Seattle Colleges International Programs presents... Conversations with!
S2E37: Seattle Colleges Conversations with! International Student Sajad Kazimi of Afghanistan
In this our thirty-seventh (37th) episode of Season 2, Seattle Colleges host Evan Franulovich interviews international student Sajad Kazimi of Afghanistan about his experience here at Seattle Colleges and about life in the United States.
(Originally recorded December 2023)
1:19 - Meet Sajad!
Copyright © Seattle Colleges International Programs 2023. All rights reserved. For more information about being an international student at Seattle Colleges, please visit intl.seattlecolleges.edu
The theme music 'Bounce' is an audio file pursuant to the Pixabay License as defined in the Pixabay Terms of Service available at https://http://pixabay.com/service/terms/
Also, connect with us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok) at
SeattleCollegesIntl
In this our thirty-seventh (37th) episode of Season 2, Seattle Colleges host Evan Franulovich interviews international student Sajad Kazimi of Afghanistan about his experience here at Seattle Colleges and about life in the United States.
(Originally recorded December 2023)
1:19 - Meet Sajad!
Copyright © Seattle Colleges International Programs 2023. All rights reserved. For more information about being an international student at Seattle Colleges, please visit intl.seattlecolleges.edu
The theme music 'Bounce' is an audio file pursuant to the Pixabay License as defined in the Pixabay Terms of Service available at https://http://pixabay.com/service/terms/
Also, connect with us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok) at
SeattleCollegesIntl
Welcome to Seattle Colleges International Programs and our show Conversations with! where we talk to people that help you understand how you too, can be an international student in the United States and why Seattle Colleges should be your first choice. We'll talk to students and staff and agents and government folks, all kinds of people, about what you can expect when you're getting ready to apply or travel here, what you'll experience while you're with us and how it can all lead to an amazing life. Don't forget to check out the Seattle Colleges International Programs website at intl.seattlecolleges.edu where you can find a treasure trove of information about the school, the programs here and, best of all, fill out and submit your application. Again, that's intl.seattlecolleges.edu Hey, everybody, its Evan Franulovich. Welcome back to Seattle Colleges "Conversations with!" and we're here today with Sajad, welcome!
Sajad:Thank you so much, Sir. I am really happy and...I'm really excited today. Well, I am with you, and, here we go. I'm ready for conversation, and to talk with you for a moment.
Evan Franulovich:Sure, yeah!
Sajad:I hope you....we have a great time.
Evan Franulovich:We will, for sure. I am also excited. Sajad is one of our first guests from Central Asia, one of the first and, do you want to tell people where you're from originally?
Sajad:Yeah, of course. I am from Afghanistan, originally, and I lived there and I was born there in one of the provinces by a called by the name of Badakhshan Province, near the border of China and Tajikistan, or like it is North of Afghanistan, and like I was studying there. I finished school there, 12th grade. It's high school, I finished high school there. After that, for one year, I decided to go Kabul province for higher education, for better education, and I went Kabul for one year, for more education, and I spent one year in capital... capital of Afghanistan. And then now I'm here with you.
Evan Franulovich:And now you're here!
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:Okay. So you did up to 12th grade in your province?
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:Was that in a public school or a private school?
Sajad:It was public school, state school, like everybody can participate and educate there. And yeah, after graduation, we have a system and Afghanistan by the name of "Concour". It is originally French. In French word, "Concour". Like it is a whole exam in the country and all over the country. The people who achieve good scores, they can find their universities, they can find a chance to go to university for higher education for their major degrees. Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:So you took your test, you must have done well, because you got into school in Kabul.
Sajad:Yeah, I finished and I graduated from high school in Badakhshan. After that, I decided to study "Concour" examination preparation, actually.
Evan Franulovich:Oh, Okay.
Sajad:Yeah. After that, after one year, I took the test, the"Concour" test, and hopefully I succeeded on that time and polytechnic engineering, capital of Afghanistan, Kabul, one of the best universities in the country. But unfortunately, during the critical situation, and this kind of situation happening during that year for us, we couldn't study there because it was critical situation. Our government was not a official government. It was a not a... recognizable country. That's why we decided to leave the country for a better situation for better life, for better education.
Evan Franulovich:Right.
