Photo : TDM
One month after my arrival in the United States, I formulated this narrative. I have long harbored the desire to pursue higher education at a location outside the borders of the United States. The individual has obtained both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in mass communication and journalism from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Following a one-month tenure as a public relations professional at Impact PR, a public relations agency located in Dhaka, I made the decision to quit from my position and transitioned to employment at Radio Today, Bangladesh's inaugural private FM radio station.
Furthermore, I have successfully completed the written and viva components of the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination on three distinct instances; yet, I have chosen not to pursue a career in the aforementioned organization. On January 12, 2016, the author registered in the Mass Communication and Journalism Discipline at Khulna University, a renowned public university in their country. Both Sara Monami Hossain and I are recognized as pioneering instructors in this Discipline.
Throughout my tenure as an educator spanning a period of seven years, I occupied many roles, including Head of Discipline and Assistant Provost of a student residence Hall. These positions afforded me the opportunity to acquire essential experiential knowledge and expertise.
Studying in a foreign country is more of a herculean effort than a simple chore. I wanted to study abroad, so I took the IELTS exam, which is required for students from countries where English is not the native language. Meanwhile, I reached out to my professors at a university in Dhaka to ask for recommendation letters, another requirement for applying abroad. I plan to begin the application process in October 2022 for the fall semester of 2023. Several American and Canadian universities responded favorably to my applications, but few in the United States offered me a full scholarship (covering both tuition and living expenses). There was a moment when I couldn't decide between the several universities to which I had been accepted. After that, I had conversations with some of my professors, coworkers, and senior brothers who were already enrolled in university or residing in the United States.
After much deliberation, I decided to enroll in the University of Southern Mississippi, a public University that was founded in 1910 and is classified as an R1 (Research one) institution.
On April 25, I received all the necessary confirmation from the University, and on November 8, I was given an interview date at the Dhaka USA Embassy to apply for a visa, even though my classes don't begin until August. However, despite paying the SAVIS fees and submitting the appropriate paperwork on both occasions, my emergency requests were denied each time. One can only apply for an emergency U.S. visa so many times. It really sucked that I had to miss out on the fall semester; I may even have to withdraw from the course.
Frequently, I will pray to Allah (SWT). I check the CGI (USA visa web portal) multiple times a day, but every time I find a date I want to book, it fills up in a matter of seconds. Seven times this has happened, and each time I missed out. Due to increased internet traffic, my account would occasionally become inaccessible for up to three days, or 72 hours. After having my urgent plea denied twice, I began to feel increasingly anxious. Since the cost of airplanes tickets continues to soar. However, I have already made my rent payment in the United States.
There is a lot of activity during the fall semester since every year thousands of students come to the United States to pursue higher education. After waiting two months, I paid the visa fee again, applied for an emergency visa, and was granted one by the grace of Allah. I scheduled my interview for 14th July and purchased my plane ticket through Etihad Airways, doubling my initial outlay.
On August 8th, I started my trip to the United States. It was my very first time flying internationally. I arrived at the airport in Dhaka at six in the evening, and the flight to Abu Dhabi left the airport at six thirty. After four hours spent clearing immigration at the Abu Dhabi airport, the fourteen-hour flight from Abu Dhabi to New York began. When I open my eyes in the morning, I look out the window of the flight and see the sunny sky of New York. By Allah's mercy, I was able to touch down on American territory without incident.
Alhamdulillah for that. After that, I boarded another plane and flew from NWY to New Orleans MSY international airport. Then 2 hours journey by car and finally, at nine o'clock at night, I arrived at the Hattiesburg city (Mississippi State) Blain wood Oak’s apartment, bringing the total amount of time spent traveling to 32 hours. I was homesick for my much beloved and cherished family and relatives, as well as my colleagues and students at Khulna University and my pride of Bangladesh.
The writer is Associate Professor & Graduate Research Assistant of The University of Southern Mississippi, USA
TDM/SD
