Hello, or better yet, As-salamu alaykum! (السلام عليكم; Peace be upon you)!
My full name is Fatuma Ismael Mussa. I am an Eritrean-Ethiopian, first-generation immigrant, and a Muslim student at American University in Washington, D.C. I love to read, write, and recently, I’ve started learning how to crochet. I’m so excited to share a little window into who I am!
I was born in Eritrea and lived in Ethiopia as a refugee for about 10 years before my family and I were resettled in the United States in 2017. I grew up in Lancaster, PA, a place known for the Amish, but for some reason, seeing buggies and horses is still surprising every time!
I fell in love with writing during my freshman year of high school when I had to write a piece about my culture to share with the world. Ever since then, I’ve wanted to keep pushing myself to explore different styles of writing and find new ways to tell stories.
Another thing I’m in love with is traveling. When I was accepted to American University, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Greece during my second semester as a freshman. Ever since then, my love for traveling has been unstoppable! One of the reasons I love traveling and exploring different cultures and countries is because of how much it can change the way we see the world. We always hear that traveling can change our perspective, and it has almost become a cliché, but I truly believe traveling can, if we let it, change our lives.
Now, I’m here in Rabat, Morocco, for my junior year as a Gilman Scholar, where I’m immersing myself in Arabic and studying the political systems and different communities across the North African region and the greater Middle East.
I’m so excited to share all about the places I visit, the people I meet, the stories I hear, and, of course, the incredible food I get to taste! I hope my stories give you a little window into how traveling, and especially studying abroad, can change the way we see the world and, maybe, even change our lives.
Want to know more about how you can study or intern abroad when you are a college student? The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Learn more about the scholarship by visiting www.gilmanscholarship.org.
