Aseel, our student from Saudi Arabia, moved to the United States just over a year ago. He moved to Ann Arbor to accompany his sister who also wanted to study outside of Saudi Arabia. Moving to the US was a good opportunity for him to learn English fluently since he was pretty nervous about his level of English upon arriving. He knew some phrases and could understand a lot of spoken language, but reciprocating speech was difficult. Grammar was also a challenge in the beginning of Aseel’s MLC journey. “My teacher said, ‘Aseel, you are very good, but you have to work hard in your grammar.’” One year later, he has come a long way in his grammar and speaking abilities. “I feel very comfortable now,” Aseel says.
Along with his English improvement, he has also made strides in his community involvement. He enjoys participating in the activities outside of the classroom, such as picnics, tours, and ice cream outings. “I was a little bit shy here before, because my English was not good,” he confessed. “But now, if there are any activities, I will be the first one to sign my name.” It is safe to say he has found his place at MLC. In addition to MLC, he also feels very at home in the city of Ann Arbor. “It is a very friendly city,” he says. He enjoys resting at home or hanging out in the city with his sister and friends.
In 2020, back in his home country of Saudi Arabia, he completed a bachelor’s degree in social work. He originally became interested in social work because he wanted to provide help to people in whatever career he came into. He remarks that in his culture, there is an emphasis placed on helping people. “I was thinking about people in less fortunate situations,” he says. “People with emotional or financial issues.” His mother recommended a program in social work and he has thoroughly enjoyed his work in the field since.
After graduating from MLC, Aseel plans to attend Eastern Michigan University to get his master’s degree in social work. Ultimately, he wants his career to be in the field of medical social work and operate day-to-day in a hospital. However, he feels sad about his eventual departure from MLC. “I like everything at MLC. It’s not a school; it’s like a part of my life and it’s like my family,” Aseel says. “I meet with my teachers here more than my [own] family, I feel very comfortable here.” Although Aseel looks forward to his plans beyond this school, leaving MLC will certainly be a bittersweet ending for him– and his family he met along the way.