The Beginning of Many Adventures!

 Being in the United States is one of the greatest things that happened to me. Studying at a prestigious business school and getting that college experience is great. On top of that, I always wanted to travel around the United States and experience the beauty it has to offer. I have always been an avid traveler, but this time I wanted to experience the wilderness and beauty of nature. During spring break of 2014, I had the opportunity to do go on a 3-day backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

I experienced something magical. It was a great backpacking experience that I will always remember. I had the pleasure of joining a lovely group from Canada on this trip. We had a trip leader from Flagstaff, Arizona, who was responsible for leading the way and ensuring that everyone's needs were satisfied. We started day 1 of the trip by hiking down the famous South Kaibab trail. We reached the bottom of the Grand Canyon just before sunset and we camped at Bright Angel Campground. It goes without saying that the atmosphere at the campground was spectacular. Nothing beats the beauty of nature down there. It was very far away from any means of civilization. It was so calm and peaceful with fresh air and a clear sky. It was simply pure nature at its best! 

Day 2 of the trip was marvelous. We hiked some parts of the North Kaibab trail in the morning and came back to our campground in the afternoon. On the final day, we took off via the Bright Angel trail to reach our final destination at the top of the Grand Canyon. 

Words cannot do justice of the whole experience. It was a total of 20 miles covered in 3 days. We hiked all the way from the top to the bottom, and then from the bottom back to the top again. The enchantment of nature and the company of good people are what made this journey spectacular. It is truly one of the greatest hikes in the world. After the trip, I had an epiphany that I must seize every opportunity to experience the beauty of this world and its marvels. The United States has many similar wilderness destinations. I know now that this is just the beginning of many adventures for me!

Ahmed Almulla is a Bahraini Fulbrighter pursuing an MBA at Texas A&M University.

Meeting Obama at the White House Correspondents' Dinner

Let me tell you about one of, if not the, most surreal days of my life. My name was called out, and I walked on stage in front of a crowd that included the likes of Robert De Niro, Zooey Deschanel, and Barbara Walters. I was hugged by Michelle Obama, then shook hands with the President of the United States, who told me he was "very proud" of me, then cracked a joke with Joel McHale.

"Breathe. Take it all in," Major Garrett from CBS News told me as he firmly shook my hand. I walked off stage to a smiling crowd. "Congratulations," a woman told me as I walked back to my seat. "Thanks!" I replied before realizing this woman was movie star Kristen Bell.

Last year, I was in my room in Cairo watching YouTube clips from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, and dreaming of one day attending that event. Was I still dreaming? It wasn't until the next day, when I saw photographic evidence of my encounter with President & Mrs. Obama that I realized I wasn't.

The truth is, dreams do come true if you work hard enough, and last month, at least three of mine did. I graduated with a Master’s degree in Journalism from Columbia University, I lived in New York City, the capital of the world, for a year, and I didn’t just go to the White House Correspondents’ dinner, I received an award from the White House Correspondents’ Association at the event, and I got to meet President Barack Obama himself. 

In May 2013, I got a phone call that changed my life. I was at a conference in Cairo when my phone rang. It was the Fulbright commission, letting me know that I received the grant that would send me to my dream city to attend my dream school: Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

It has been wonderful, enriching, surreal, magical, and, by far, the most exciting year of my life. But, make no mistake, getting this degree was anything but effortless.

We all boast about our accomplishments and share our shiny, smiley photos, but you rarely ever see the behind-the-scenes. Let me tell you about the exhausting times, the sleepless nights, the stressful days, the hundreds of emails, the daily deadlines, and the re-writes of the re-writes.

I’m not going to lie; there were days that I wanted to give up because of how challenging everything was. But I didn’t.

I didn’t because I couldn’t. I didn’t just work hard in my classes throughout the year; I worked even harder to get here. It took me three years of hard work, tough career decisions, and reporting on the ground when everyone else avoided the streets. It took me multiple rounds of tear gas, speaking to victims of abuse, dealing with hostile crowds, witnessing inhumane violence, attending trials of strangers and friends, dozens of applications, rejection letters, more work, and draining, exhausting persistence.

Getting the Fulbright grant was my proof that when you work hard, you will be rewarded.

And I guess what I’m trying to say is dream big, but work harder. Because here I am, one year later, in a reality that far exceeded my dreams. I have met the most brilliant people, had the most riveting conversations, laughed about things I never knew existed, and yes, I shook hands with the most powerful man in the world.

Thank you again, and again, Fulbright.

Deena Mohamed is an Egyptian Fulbrighter who graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Journalism.