Sajad:Yeah, it was by.. so hard for us to study there.
Evan Franulovich:Can I establish a timeline, so you...what year did you graduate from high school?
Sajad:It was 2021.
Evan Franulovich:2021. Oh, just recently and then you took a year and then you started school in Kabul and did a full year?
Sajad:No.
Evan Franulovich:Oh you didn't start.
Sajad:It is a kind of course preparation you can prepare yourself in private courses.
Evan Franulovich:Okay.
Sajad:Yeah. For Concour examination.
Evan Franulovich:And then you decided to leave the country in what year?
Sajad:Yeah. Actually, when I finished university, my father and I decided to leave the country. It was my childhood dream to study abroad. Yeah. After finishing the school, I decided to leave the country in a better situation. Like I tried to find a good scholarship, I was looking for a scholarship to find a scholarship. Because as you know, Afghanistan is a poor country, and it is very hard for people to go abroad and study. That's why we decided to find good universities, even I got the chances to go, for example, Turkey or Russia, like these countries, but I didn't want to go there, because my decision was big and higher. I want to...for example, I wanted to study in America, Canada, or Europe in some higher degrees or higher level of education in these countries, and on that this, I decided to apply for every scholarship, scholarships, like I decided to take the TOEFL test on that time. But yeah, I got the TOEFL score also, I have applied about 14 scholarships.
Evan Franulovich:Oh my god.
Sajad:Yeah. But unfortunately, I got rejected because of my.. my bad educate... my bad situation in our country, like every...every... person participate or apply for, for example, scholarships, they are looking for our backgrounds like they cannot take the visa for us because of non recognizable country or for example, non official government. This difficulties we faced on that time, it was so... so for example, difficult, but I never stopped, I never stopped on that time. I decided to for 100 time, I will try my best to find a good education to find a good university to study what... whatever it is, for example, it is, no matter what it is. It is about fully funded, self funded, or for example, like partially funded, it was no matter for me. That's why I decided to apply for every partial of education. Universities. I tried my best. Yeah. Fortunately, I am here today.
Evan Franulovich:Fortunately you are here today!
Sajad:Yeah I succed.
Evan Franulovich:So um, well, you did succeed. But that begs so many questions. So a lot of people wanted to get out of the country. How was it? Many of them did not succeed? How was it that you were able to succeed? What did you do in order to exit?
Sajad:Fortunately, it was the chance for me to come here by the support of my father. Yeah, nobody believed me. When I talked with them on that time,"I want to go for example abroad for education" they are... they were for example, kind of joking for me, like they were kind of like laughing for me, against me.
Evan Franulovich:They just thought it was impossible.
Sajad:Yeah, it was it was..they told me that it is impossible in this situation, we are in a critical situation our passport is in least passport in the world, and our government is not official government, you cannot get a visa or cannot get acceptance in university, acceptance letter. Like these difficulties are...I faced....everyone, my... my... my relatives taught me this kind of speech. But the only person always supported me, it was my father. Like he was my... my father always support supported me, like my son. He always told me that "my son, whatever you can go, I am with you. No matter what it is. You can succeed one day, you can successful, for example, you can be successful person in the future. You can... you can be succeed in the future". Now, now yeah, now I am very lucky to hear it was my, my hard working of my father. It was like yeah, decision of my father. It was the support of my father to come here. Yeah, without the support of him. I wouldn't be here.
Evan Franulovich:Where is he now?
Sajad:Yeah, he is in Afghanistan.
Evan Franulovich:Oh he is in Afghanistan.
Sajad:He is in Afghanistan with my family, with my whole family.
Evan Franulovich:Gotcha
Sajad:Yeah they live there.
Evan Franulovich:So you're here. And so you're here on an Afghani passport?
Sajad:Yes.
Evan Franulovich:That's fascinating!
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:So did you take... these little details... I'm just confused. Like, did you take a commercial airliner out of the country? Or are you on military transport? How did you get out?
Sajad:No, it was so kind of painful story for me. When I decided to leave the country for better education and other time. It was so hard for me I couldn't get this situation. I couldn't find like these situations to.. even, even for example, going into the neighbor country. It was so...so hard for me, for example, do you believe I got the visa of Pakistan by $700?
Evan Franulovich:It's a lot of money.
