At the Al-Quds University, I had a chance to meet a female student who was 23 years old. Throughout our time in Jerusalem, we’ve tried to take some time to walk around East Jerusalem and enjoy the hidden treasures of that area. However, due to her responsibilities at home, summer school, and work, we had to unfortunately cancel our plans every time. Most recently, we talked before Ramadan began and I was very surprised about what I she had said.
Out of nowhere, she told me that she had to tell me something very awkward. I told her that it was completely fine and encouraged her to tell me. A few silent seconds had passed and after a slow sigh, she stated, “I’m engaged.” I immediately responded with words of congratulations and she invited me to her engagement party immediately after Ramadan. I had to apologize and tell her that I would be leaving before Ramadan ended.
Until I ended the conversation, I did not realize how different our lives were. I knew that it wasn’t uncommon for people of that age to be married, but I was surprised about the fact that I wasn’t even considering marriage while she was preparing herself for her engagement. This conversation helped me really understand how different I was from others around me. Most of the time, I would discuss the differences between cultures, but also heavily emphasize the similarities. However, this showed me that no matter how many similarities I share with others around me and might think I can see from their perspectives, we are fundamentally different and that is what makes all of us unique. Our similarities bring us together, but our differences help us to learn from each other.