ISA-FELLOW-TESTIMONIAL KARIMA
Our Fellow Karima shares her feelings and experience with us,
1. How do you feel when you think about the fact that your ISA scholarship will soon be over?
It has been an exceptional period in my life, I am feeling so sentimental about the fact that the fellowship is coming to the end. I believe in the value of respecting the ending as much as I am anticipating the new beginning. There are many things that don’t really end, anyway, they just begin again in a new way, and the ISA program is one of them.
Being part of the ISA fellowship was a privilege. I would like to thank the ISA Team and BMZ for giving me this opportunity to be part of it. Bringing together people from different sides of backgrounds, bilingualism, culture, and religions was an inspiring decision that, in my opinion, paid off volumes.
What will you miss most about the ISA?
Living together and working together, my daily conversations and discussions with Jackson, Waleed, and Chibunna in our open space office facilitating the interaction with the other colleagues, has allowed me to develop and improve my intercultural skills.
Our lunchtime together with Priyanka, Sneha, Nikolas, and Tamara, was an exceptional chance to learn more about each other’s culture and traditions and to open up channels for fruitful cultural discussions. I will miss the ISA Team and all the facilities they provided for us to develop our projects.
3. What will you miss most about Germany?
Germany is a country with cultural diversity. I am going to miss the German punctuality, the planning, and the organizing system.
Being a bread lover, I will be missing the full-grain bread with the huge amount and large choice of different fresh pieces of bread at an affordable price.
As a passionate women cyclist, I was impressed by the cycling culture and infrastructure in Germany, Toddlers rove around on balance bikes and most kids are already able to ride a bike by age five. It’s not even unusual to see an 80-year-old person go around on a bike, rain or shine. Unlike in my country, where cycling is more of a men’s sport, cyclists are a well-established and expected part of German traffic. I liked the fact that the country has cycling lanes in many places and many Germans use the bike as a part of their daily commute to work or school. I will really miss my cycling activities around Hamburg City with the fellows.
4. What was your favourite moments
It is hard to choose, every single moment was a special one. Nevertheless, I can say that the Berlin trip, the biking tour in Berlin, Barbara’s potluck, the Christmas dinner at Barbara’s place, the special moments that I’ve passed with my cute Ziza, and the dinner at my place to make the fellows discover the Moroccan food and culture, were among the best moments at ISA.
5. What is the most important lesson you will take away
Make every moment count, never underestimate the power of compound interest, jump at every single opportunity, and immerse yourself deeply in the journey.
