I went to a meeting in Riyadh with representatives from the college. They discussed life on the Emerald Isle and at the college. The more they talked, the more excited I became. They said I would begin with a Medical Commencement Program in Tralee, County Kerry, on the cold and rainy west coast of the Republic of Ireland — far and away, climatically speaking, from the sunny and arid weather of my home country.
One of the my biggest concerns was accommodation. Due to the much deserved reputation of the friendliness and hospitality of the Irish — and also to improve my English — I decided to live with a local family, the Keogans. During my five months with this lovely family I was treated as one of their own, chatting with them over dinners, watching TV together and even taking their dog out for walks. Though I expected to miss my home cooking, the madame always asked what I liked to eat and her cooking cured me of my culinary homesickness.
The educators at the Institute of Technology in Tralee were friendly and conscientious. I got to know students from all over the world and we enjoyed our time together working in classes and playing soccer on the weekends. We had plenty of opportunities to take field trips around County Kerry to take in the wonderfully green landscapes. We took pictures from the Cliffs of Moher and toured Dingle and Killarney.
Now my childhood dream of becoming a doctor is becoming a reality. I began my coursework at the Royal College in September 2009. By 2015, inshAllah, I will graduate, making my parents and my compatriots proud.