Sajad:In previous government. It was 1000 Afghani, it was equal to like $10. Oh, yeah, in$15 or $10.
Evan Franulovich:Okay.
Sajad:But nowadays, when you decided to get the visa Pakistan, you should pay for example...
Evan Franulovich:A lot of money.
Sajad:Yeah a lot of money like$1000 or $700, for example, to receive more quickly. Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:So you actually traveled from the north into Pakistan?
Sajad:Yeah. I decided to leave the country.
Evan Franulovich:Like on foot? or did you took a motorcycle?
Sajad:No, no. I got a visa. A tourist visa, it was six month tourist visa....tourist visa...After that, I decided to leave the country by...by bus.
Evan Franulovich:Oh, by bus?
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:Okay.
Sajad:It was by bus in the border. It was by land.
Evan Franulovich:Right!
Sajad:Yeah. By land. It was closed, like...
Evan Franulovich:But dangerous!
Sajad:Yeah, some, some... somehow it was dangerous. I decided to find my .... by better education for my better situation. Yeah, I didn't have any chance to, to lost. That's why I decided... after that. I was two months in Pakistan.
Evan Franulovich:All right.
Sajad:Yeah. One week I was in Islamabad, after that I left Islamabad to Karachi. I got a visit from council of America, in Karachi, Pakistan. My visa...
Evan Franulovich:Unbelievable.
Sajad:Yeah, I got there, and after that, I was alone. It was so hard for me because I didn't know about other language. I was alone.. All of my work, I've done by myself. I've done my by myself.
Evan Franulovich:So normally, the process is you apply to the college or university. You get an I-20, an acceptance letter...
Sajad:Actually, In Afghanistan I have an agent.
Evan Franulovich:Oh, you did?
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:An agent in Afghanistan?
Sajad:In Afghanistan.
Evan Franulovich:Oh, we should talk about that. A good agent apparently.
Sajad:Like at the end it was bad.
Evan Franulovich:Oh, okay.
Sajad:Because I will tell the story at the end of the program.
Evan Franulovich:Okay.
Sajad:I cannot tell you now. That's why it was... at the end it was a painful history for me... But yeah, they did well...kind of.
Evan Franulovich:So you did you only apply to Seattle? you said you applied to a lot of schools...
Sajad:I applied.... before I applied and a lot of countries like Turkey, Russia, like Germany, Slovakia, like Kazakhstan, like these countries. And after that, when I talked with my agent, they told me the process, and I decided to apply, and I applied for about three universities like...
Evan Franulovich:Here in the Sates?
Sajad:Here and this...
Evan Franulovich:So applied to Seattle Colleges? Seattle Colleges and Pacific....Seattle University, and also Washington State University. But you... you only wanted to come to Washington?
Sajad:Yeah. You didn't apply to Texas or Florida. No, no, no.
Evan Franulovich:Why Washington state?
Sajad:Because you see I didn't... I didn't have any chance to lose.. I.. I was dreaming that whatever, whatever prices is, is that it is okay for me. No matter where is it. Because for me, education in United States like it was a dream. Nobody believed me. I didn't believe that one day I came here. You know?
Evan Franulovich:Sure yeah. But why Seattle? Why this city?
Sajad:Because they choose me.
Evan Franulovich:Oh, the agent did?
Sajad:The agent yeah.
Evan Franulovich:Oh Okay. So the agent knew about Seattle,
said:"You should go there".
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:Oh, and you said okay. Yeah, sure.
Sajad:Yeah, Okay. Okay. No matter what.
Evan Franulovich:Right. Okay, interesting. So, so you applied to Seattle Colleges from Afghanistan. Before you went into Pakistan?
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:So you applied you got accepted? Got your I-20.
Sajad:Of course.
Evan Franulovich:And then you had to make an appointment with the embassy in order to have an interview.
Sajad:That's why yeah. That's correct.
Evan Franulovich:And that was in Karachi?
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:So you... So when did you make the appointment? Did you make the appointment from Afghanistan? Or did you get into Pakistan first?
Sajad:No, no. I got the appointment 10...10 days before I left Afghanistan, yeah.
Evan Franulovich:Oh, okay.
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:So you applied for the appointment from within Afghanistan, then you traveled?
