Snowstorms, Falafel, and Finding Home in D.C.

Zarrish Ahmed is a senior at GU-Q majoring in International Politics with a self-designed Certificate in South Asian Studies. For this Desert Hoya Blog, she shares reflections on her global learning experiences.

“The posts and comments on this blog are the views and opinions of the author(s). Posts and comments are the sole responsibility of the authors. They do not represent the views, opinions or policies of the University.”

In Spring 2025, I boarded my first-ever flight to the “West,” bound for Washington, D.C. I was one of only a few students from GU-Q studying abroad that semester. Most of my classmates had already gone in the fall, and I had initially planned the same. But when I sat down to map out my independent Certificate in South Asian Studies, everything shifted. The courses I needed were only offered in Qatar in the fall and at the Main Campus in spring. Changing my plans felt risky, but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

At the time, the political and immigration situation in the U.S. was uncertain, and I’ll admit, I was scared. It was my first time living outside South Asia and the Gulf, and I hadn’t grown up with particularly positive stories about the U.S. As an only child who had never shared a room or even a bathroom, I prepared extensively. I completed my visa process months in advance and scheduled sessions with Student Wellness & Counseling Center to mentally prepare for communal living. I packed everything from warm clothes to an iron, just in case. So on January 6, 2025, armed with three suitcases and all the confidence I could muster, I flew into a snowstorm at Dulles International Airport. It was also the first time in my life I saw snow.

My welcome to the U.S. couldn’t have been better. A Palestinian American driver picked us up and spent the ride recommending places to eat around campus, Falafel Inc. was his number one recommendation. After trying it, I completely agreed. By the time I arrived at 55H (a residential building), bought bedding, and settled in, all the fears I had built up before leaving felt distant.

I shared an apartment with two French students and a Japanese student on their exchange year. I ended up sharing a washroom with the Japanese student, also an only child, and far more disciplined than me. We got along beautifully. All my anxieties about housing, culture shock, and compatibility had no basis. If anything, the opposite happened, I felt at ease, supported, and deeply grateful.

Even before traveling to D.C., I had begun applying for positions on campus. That effort paid off: I worked as an Administrative Assistant at the Computer Science Department and later as a Research Analyst at the Center for Security and Emerging Technologies. Academically and professionally, it was beyond anything I had imagined.

There were countless highlights. I attended The Council of Advisory Board (CAB), joined clubs, went on an Interfaith Retreat, visited an Ayurvedic clinic in Baltimore, and even represented GU-Q on the Academic Council, helping organize and attend the Diplomatic Ball. I visited the Pakistani Embassy, connected with diplomats, and went to Six Flags with Muslim Student Association. I cooked almost every day, perfected Chicken Karahi and Qeema, and became a devoted shopper at Trader Joe’s and Giant – deeply fascinated by the range of products. I presented my thesis research at the South Asian Society Research Symposium, where three of my four professors attended just to cheer me on.

It was, without question, the best semester I’ve had at Georgetown.

When January came, I was prepared and somewhat unwilling to go. When May arrived, I was completely unprepared and deeply unwilling to leave.

Washington D.C. now holds a piece of my heart. It always will.

“The posts and comments on this blog are the views and opinions of the author(s). Posts and comments are the sole responsibility of the authors. They do not represent the views, opinions or policies of the University.”