Early on in my life I realised how different my family was compared to others around me. Whenever my friends asked what my father did for a living I would say he worked in an office, but I would also add that my mother was a working professional as well; this was typically followed by surprise and bewilderment from my friends. A working mother in my community was not the norm, so they found it amusing. I gradually grew up to become proud of that fact.
There’s no disputing it, I have lived and continue to live a privileged life. I could talk about how being born and raised as a Keralite Muslim meant that I had a disadvantaged background -- but it would be a disservice to my family, going back all the way to my maternal grandmother, may she …show more content…
Children who grew up seeing their father once every few years, if they were lucky. Not my father. Armed with a wife who spoke English fluently, they both worked tirelessly for decades in the harsh but oil-rich plains of Qatar, ensuring that we all stayed together as a family. Together, they spared no expense in making sure that thier children had all the things that they could only dream about growing up.
When I was 7, my father brought our first computer home. I remember trying to type my name in only to be told `` exttt{BAD COMMAND OR FILENAME} ' '. He would then come back from work, borrowing tutorial software from other engineers. Sometimes inviting the engineers themselves to teach us how to use MS-DOS. When Dial-Up internet was first launched in Qatar in 1996, he did not hesitate to open an account and buy a modem for our family to go …show more content…
My parents and grandparents, maybe, but not me. I am exceptionally lucky, to have parents who have supported me in my pursuit of education: parents who were proud of me and encouraged me to strive to achieve bigger things in life. The ones who proudly say to other people that their son and daughter-in-law are both still studying and engaged in research. I am also lucky to have the support and encouragement of my mentors who guided me not only during my best but also my worst. I believe it is time for me to pay it forward; to engage in research and provide guidance and mentorship to the future generation back
There’s no disputing it, I have lived and continue to live a privileged life. I could talk about how being born and raised as a Keralite Muslim meant that I had a disadvantaged background -- but it would be a disservice to my family, going back all the way to my maternal grandmother, may she …show more content…
Children who grew up seeing their father once every few years, if they were lucky. Not my father. Armed with a wife who spoke English fluently, they both worked tirelessly for decades in the harsh but oil-rich plains of Qatar, ensuring that we all stayed together as a family. Together, they spared no expense in making sure that thier children had all the things that they could only dream about growing up.
When I was 7, my father brought our first computer home. I remember trying to type my name in only to be told `` exttt{BAD COMMAND OR FILENAME} ' '. He would then come back from work, borrowing tutorial software from other engineers. Sometimes inviting the engineers themselves to teach us how to use MS-DOS. When Dial-Up internet was first launched in Qatar in 1996, he did not hesitate to open an account and buy a modem for our family to go …show more content…
My parents and grandparents, maybe, but not me. I am exceptionally lucky, to have parents who have supported me in my pursuit of education: parents who were proud of me and encouraged me to strive to achieve bigger things in life. The ones who proudly say to other people that their son and daughter-in-law are both still studying and engaged in research. I am also lucky to have the support and encouragement of my mentors who guided me not only during my best but also my worst. I believe it is time for me to pay it forward; to engage in research and provide guidance and mentorship to the future generation back