Fedaa and Caroline, both international students at UVic, found each other during their first semester one and a half years ago and stumbled upon what seems like eternal love, while most of us can’t even find the administrative building until second year (jealous!).
They come from completely different backgrounds, so we wanted to see what their relationship is really like. Is it full of cultural shocks, or cultural love?
HC: You are Egyptian and Caroline is from Scotland. I am sure your cultures have many things in common and many things that surprise you. What interests you the most about her culture?
Fedaa: Maybe the way Scottish people encourage independence from a very young age. She works and studies, however, family is really important for Scottish people. Especially for Caroline, family means life. This is one of the things I like the most about her because I value my family a lot, too. Even before we started dating, when we were just friends, her family was very welcoming. They even had friends of mine for BBQs at their house and I appreciate their interests and the thought of including them.
HC: What’s your favorite thing about Caroline?
Fedaa: I think it is the way she thinks about life. Caroline always looks at the bigger picture for any situation. She is not bothered by small things, you know? Also, she enjoys the simple stuff and tries to get the most [out] of anything she does. I also love the way she deals with problems and she views life with so much trust and tranquility. For example, if we plan a day together, we don’t like to over-do it: we can just take a walk along the beach and maybe get food somewhere and we have a blast. It may sound boring, but we enjoy those relaxed things.
HC: What is a tiny thing about Fedaa that you just love but he doesn’t even realize he does it?
Caroline: There are an infinite amount of things that I love about Fedaa! I love the way he interacts with people. He is a really charismatic guy and is entirely selfless, always putting others before himself. As a result, he maybe knows 95% of people on/off campus, which is extremely impressive, considering he has been living in Victoria for less than two years – you can’t go two feet without him seeing someone he knows haha! Some of the people I have met through Fedaa are some of my best friends today, and this would not be the case if it was not for Fedaa. He is a pretty amazing character. He values his close relationships very much!
HC: I asked him what he likes about your culture, now it’s your turn. What interests you the most about his culture?
Caroline: The Egyptian culture is pretty amazing and completely polar-opposite to the culture I grew up in Scotland. It is fun learning along the way and we often compare and laugh about the differences our cultures have to offer. I have learnt a lot, and I am still learning (there is a lot to absorb haha) about culture in his hometown, but one thing that is very different from the way Western people are brought up is the Egyptian sense of collectiveness while working together. While in the West, individuality is very much encouraged, in Egypt, helping each other and putting others first thinking of others is a common part of their daily culture. This is a rather unusual concept to be surrounded by all the time, but it makes for an interesting adventure.
HC: What do you normally do together on a regular basis?
Fedaa and Caroline: We like to eat out a lot. We both really enjoy food (almost too much for our own good) and we enjoy spending time together while trying new foods (this may be really weird, but it works for us). We also like to explore Canada and see what it has to offer, as we are both not originally from Canada, while meeting and socializing with our friends/other people.
HC: What’s the best day you’ve spent together?
Fedaa: When we went to Seattle/Van – we did many touristy things together – it was maybe the best thing ever. My dad was with us for a couple of days, and then he left and went back to Egypt, so we went out, the two of us, for dinner and just drove around the city aimlessly.
HC: What are your plans for the near future?
Caroline: We have both just accepted an internship with a non-profit organization called AIESEC for this coming summer term. We both get to spend two and a half months in Indonesia together! Our goal was to find something we could both do together and we are so grateful we did. We are complete opposites when it comes to our academic background. Fedaa is doing a marketing major and I am on the brink of completing my undergrad in sociology, so it was an exciting challenge to find something that suited us both. Fedaa’s friend had recommended AIESEC, and told us about his wonderful experience whilst in India, completing an internship for the organization. We began looking into the possibility, and discovered to our delight that not only is AIESEC praised in Canada, but it is recognized across the globe, and therefore offers opportunities worldwide! We were ecstatic (and still are!). So we asked around…We eventually (after long deliberation) picked Indonesia as our destination of choice, as it offered exactly what Fedaa and I were looking for. We were accepted by “The Wonderful Maluku Project 4.0,” based in Indonesia, for two Global Entrepreneurship positions; Fedaa for Digital Marketing, and I for the Journalism position. This opportunity allows both Fedaa & I to not only travel together and experience something as a couple, but also to experience another culture, and gain recognizable experience, which can prepare us for the future professionally. I really can’t wait!
HC: Over what did you bond the first time you met?
Caroline: Love of people and meeting international students. Most of Fedaa’s friends are international students. He has friends from all around the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Europe and, because I like to meet people from different backgrounds, I think we bonded a lot over that. I was very interested in his life, and I feel so was he with me, so we keep each other entertained, haha.
HC: Fedaa tells us he has a close relationship with your family, have you met his? How are they?
Caroline: Yes! I have met Fedaa’s sister (Salma) and father (Ali). They are both two of the kindest people you have ever met! They, too, like Fedaa, think of others before themselves. Salma is an amazing woman, and she has recently made the big leap of moving to America while she completes her internship. She is great to be around and she feels like an older sister (which is a great change because I have three brothers!). I met Fedaa’s dad for the first time this Christmas break in Seattle, and it was one of the most memorable few days! I caught the Clipper Ferry to Seattle from Victoria, and it took all my willpower to get off the boat when it docked (I was very nervous – but in a good way!). His dad greeted me with open arms and immediately made me feel welcome. He is an amazing man and he reminds me a lot of Fedaa. We now text regularly on WhatsApp and are close friends. I have yet still to meet Fedaa’s mum, but I have talked to her on the phone – she sounds lovely and I am very excited for when I do get to meet her!
As it turns out, Fedaa and Caroline have more in common than we sometimes do with people that grew up on our own street! As a take home message, we can remind ourselves that people are pretty similar all around the globe. We are all living similar human experiences, and reaching out to different cultures might surprise us with long lasting friendships or, like in Fedaa and Caroline’s case, with a long lasting love. We wish them the best of luck in their summer adventure and hope they keep spreading their international love.