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:And you know, I don't know if you people have been to Central Asia, but it's a long way from northern Afghanistan to Karachi. I mean, Karachi is on the coast, right? I mean, it's way south.
Sajad:Yes.
Evan Franulovich:So how long was the trip from your province?
Sajad:When you when you travel from Badakhshan from Baharak, Afghanistan to capital of Afghanistan, it takes about 13 hours by bus, after that...
Evan Franulovich:Kabul is a long way.
Sajad:After that, when you go to Pakistan from Kabul, it takes maybe 8 or 10 hours.
Evan Franulovich:Oh, that's it?
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:I thought it was much further.
Sajad:No.
Evan Franulovich:Oh, okay.
Sajad:It's kind of like..
Evan Franulovich:And then to get across the border, I'm
guessing they don't just say:"yeah, come on in". They really check you guys out carefully.
Sajad: Yeah, they asked me:Where? Why do you go to Pakistan?
Evan Franulovich:Right, right, right.
Sajad:I told him that I want to go for a tourist like sightseeing like...
Evan Franulovich:Sure, sure.
Sajad:But the reality was something else.
Evan Franulovich:There were of course, so you got to do what you got to do to get across. But how long? How long? Were you stuck at the border? Was it just an hour or two?
Sajad:No, no, no.
Evan Franulovich:Or did it take a long time? I was... Yeah, it was a long line. You should wait for four or five hours.
Sajad:Oh, my God. On your feet.
Evan Franulovich:Right. Right. Right.
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:And then you get through. And then you know, Pakistan is a big country from North to South.
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:So how long to get to Islamabad is quite... Well, it's not that far but...
Sajad:It was like 8 or 10 hours? Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:Just to Islamabad.
Sajad:Yeah. Just to Islamabad.
Evan Franulovich:And then you continued... on bus?
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:All the way to Karachi...that was what another 20 hours?
Sajad:Yeah, yeah. Like this.
Evan Franulovich:Unreal. Okay, so then you had... so you got your appointment, you went to Karachi, you show up for your appointment. Tell me about your visa interview. Because there may be other students that are listening to this program that are from a country where they have to leave their country like Iran, for instance, we don't have an embassy in Iran. Maybe they have to leave their country in order to do their appointment.
Sajad:Oh, yeah. Actually, when your countries for example, you're located in war country, war zone country, all embassys are close. You can, for example, go in neighboring countries, it's kind of easy.
Evan Franulovich:Okay.
Sajad:Not as easy as we did.
Evan Franulovich:Right.
Sajad:But in some countries, maybe.
Evan Franulovich:Oh okay.
Sajad:You can go there and make an appointment in embassys. This is when you go embassy, you.., you know you should take all of your documents with you.
Evan Franulovich:Right.
Sajad:And with the officer asking you for your plan for your education for your past background.
Evan Franulovich:Sure.
Sajad:Previous background like for asking you about your family, about your major. Yeah, well, these kind of things you should you should give them kind of logical answers.
Evan Franulovich:Of course.
Sajad:To accept.
Evan Franulovich:Did they ask you... they must have asked you about your financial your funding?
Sajad:Oh Yeah, it was one of the biggest problem for me, but I solved it. I solved it. Yeah. Because the they were asking me about my financial aid or support things like I told him, I told him actually, to my father support me. Yeah, I was like, I was confused. But I had to document to show them.
Evan Franulovich:Thank goodness. So the interview lasted how long? was it 10 minutes, 20 minutes, half hour?
Sajad:One thing was very painful for me at the interview day It was like when they saw my passport, they were looking for my passport. Oh my god. See, see....what happened and I'm checking your passport to... to insure myself to it's not fake passport. They told me that a lot of Afghani people can with fake passport.
Evan Franulovich:Of course.
Sajad:That's why. After the visa officer decided to show my passport with Pakistani colleagues. They checked a lot, and after that it was not fake. It was real. Yeah. It takes...
Evan Franulovich:We don't have this from any other interviews that I've had, like people worried about that. That's crazy.
Sajad:It took like 10 minutes or less than.. than 10 minutes.
Evan Franulovich:That's not too bad.
