On my way to Massachusetts for my interview, I read the majority of and finished I Am Malala.
Had I not been on an airplane, I would have been bawling. I was totally holding back tears. Needless to say, I loved it. I Am Malala is the biography of a Pakistani girl who spoke out for girls' education and as a consequence was shot in the head by the Taliban. As such, she has never been back to her home in Pakistan because it is not safe enough for her to return. Any explanation of just how incredible Malala is and what she has done would not be adequate. Everyone should just read the book.
As I was reading, I was struck by how incredibly grateful I am for what I have. My parents have always stressed to me the importance of education. I can't remember a time in my life where I didn't know that I had to go to college. It was never a question for me. While my experience is in no way the same as what Malala went through, I can kind of relate to how Malala felt. While there was nothing in the actual doctrines of her religion against the education of women, she felt pressure from the people ascribing to extremes in the culture of her religion to stop her education prematurely. Our church leaders all encourage women to get a good education and to be continuously learning. However, the general culture puts pressure on women to give up education in order to be wives and mothers. It has never been that way with my parents though. They taught me that I can do anything and that I should never have to give up learning for myself. They have been my strongest support as I have gone through college and as I made the decision to get a Ph.D. Like me, Malala had parents who knew the importance of education and encouraged her to stand up for herself and others like her. She and her family almost paid the ultimate price for their courage, but they have stayed strong through it all and don't regret their stance.
When I tell people I am going to get a Ph.D., they tend to get really impressed. But the truth is, they shouldn't be. Yes, I have worked hard to get to where I am in life and will have to work even harder in the years to come. But really, me getting this far is not as impressive as they think. The truth is that I have never really had to fight for my education. I was raised in a good home and neighborhood. I attended schools with adequate funding and where my teachers cared about their students. I got scholarships to college and have been given opportunities that many other people never have.
This semester I got to watch my best friend Lizzy's little baby boy, Paceson, for a couple hours a week while both she and her husband were in class.
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| Cute Lizzy and Paceson |
Every time Lizzy thanked me for watching him, I had the overwhelming feeling that I should be the one thanking her, not the other way around. She has been an incredible example to me. I could see how difficult it was for her to leave him with me. The love she has for her little boy is beyond words. But she is determined to graduate. She is fighting for her education, fighting in a way that I never have.
My mom did the same thing. She finished school despite already being a mom. When I was in fourth grade she went back to school and she has spent everyday since trying to help her students learn and grow. She wants them to love and value education as she does. Shannon has taught for three years at schools with high populations of underprivileged students. She helps them to fight for their education everyday.
Someday, I am sure I will be faced with great obstacles to my education. But thanks to the incredible examples in my life, I know that when the time comes the fight is possible and worth it.
