“It took me a long time to get out of the house. My mum was...

“It took me a long time to get out of the house.  My mum was afraid of the outside world.  She used to walk me to primary school even though it was only two minutes down the road.  Same with secondary school.  And when I got my first job, she sat in the parking lot for the entire day.  She’s most comfortable at home: cooking, cleaning, looking after us.  And she never understood why I felt so restless.  I was never allowed to go out with friends.  I wasn’t allowed to go to shopping malls.  So I became a timid person.  At school I was always the student who was ‘just there.’  I’d sit in the back of the class.  I wouldn’t answer questions.  One of my teachers asked me when I’d joined the class and I’d been there for two years.  But I always loved learning.  I wanted to be a teacher.  I just never thought I had the courage.  I didn’t think I could stand in front of a class.  I didn’t think I could control the kids.  So I kept giving up.  I dropped the course two times.  But my friends kept encouraging me, and I finally got my certificate in July.  Since then I’ve been on nine interviews.  I’ve had three placements already.  Two were at Catholic schools, which especially worried me because I’m so visibly Muslim.  But the students were great.  The teachers were great.  And I’ve grown so much.  I can stand my ground.  I still get nervous with every new placement, but I don’t shake anymore.  I’m hoping to get hired soon.  And as soon as I get my first paycheck, I’m taking my mum to the shopping mall.”
(London, England)