Sajad:Yeah. When with officer decided to collect information about you. He or she had decided to for example, in one...one... once he or she looking for you and talking with you. He or she decided to accept you or reject you. They are a kind of psychologists people they know everything about you. They check your background. They check your document, check your educational background everything they check, after that they decided to accept you approved you or refuse
Evan Franulovich:In you got accepted on the first try?
Sajad:No, no.
Evan Franulovich:Oh you didn't?
Sajad:Yeah. It was hard. On the first day, I was so confused. When did... I didn't know about my... my father information like my father working job. They were asking my about a document from my father employee. Yeah. After that after 20, 20 days waiting, I received my approval.
Evan Franulovich:Oh it's so that so you're just hanging out in Karachi?
Sajad:Yeah, it was by...like.. waiting!
Evan Franulovich:Right.
Sajad:Yeah, I was waiting like 20 days. It was not, not refused, not approved.
Evan Franulovich:So did you like stay with friends? Did you stay in a youth hostel? Did you stay in a hotel? What did you do?
Sajad:It was kind of guest house.
Evan Franulovich:A guest house, okay.
Sajad:Yes, that was...
Evan Franulovich:Man...amazing. But after 20 days, then you were approved?
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:So you didn't get denied and then have to reapply? You got on your first try.
Sajad:At first try. I got accepted. I didn't believe that one day I accepted. I was so happy on that time and I prayed to God, thanks God, for everything. Thanks God. I didn't believe everything comes from you. You decide, I will submit myself for you. It was so amazing for me. Nobody believed me. Even my relatives, but the only person always supported me. I will always believe me, It was my father. Beloved, beloved father. It was beloved father,I love him very more.
Evan Franulovich:Well, thank you do. Hopefully he'll listen to this podcast and he can hear that.
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:So you so after you got approved you bought a plane ticket?
Sajad:After I got approved, it was like I... I was wait like 20 days? Yeah. 20 days more,
Evan Franulovich:Right.
Sajad:Because my agent told me that you should wait 20 days more. I didn't know about that. But after that, I decided to leave the country. Leave the Pakistan. Yeah, after 20 days, I got my visa. I decided to leave their country. I couldn't wait there. That's why I received my visa. That's why no matter was that there if I stayed or not.
Evan Franulovich:And so did you fly direct from Karachi to Seattle?
Sajad:No. I flight from Karachi to Abu Dhabi.
Evan Franulovich:Okay.
Sajad:After from Abu Dhabi to it was Netherland.
Evan Franulovich:Oh, okay, yeah.
Sajad:From Netherland to Seattle.
Evan Franulovich:To Seattle. Wow, amazing! Okay, so that's just a big story right there just to get here. So now you're here. You're here alone. You have no family in Seattle?
Sajad:Actually, when I arrived here, I was confused. I... I was looking for a person to pick up me because on that time I arrived here there was no school. It was vacation, like summer vacation.
Evan Franulovich:Right it was summer.
Sajad:It was nothing was planning before. Yeah, I decided to find a person after that I find that one of my friends of my friends.
Evan Franulovich:Gotcha.
Sajad:After that I arrived here, he picked up me.
Evan Franulovich:You're the only Afghan student that I know of at Seattle Colleges. Have you met any others?
Sajad:No. In this college? I have never...yeah...
Evan Franulovich:What about from like the University of Washington or...?
Sajad:Yeah, they are in University of Washington or some places but they are they for example, they study as an immigrant, not International.
Evan Franulovich:Oh Gotcha.
Sajad:Because when is the... this is so difficult for them, for example, like a kind of financially or for example, the level of education is also high.
Evan Franulovich:Right.
Sajad:They cannot, for example, keep going their education, it's hard for them. When they are immigrants, they can work they can build their family or for example life. They are for example, like sample workers. Some of them decided to educate, but it is hard for them. Yeah, they decided to work instead of studying but I Afghanistani, I came here for education, just for education. I want to educate mysel, to yeah, because it was my big dream to study one of the best universities or colleges in the US.
Evan Franulovich:So when I first met you, I think I talked to you in the hall and you were looking for student work, you wanted to get a student job, did you find work on campus?
Sajad:I actually it was so amazing for me when I was looking about two weeks all places I when I went every places like the library, the MAC or for example Computer Lab or what... in some places. And finally I got accepted on to get a social, yeah.
Evan Franulovich:To get a what?
