Part 1: The Day I Left Home With a Dream Winning a scholarship, my family’s quiet tears, and the… | by Nomad of Thoughts | Aug, 2025

Part 1: The Day I Left Home With a Dream
Winning a scholarship, my family’s quiet tears, and the flight that changed everything.

I live in a small industrial town in an African country. One summer afternoon, I received an email that would change my life: I had won a scholarship to study in an Asian country—a place with a culture and language completely different from my own. I was overjoyed. It was my first time traveling abroad and my first time boarding a plane.

Strangely, I wasn’t scared. Normally, I get anxious when trying something new, but this time, I felt calm and ready.

When the email arrived, my parents were napping, and my stepsister was watching TV in the living room. I couldn’t scream with joy, so I quietly approached her and whispered, “I got accepted. I’m going to Asia.” She hugged me tightly. I waited for my parents to wake up. When I told them, I saw a complex mix of emotions—a gentle smile with sad eyes. As Muslims, they prayed for me and congratulated me. They knew I had worked hard for this and deserved it, so they hid their sorrow and showed full support.

The night before my flight, we stayed in a hotel near the airport. I didn’t know it would be my last night with my father. I was anxious, but I tried not to show it.

In the early morning, we went to the airport. After checking in, I hugged my parents and brother, not realizing it would be the last hug I ever gave my father. Then I walked to the departure area, unaware of how much life would change.