BECOMING ME.

BECOMING ME.

I grew up in farjikunda, in a huge family house with all my extended family on my dads side, I spent around 5-6 years living there and I truly did have an amazing childhood alhamdulilah. I have so many cousins in the same age group as I am and we always had so much fun and plans as kids. My first big transition was moving from my family house to Fajara, this new place which became our new home was a big step for me and my family. I had to move to another school, leave my Bestfriend and cousins and start afresh in a new neighborhood. Farjikunda is actually far from Fajara and definitely was not half as lively as my old neighborhood. I was mostly indoors, we had more Lebanese neighbors and the streets are always empty, no kids playing around and that was a big transition for me. Alhamudulilah, I spent more time watching tv, more time particularly on Disney and more time with my family or alone and I believe that space is what drove me into writing. I honestly don't believe the thought of writing would've ever crossed my mind if I was still in farjikunda.

So I spent majorly all my life living in fajara, I got more friends, grew more attached to the Gambian school life and I was just living it. The Gambian school life is everything, truly teaches you a lot and you get so many amazing memories from the journey as well. With regards to my school life, I really did learn so much from my experiences which is definitely a factor that aided me and shaped me into who I am today. As a child growing up, you transition a lot, I had friends I outgrew, friends who left me, friends that are like family now, and struggles with regards to my education. I failed multiple times in so many things, I fought so many circumstances, I learnt failing and getting back and pushing through, I learnt the drive to always keep going and to never give up. I had so many experiences in junior and high school that today are not regrets but lessons I learnt from and are aiding me into becoming a better me.

In 9th grade I remember, I was sitting home with my cousins and my sister was advising us or giving Dawah to us, and Allah knows best she said some words that day that my little brain cant forget, probably words she has forgotten. Yet her words played in my head and I remember the next day I started wearing my little turbans and from there and I just decided to start wearing hijab. That was the beginning of a long journey that got me here today even though with regards to the deen, I have a long way to go

and May Allah make it easy for us all.

Moving to america has been my biggest growth in a such a short period of time. I got to live and make my own decisions, I had just turned 17 and I had to become an independent adult. And If anything you take away from todays blog is that you never truly appreciate what you have and you never truly live until you are living outside your box, outside your norm, outside your comfort zone. Moving here, I had to grow, I had to make mature decisions, I had to unlearn and I am still unlearning so many things that I was socially conformed to.

Moving homes, my school experiences, my religion, and living outside my motherland has been the main factors, in which I grew so much and derived so many lessons. The lessons I learnt and the people I have encountered have truly shaped me into who I am today and becoming me. Yet, I am still growing, still learning, still unlearning and I am becoming a better me everyday.