Sajad:To get a social number social security number.
Evan Franulovich:Oh, yes. security number. Yeah. I got a social security number at the MAC and Mr. Paul told me that when you get your social security number, we will hire you a job. Yeah. Cool!
Sajad:Yeah. But I didn't know. The now I don't know what happened. It was like, it was confusing. What I got my social security number it was like.. they took like one month.
Evan Franulovich:It took a month.
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:Oh my god
Sajad:It took a month... Like after one month I was there and talk with Mr. Powell... Mr. Powell told me that now we are not hiring, unfortunately, you should wait for next semester, next quarter.I don't know what happened. But I will try my best to find a part time job this quarter.
Evan Franulovich:So currently, you don't have a part time job as a student.
Sajad:No, no.
Evan Franulovich:Okay. Yeah, just keep looking. Because I keep seeing advertisements every once in a while. So I'll keep my ears open for you. Wow. Okay. So what about housing? So you arrive? Did are you living in the student housing? Are you living in an apartment?
Sajad:No, when I... when I arrived here...I was with my friends... with...with their house.
Evan Franulovich:Yeah.
Sajad:They are my countryman. They, they come like... by immigrant visa.
Evan Franulovich:Sure.
Sajad:They are immigrant, as an immigrant. They can work they can live here. And now, right now I am with them.
Evan Franulovich:Oh Okay.
Sajad:But when I decided to join with, with the housing like this, in this place, I was kind of worried. Oh, my God, what happened? My father cannot support me more. Like, he supported me enough to study here.
Evan Franulovich:Sure.
Sajad:Like, for example, as you know, better, Afghanistan is backward country, like, our economy is not enough good. But see what happened in the future? I'm not sure to trying in housing or not.
Evan Franulovich:Sure. Well, if anything we talked about you've said Afghanistan is a poor country, it does have economic challenges for sure. But it really is a rich country from my understanding, it's got lots of minerals and natural resources. So hopefully one day the country can take advantage of the richness that's there..
Sajad:See Mr. we are located in such beautiful country and a rich country, all of our mines are for example, underlined, they are underlined, they are fresh, nobody can access for more of them, most of them like most of them, but some mines are extracted illegally like, like...
Evan Franulovich:Right right.
Sajad:That's why these conflicts are always happening in my country, for example, one once a time it was like great British after that Russian and Soviet Union after the like this conflict happening from my country. Yeah, these wars. The only reason which we are now poor like war country all this conflict, a critical situation. On the other hand, we are a rich country in mines or minerals in nature every places.
Evan Franulovich:Right.
Sajad:But we can't... we cannot...we cannot use for now we cannot use for example our...our rich needs our minerals our for example precious stones for our benefits of our people.
Evan Franulovich:Sure.
Sajad:Legally. For example, in my province, it is like gold, gold mines, you know gold mines? it is in Badakhshan province it is very, very more gold there, very very more...when the government extract in legal situation in legal way all our people can find job, can access to, for example, money, everything. Even I know, nowadays, a lot of people work there but it is a kind of illegally situation, and it is not for example, organized. Yeah. When...
Evan Franulovich:The Community is not really benefiting...
Sajad:Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:Do you so you're coming to school you'll do... are you in the Intensive English Program now? Or have you started your college classes?
Sajad:And next quarter I will start one of my college classes. Okay, now I am in...
Evan Franulovich:Which level?
Sajad:In level... I just I have just finished level three. Okay. Yeah, next level...Next quarter I will be level four.
Evan Franulovich:Okay, great!
Sajad:I can't wait to start my college classes.
Evan Franulovich:Right? Right, right. Yeah. So they'll let you take some college credits, then you'll do levels four, five, and then you'll start working seriously on your first two years of university work.
Sajad:Yeah. Yeah, well decided to work. Unfortunately or fortunately, I can say that these kinds of things happen for me when I came here, I decided to apply for asylum. That's why I applied for asylum here to have a better situation, better life for my future, my future, educate will, because this is my only chance. This is my only chance to study here, when I study here I cannot go back to my country in this situation. How can you how can you expect to go back my country in this critical situation? a lot of people die always of all of these. These for example, war.., like everything is possible, like we are the second Palestine thing in the world. Like, it is even better, even worse than Palestine. Palestine, for example, a start war. War started in Palestine in like, two months, very serious, but we are 40 years in war, like serious war. Yeah, a lot of our relatives, a lot of our, like, relatives are out... of our countryman, out of our military died. These kind of situations happened for us, and we lost a lot of chances to study very well...
