I’ve been inactive on my blog for the past couple of months, and as usual, I don’t have any substantial reason aside from being “busy,” or rather, not really making writing a priority. The last few weeks have been characterized by placement tests (finally, an opportunity to brush up my Spanish and French), decisions (I … Continue reading The Magic that is GirlForward ❤
As I sit at my desk and type up this blog post, I'm starting to realize that this is it. Tomorrow morning, I will be stepping on a plane to DC and leaving my life as I know it for nine months. Nine months isn't a long time in the grand scheme of things, but … Continue reading Goodbye to Summer, and Hello to New Adventures
It's been an incredibly long time since I've written (due to IB exams, then graduation, and then a general lack of motivation for all things productive), but I've finally come up with a summer endeavor that I'm excited to share. "Your Future, Their Future" is a project that aspires to address the educational privilege gap … Continue reading New Project: Your Future, Their Future
Walking into the Raindrop Turkish House, it felt nice to smell the aroma of Turkish food and the chatter of voices, my familiar Monday evening surroundings. It wasn’t a Monday, however. And the purpose of my visit was different. A few weeks ago, I spent a memorable evening at the Interfaith Action of Central Texas’ … Continue reading A Hearty Meal and a Heartening Conversation
A week after my last official day as an intern at GirlForward, I wake up to a phone buzzing with messages: “I miss you so much.” “How is school?” “You need to text me more!” Their messages brighten up my day. I’m not going to forget them. Although I have only known most of … Continue reading Friendship Knows No Borders
Maria* and Catherine* chat quietly in Swahili, while Noor* and Farida* speak to each other in Pashto. I sit in the middle, a student of Arabic and a native speaker of Hindi/Urdu. Leading a literature circle of English language learners has been challenging, exciting, and deeply rewarding to say the least. Furthermore, working with the … Continue reading “Wow! I know some Pashto words!”… and other interesting observations
The bus vibrates with the rhythm and melody of the latest Bollywood songs. Twenty girls clap, dance, and sing along, speaking intermittently in Dari, Urdu, Pashto, and Arabic. The large American flag waving outside the window is my only reminder that we are indeed in the States. Growing up, my parents told me many stories … Continue reading A post about bus rides… and being bus(y)
“Thank you so much for applying to….” Those words. Those six words say so much. They’re just a benign “thank you”, right? Sure, but when those words are the first six words of a decision letter, you may as well not read on. They’re a wolf in sheep’s clothing-- a kind way of saying, “Sorry, … Continue reading For Every Door that Closes…
January 14th, 2017. I remember walking into the Austin Library last year, waiting for the 30 minutes that could possibly be my key to a life-changing experience: my NSLI-Y interview. Having arrived half an hour earlier, I was convinced that I would spend the time stressing out about what the interview would entail. In the … Continue reading From Applicant to Alumna: Volunteering at NSLI-Y Interviews
It’s the 21st of January. Again. Last year, on this day, millions of Americans across the nation took to the streets in what would be the largest protest in the history of the United States. Last year, on this day, it was Trump’s first day in office. I couldn't march on the 21st last year. … Continue reading “Displaced”: One Year Later
Shraddha Joshi 