Road to PhD

In less than 48 hours I will be on an aeroplane crossing the “International Date Line” (maybe crossing this line will break the bad cycle of my dating life) and making my way to the corner of the world to a country considered the most beautiful place on earth — New Zealand.  It is also considered one of the most diverse countries in the world beating out NYC, London and L.A.  I look forward to seeing and experiencing this since diversity is a huge part of  who I am. As my departure date gets closer and closer I am experiencing a range of emotions – I am torn between the excitement of starting this new amazing adventure and the heart-break of leaving behind my friends and family. However, as a Third Culture Kid (TCK) this is something I am very much familiar with.

I am looking forward to diving deep into my research on action sports (skateboarding, parkour, mountaineering, surfing, etc.) and Muslim women’s participation in that realm and joining a superstar team of scholars. I myself will also be indulging in some of these sports in particular surfing. I also hope to enhance my trail running skills… I have heard Kiwi’s are experts in that area.

So for now I have managed to pack most of my belongings into 2 bags for my 3 year PhD life in NZ. My side kicks Chewy and Daryl Dixon Funko Pops will accompany me on this journey.

See you on the other side!