Evan Franulovich:Sure.
Sajad:To educate very well. That's why we even in this situation happened for me. I remember one of the time I studied under the land at a school. We didn't, we didn't have any, for example, class.
Evan Franulovich:Oh you just went underground?
Sajad:Yeah, no underground and land, in soil. Like in soil. That's why it was so painful for me. One of the greats, it was like, I was eighth grade at school. At that time, we we didn't have class. It was like, outdoor, at the school. Yeah, yeah. We didn't have class. We studied like, in outdoor like.
Evan Franulovich:Right.
Sajad:Yeah. It was so so painful for me. We don't have like books like appliances, chairs, like this kind of situation happened for me. During that time. It was my bad memories, one of my bad memories during my education. So you want to continue your education here, of course, in what do you want to major in? Or what are you planning to major in? My major is about like, my major...I will decided to study computer science. I will... I will succeed, succeed, one day.
Evan Franulovich:I believe that.
Sajad:When I was a child, I was thinking about my future, I decided to study computer science because as we know better computer science is one of the most important fields or majors in the world. Right? Everything is belong to technology or can be wrong.
Evan Franulovich:That's right.
Sajad:And my, my big dream is to join with NASA organization.
Evan Franulovich:Yeah, well, that's amazing.
Sajad:Computer Science and after that, find a way to work with NASA organization, one of the big one of the biggest dream in my life. I hope to arrive one day, I will try my best and I will succeed one day, I promise you.
Evan Franulovich:I believe that. You seem like a pretty persistent so that's pretty amazing. Well, that's really I've got about 1000 million questions, but we're running. Oh, do you hear that? that means it's Trivia Time! Trivia Time is five questions. We asked you these five questions if you can answer them, great. If you can't, it's alright. We're not going to shame you...It's all right. Question number 1: How many different quarters do we have in a year?
Sajad:As I know It is like four quarters.
Evan Franulovich:That's right. Exactly. And you started in the summer. You started in the fall?
Sajad:I started in the fall.
Evan Franulovich:Okay, that's what I thought. Alright, great.
Good job. Question number 2:Seattle is in the State of Washington. But Seattle is not the capital of this state. What city is the capital of Washington?
Sajad:Like Olympia?
Evan Franulovich:Yeah, it's Olympia. Nice job. All right.
Question number 3:We have three national parks surrounding the city of Seattle. Can you name one of the National Parks? Oh, I'm so sorry. I have visited so many parks but I don't know about that. That's all right. The big national parks. We have Mount Rainier National Park.
Sajad:Oh, yeah. I have heard about that.
Evan Franulovich:That's a good one. You should check it out. Olympic National Park and then we have North Cascades National Park. So lots of mountains, who would probably I mean, you have a lot of mountains.
Sajad:I will visit one day....
Evan Franulovich:So yeah, your province... A lot of mountains since it's near...?
Sajad:Yeah, yeah. Afghanistan is a landlocked country. Yeah. Like it is a mountain country also.
Evan Franulovich:Right. Right. But I knew in the West it there's not as many mountains in the West, right? It's more towards the east part of the country?
Sajad:Yeah, yeah, it is, like the west part of our counties place has less mountains, but the north of Afghanistan has like very big mountains. Like one of the big mountains is famous for... for like, we call like... Like it is in Pamirs, like near the border of China. For example. It is the highest mountain in Central Asia, I think. Wow. Yeah. It is like Silk Way. Silk way Marco Polo was there one times, during the story...
Evan Franulovich:Yeah. Yeah. A lot of, lot of history along your area there. Okay, question number 4: What is the name of the ocean to the west of our state?
Sajad:I think Pacific. Yes is the Pacific Ocean! All right. Final question. What was the last movie that you saw? The last movie actually, I saw it was recently "Tiger Three".
Evan Franulovich:Tiger three?
Sajad:Yeah, it was Bollywood movie. It will sound more fun.
Evan Franulovich:Okay, cool. Did you see it?
