My Graduation, London
During that split of a second in which I was crossing the stage to “be presented”, I felt that the world was at the tip of my fingers. And even though my presentation lasted only for 4 seconds, I savoured these seconds as i would savour a piece of chocolate, leaving it as long as possible before it melts…
I am glad I made it to my graduation, not because of the ceremony itself (even though it was very emotional) but because it felt like a closure to my brief affair with my MA degree…. it really felt like a delicious affair. Very intense, very satisfying…yet very painful when it ended.
I loved every second of my experience during the MA…and I embraced it with all my heart. I was the geeky student who sat in the first raw and contributed an opinion when necessary and when not. I was one of those who prepared before class, and studied afterwards. I enjoyed every joke, every new thought and every debate… I derived pleasure in reading not only the required material, but all the material around the required material…. I researched, studied, wrote, debated, and read and read and read because I felt that there were twenty something bare years behind me (even though I was initiated on reading at an early age). I wouldn’t believe what an abyss of ignorance my mind was; when i started my MA I had just realized the depths myself.
I am one of those who would not mind spending their lives being perpetual students. My friends often make fun of all the degrees that I dream of being awarded. I want a degree in English language (I have never done English properly, and looking back, most of my English teachers were as foreign to English as I am to Italian!), and another degree in Journalism. I would love to do counselling or psychology because people fascinate me and a PHD in Anthropology… once I have all these degrees, I would feel that I achieved the level of education that i deserve … (Yes I am a nerd and I am proud of it!)
Instead of any of these exciting degrees i did Computer Science for my undergraduate! for me, it was the most useless degree in the world .. since my knowledge in Molecular Medicine (which is zero)far exceeds my knowledge in computers! I blame myself firstly, but i also blame our lovely educational system that does not allow students to study what they want, but forces them to study subjects based on their Tawjihi grades. I did not do that bad. M GPA was 86.something out of 100. However in my year, for some odd reason, everyone did better!
I remember i went to university to register, and the registrar told me that i did not qualify for public university, for the minimum GPA for girls was 89 and for boys 81… I was very angry and shouted at her… i said angrily:
Are you telling me that i, the one who spent my whole year studying can’t go to university, but some boy who spent his year playing cards can go?!
Looking back, of course i understand that the country needs a quota system for education… if there is no quota system, boys will end up not educated and girls will end up with all the education….Girls are already far more advanced in every aspect in Jordan… and this is creating an imbalance in the society… so how about adding education to the mix?
The point is i ended up in a private school trying to decipher computers… and even though i graduated with a high GPA, the knowledge that retained is almost zero… i secretly felt ashamed of it all… and waited till i could afford it to enroll myself in a respectable MA program that would make me proud… I treat my computer science degree like a hideous scandal, hoping that no one will find out about it…
and finally now i can proudly say, I am an anthropologist and a youth expert… 
Getting back to London…. what I loved even more that getting a decent degree was living in London on my own. In grey, cold London I started walking… I roamed the city for hours and hours like a lost soul… i discovered far corners that no one cares about…I visited markets that are listed in every guide….I was amused by Camdan Town … the way they sell pot so rudely is just corking! ….i bought my food at borough market every week… and i enjoyed the hustle and bustle of Portabello Market…
It was there in London that I learnt the beauty of mobility… the meaning of freedom … and in one those cold lonely walks in the heart of Greenwhich village i met myself…. ( i was having a coffee in cafe Rouge there! I am kidding but this is considered sentimental crap even for me!)… it was there in London that I learnt who i am, what i wanted from life and where i belonged…
I am going to enjoy my next few days in London… I will walk in the rain and enjoy the solitude of beautiful London.
Till Then… enjoy London.
Near North Greenwhich, isn't this rain amazing?
New Cross is a very special place
This would be our esteemed Dean
Now these following pictures are taken by a friend in 2006.. but i will use them since i feel they represent London for me.The Glorious Oxfrd Circus
Camdan Market in the rain
The world is a beautiful place, camdan Town
The glorious Oxford Circus
Ah Mariam
I enjoyed every bit of this post!
Miss you loads!
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Hey Lina,
Ironically i was thinking about you when i was writing this… I remembered your theory: how you are never lost when you have time…
It is true!
miss you too…
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That brought back fun UK memories! I hope the joy of that MA learning time continues…and that it is contagious with those YOU instruct.
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Thanks Kinzi… I love London… I love everything about my MA… i too hope that my learning continues and i hope it will bring positive changes to me and other people around me.
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The bliss of achievement is a life landmark mabrouk for your elation . Mariam my wishes for more landmarks to signify such an endearment, share and reciprocate your good feelings .
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Madas Reply:
September 7th, 2008 at 16:28
Thank you for your wishes:) and thank you for being a great friend all along.
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alf alf mabrook! come back to us soon as we all miss you!
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Madas Reply:
September 8th, 2008 at 16:25
Thanks Nas for your kind comment
Vacations are nice, but i really miss Amman… there is nowhere like home 
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Mariam,
Congrats .. more than happy for you
All the best ..
