Wake up at 4 a.m.
Walk two hours to school back and forth every day, during heavy rain, snow, under the hot summer..doesn't matter.
There are days random people want to kidnap you..
Or maybe even you wandering off your main road to someone else's because they stole your hair ribbon, a precious gift from your grandma, only to realize the stealing was a plot by your friend's father to kidnap you.
Days when your shoes get torn and filled of mud and water. You have to sit through the class with cold feet and wet clothes during most of the winter. And you can't complain, if you complain it means it is too much for you.
Days when you forget your homework and can't walk back because it is just too far. So you have to take the beating and the embarrassment from the teacher.
Days when you are not sure your family will be alive and your home still a home or just bunch of stones left by air strikes when you go back.
Days when you think it is better not to comeback at all and just sleep under some bridge to avoid more beating, or worse, sexual abuse.
Days you have enough and just want Islamists to come and slit your throat already and you stand in the middle of nowhere waiting for it.
Days you notice your missing friends in class and you know it means they died because last night it was their village that got raided.
Days fighting with your parents who insist women aren't supposed to go to school in these circumstances or because of Islam, or whatever other reasons they had.
Days you have to run from home to study knowing you will get beaten up and not caring you're used to being treated like an animal.
.......
When people tell me I am intelligent for everything I achieved, I do want to show them what it was like. All of the above and more. Would you actually walk for four hours a day and then just sit through class and learn nothing? I don't know about you but education was my only escape. Everything else was shiiit. I don't think I was smart. I had to survive.
Are people who never made it stupid?
No, I got lucky too.
I did sort of kept the mindset that everything I do is about life and death after I was out of those circumstances. And I bet it is the same for thousands of people. Do it right because it might be the last time you ever get to.
And it is important. Whatever life brings your way, don't waste it.
There are days random people want to kidnap you..
Or maybe even you wandering off your main road to someone else's because they stole your hair ribbon, a precious gift from your grandma, only to realize the stealing was a plot by your friend's father to kidnap you.
Days when your shoes get torn and filled of mud and water. You have to sit through the class with cold feet and wet clothes during most of the winter. And you can't complain, if you complain it means it is too much for you.
Days when you forget your homework and can't walk back because it is just too far. So you have to take the beating and the embarrassment from the teacher.
Days when you are not sure your family will be alive and your home still a home or just bunch of stones left by air strikes when you go back.
Days when you think it is better not to comeback at all and just sleep under some bridge to avoid more beating, or worse, sexual abuse.
Days you have enough and just want Islamists to come and slit your throat already and you stand in the middle of nowhere waiting for it.
Days you notice your missing friends in class and you know it means they died because last night it was their village that got raided.
Days fighting with your parents who insist women aren't supposed to go to school in these circumstances or because of Islam, or whatever other reasons they had.
Days you have to run from home to study knowing you will get beaten up and not caring you're used to being treated like an animal.
.......
When people tell me I am intelligent for everything I achieved, I do want to show them what it was like. All of the above and more. Would you actually walk for four hours a day and then just sit through class and learn nothing? I don't know about you but education was my only escape. Everything else was shiiit. I don't think I was smart. I had to survive.
Are people who never made it stupid?
No, I got lucky too.
I did sort of kept the mindset that everything I do is about life and death after I was out of those circumstances. And I bet it is the same for thousands of people. Do it right because it might be the last time you ever get to.
And it is important. Whatever life brings your way, don't waste it.