Sajad:In my house.
Evan Franulovich:Ah, cool. I don't know this movie at all.
Sajad:Was but like, Bollywood movie. Yeah. Bollywood movie, or people or Central Asia people most likely to watch Bollywood movies instead of Hollywood. But they also prefer to Hollywood movies to watch.
Evan Franulovich:But are Bollywood movies in English? Are they in Hindi? Or...
Sajad:We see we decided to see them and like by Persian translated.
Evan Franulovich:Yeah, right. So. So it's in Farsi script?
Sajad:No, no, in Farsi, like they are translating... people translate.
Evan Franulovich:Oh, so it's a voiceover. Very cool. Well, we're wrapping up our time here, I always like to ask for a final question. You have a unique story, in that you're coming from a country that's experiencing a lot of conflict. There are many places like that in the world, like right now the Sudan, maybe in Palestine. So students in those countries, you know, they may be thinking, how can I make this happen? What would be your advice to students anywhere in the world if they want to get to the US and study?
Sajad:My advice is like, for those people who consider themselves as a good student, and who wants to keep going their education, who wants to join in United States or Canada or big universities in the world, or hype for their higher education. Keep going, never stop. Never, never, ever stop in your life. Life is full of challenges.
Evan Franulovich:It's true.
Sajad:Life is full of challenges if you want or if you don't want, keep going. You will achieve everything. Just believe yourself. If your way is tried, a lot will help you God will help you, God will give you everything for you. And today is more easy. Tomorrow is more difficult. But the day after tomorrow, is wonderful. Are those people who are for example in war countries. I came from a war county they also can be instead of me in this place. Yeah, I suggest for for them to always attempt, always attempt. Always keep going. They will achieve everything. I promised.
Evan Franulovich:Great advice. Keep at it guys. Yeah, nice. In also I've been giving my guests the opportunity to say something in their own language. It can be whatever you like, could be a message for back home or whatever you want to share. But a lot of people haven't probably heard Farsi before.
Sajad:Yeah. Maybe because our language is mainly the second language, is the second language of Islam and the third language official language in Canada.
Evan Franulovich:Oh.
Sajad:Do you know that?
Evan Franulovich:I didn't know that.
Sajad:The Persian language is the third official language in Canada.
Evan Franulovich:I did not know that. We'll have to look. Yeah. All right.
Sajad:And also a lot of people in Central Asia talk with Persian language. We have a lot of scientists, we have, we had a lot of poets... poetry, like everything we had we had. Now, we have a very powerful language in the world. Yeah.
Evan Franulovich:Well, I wouldn't know that I've ever heard it. Yeah. So maybe you could share a little bit with us.
Sajad:I want to say, one of the poem by the name of it is indicating of humanity, peaceful situation, like helping each other. Yeah, it's indicate in this situation, and it is being of one of the very popular poets like Saadi Shirazi Yeah. Bani
Adam poem:"banī-ādam aʿzāy-e yek digarand, keh dar āfarīnesh'zeh yek goharand, cho ʿozvī be-dard āvarad rūzgār degar ʿozvhā rā namānad qarār"
Evan Franulovich:Excellent. Well, thanks so much for everything. Thanks for coming, sharing your story. I'm looking forward to just following your educational story. From here on out. Maybe when you graduate, you can come back and do another podcast. Let people how you are doing...
Sajad:Yeah, yeah, I will try my best. Thank you so much. I had a beautiful moment and exciting moment for you. And
Evan Franulovich:My pleasure. I'm happy today, I talked with you, I share my experience for those people who wanted to join who wants to join in your college or in the United States for their higher education. I hope they achieved their dreams, maybe one day. Yeah. Thank you so much. Thank you. All right. Thank you so much Salam! Conversations with! is painstakingly crafted for you by the Seattle Colleges International Programs department and supported by the lovely folks here on our campus. This show is produced and edited by me Evan Franulovich. We welcome your emails and questions about coming to Seattle Colleges. Please reach out to us via our website or just give have us a rating and a review on Apple podcasts as this helps others discover the show. Also, don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok or YouTube at SeattleCollegesIntl, that's SeattleCollegesIntl. And be sure to check out all of the shows here on Conversations with! Thanks for listening and we'll see you next week.