’m supposed to do, I got the subject, I’m done”, because every class awakes new questions. I call this “chain reaction”. This is a long road marked by questions and answers which takes us to knowledge… OK I won’t go on and on about my enlightenment! Now I’m going to sit on one of the benches by the fountain and read Hobbes. I have a discussion session today and I’m pages and pages behind. Nevertheless, I like to be here. September 2002, apparently... looking forward to be back. [1] I translated this “Hadith” from Turkish (“İki günü bir olan zarardadır.”), so the translation from Arabic to English might be slightly different. Copyright © August 6, 2005 |
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