Love you
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Actually the more I know you, I learn more from you, in other words, I look up to you
Also, forgot to say that I miss you ..
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Madas Reply:
September 8th, 2008 at 16:38
Samah… you are very sweet:) the more i know you, the prouder i am of you.
I always like to know what you are up to, and what you have achieved… I have always believed that you are a very special person, and that you have a very bright future
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Mabrook ya Mariam, hope you’ll get all the degrees you want!
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Madas Reply:
September 8th, 2008 at 16:39
Shukran ya hareega, I almost wanted medicine as well, but i won’t have time for that… and to be honest… i would be pushing it
kidding, but nice to see your comments here
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Congratulations on your graduation Mariam!
I had no idea that you ever studied computer science. I learned to program quite well in Fortran. I also learned some Pascal and Basic.
I never heard of girls needing higher scores than boys to enter university. As far as Jordanian women being more advanced than men, I think it is great! I have often thought that if women ran the world, it would be a much better place. Men are often too competitive and destructive.
So, did you often ride The Tube? I have never been on a Subway. I think it would be an interesting experience.
There is so much history in London. I hope that I get to see it someday.
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Madas Reply:
September 9th, 2008 at 10:34
Hi,
I hate to take your illusions from you, but women are even more competitive and destructive
I wrote a while ago a post that was called witches on Amman. It talked about how women become totally back stabing bitches when they are in positions of power!
Men have proved they are power vampires, but women… ah woman are much worse, they have hundreds of years of suffering behind them, which means they are vindictive, abusive and horrible
Anyway… the tube… London is one of the best connected cities in the world. The tube is so simple and takes you everywhere… i guess that is what i was talking about when talked about mobility… it is very easy to go form one place to another in London… the tube.. you get hundreds of people going in and out of the tube… i wanted to make a video about it… but had second thoughts last minutes…
I studied computer science… that is my secret! i hated it, and was really bad at it… even though when it comes to GPA, i was one of the best students… they gave me a scholarship to spend one year in the USA! but when i realized that i was not going to make it in Computer science, I took classes in dancing, in music, in film making! my university was not very impressed!
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You’re full of surprises! I never knew you were taking an MA degree from london.
I’m really impressed..super gratz!
P.S don’t miss Amman ou t3eeshi doar il “ahel fil mahjar” while ur on vacation,enjoy your time in europe man!!
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Madas Reply:
September 9th, 2008 at 18:23
ahel fil mahjar?!!!
Mr. Anonymous (i hate this name, so i will give you a name… i will call you Mr. Fromage)
Mr. Fromage, Europe is lovely, and i am enjoying it to the max… bas seriously… no place like home
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I remember your post about the witches of Amman. Well, I guess that some women are like that, but I don’t think that all are. I think that, in general, women are more likely to cooperate than men when it comes to building communities and making the community better.
One woman that I don’t want anywhere near the seat of power is Sarah Palin. She is the Vice Presidential running mate of Republican candidate for President John McCain. That woman is very dangerous as far as I am concerned. She is even more of a religious fundamentalist than George Bush. There are some people in America who would like to see a dictatorship of Christian theocracy. It is possible that she is one of them.
So, is there news of the U.S. Presidential campaign in England?
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Madas Reply:
September 11th, 2008 at 10:30
David,
It is very interesting hearing your views about that. In our side of the world. people are are excited about Obama. We feel that it is the first time in the history of America, we get someone who is different!
People are hoping that he will stay as he is if he wins, and would not screw us over with his foreign policies… and yes I agree about Sarah Palin. and to bring the conversation to a full circle… it is American women who rooted for Hillary Clinton who are going for her, regardless of her policies ….which is a bit scary. I mean for feminists to vote for a woman just because she is a woman and not because she is a good candidate, or because her policies are accceptable.
Ok, I got all excited about the conversation
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Hi Mariam,
Alf Mabrook 7abeebti. Miss you. Any plans to come the US?
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Madas Reply:
September 11th, 2008 at 17:15
ifft, was thinking of you today. I even checked your blog!
I guess ino il 2oloub 3ind ba3dha… i would love to, but this year i will have a lot of traveling, so it might be difficult… thought you were coming to Amman this summer? when are you coming to Amman?
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I have been listening to opinion polls since Palin was nominated. It is true that she has attracted the support of some women. However, I think that most of the women who supported Clinton are Democrats who will ultimately decide to vote for Obama. Palin represents a powerful shift away from feminist values. I think that most feminists do not agree with Palin’s political views. The women who are excited about Palin are either religiously conservative or fundamentalist plus some independent women who had not decided who to vote for, but were considering Clinton because she is a woman.
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I am late to the party! Congratulations Mariam, and keep going until you have all the degrees you want. That’s an aspiration I can relate to
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Madas Reply:
September 14th, 2008 at 10:57
Thank you
I hope you get all your degrees as well.. although i am curious what kind of degrees are you interested in?
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Oh, a bunch, but I am focused on Gender/Women’s Studies. I am a perpetual student, like you
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