By Lea Azeroual, Staff Writer
“Are you really sure you want to become a lawyer in the United States? It will be extremely hard for you because English is not your first language.”
This is just one of the comments I receive most often when people ask me about my future goals. Many people think that becoming a lawyer in the United States is unrealistic for an international student. They believe that because English is not my first language, I will not be able to succeed. However, I have never allowed these comments to change my dream.
I was born and raised in Morocco. Since I was young, I always wanted to become a lawyer. My original plan was to continue my studies in Paris and attend my dream university, La Sorbonne. During high school, I worked very hard because I believed that this was the future waiting for me. In my school, failure was not really accepted, so I put all of my effort into reaching my future goals.
However, life did not go as I imagined.
Instead of moving to Paris, I came to New York because my father decided that I should study in America. At first, I did not understand why he wanted me to study in America. I was disappointed because it was not the future I had planned for myself. Today, I can honestly say that it was one of the best decisions he ever made for me. Looking back, I realize that this opportunity changed my life in so many positive ways.
When I first arrived in America, I struggled with English. Speaking with people was difficult, and sometimes they did not understand what I wanted to say. It was frustrating, especially in the classroom. I quickly realized that if I wanted to achieve my dream, I needed to improve my English and become more involved at school. One step at a time, I became more comfortable with speaking, participating in class and communicating with others.
Starting a new life was not easy. I had to leave my family, make new friends and adapt to a different country and culture. There were moments when I felt lonely and homesick. Sometimes I felt that people only saw me as “the international student.” I wanted them to see more than that. I wanted them to know my personality, my determination and my ambitions.
Another important decision I made was changing my major. At first, I studied biology because my mother wanted me to become a dentist. Internally, I knew that it was not the career I wanted. I decided to change my major to English literature because I wanted to follow my own dream of becoming a lawyer. This difficult decision taught me that sometimes you have to trust yourself. Other people can give you advice, but in the end, you have to choose the path that makes you happy.
Coming from a different country was also a challenge since Morocco and New York are very different. Everythin seemed new to me: the people, the neighborhoods, the buildings, the food and the different cultures living together in one city. At first, these differences were difficult to understand. After some time, I started to appreciate them. Living in New York taught me that being different should never be something to hide.
Many people see differences as weaknesses, but I think they can become strengths. Every international student has a different story, a different culture and different experiences. These differences make us who we are. We should not be ashamed of them. Instead, we should be proud of them.
I know that I am not a student who speaks perfect English. I know I still make mistakes. I also know that I do not write like someone who has spoken English since childhood. But I have learned that you do not need to be perfect to achieve your goals. You only need to keep learning, keep improving, and never stop believing in yourself.
Being an international student is much more than simply studying in another country. It means building a new life from the beginning. It means learning how to live in a new society, understanding a different culture, making new friends, dealing with immigration paperwork, applying for scholarships and living far away from your family. These experiences are not always easy, but they help you become stronger and more independent.
Studying abroad has changed me in many ways. It has taught me resilience, patience and confidence. Every challenge I faced helped me grow, even when I did not realize it at the time.
I know that becoming a lawyer in the United States will not be easy. There will always be challenges, and there will always be people who doubt me. However, I choose to believe in myself instead of listening to those doubts.
I do not know exactly what my future will look like, but I know that I will continue working toward my dream. My journey did not begin the way I expected, but today I am grateful for where it has brought me. I hope that one day I will become a lawyer in the United States, and I hope my story encourages other international students to believe in themselves and never give up on their dreams.
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