Welcome to our final of three special blog posts for International Education Week! Today, we focus on the success stories of two of our students, both of whom are reaching the end of their journeys through the Intensive English program and preparing for their future.
This week, we spoke to Ammar Alshehri and Maram Alghamdi, a husband and wife who came from Saudi Arabia to Houston to study English. Keep reading to discover their journey together and how the Intensive English program helped them attain their goals.
Coming to the United States to study English had been an exciting prospect for Ammar and Maram for as long as they can remember. Upon receiving a scholarship in Saudi Arabia for a master’s degree, Ammar said he took the opportunity to search for a great ESL program based on the reputation of the American education system.
“Studying in the United States has always been one of my greatest dreams,” Ammar said. “When the opportunity arose, I took it and never hesitated.” Ammar’s fascination with American culture, history, and geography also played a major role in his decision.
As for Maram, she was fully onboard as well and took the opportunity to join our program herself. “The United States is the top destination for anyone who wants to learn English,” Maram said. “Before getting married, I knew my husband would receive a scholarship for studying and [that] we would travel to the United States to pursue our education.”
Houston’s diverse restaurant scene is always a smash hit with residents and visitors alike, and it certainly helped Maram feel at home. “I was surprised by how diverse Houston is,” Maram said. “I even found places to enjoy my traditional food, which made me feel like [I was] in my hometown.”
After an initial period of excitement and wonder, however, Ammar had a series of realizations. “As time passed, I began to notice the huge gap between reality and my thoughts,” Ammar said. “The English [taught] in school may differ from the public’s English, values, culture, and so on.”
Ammar said that by making friends and participating in events outside of class, he was able to ensure understanding and clear communication within daily life. These choices helped him further develop his English skills at first and proved to be valuable supplements to his lessons in the ESL program.
Both Ammar and Maram took to their new surroundings in Houston quite quickly, but as is always true with major changes, they both miss some important parts of their lives back home in Saudi Arabia.
“What I missed most were the precious family moments,” Maram said. “I missed the cozy atmosphere of my mom preparing Arabic coffee and serving it with cake after sunset, a time that always brought warmth and connection.”
While both Ammar and Maram miss their hometown, their family, and their friends, they both look back with fondness and share a positive outlook. “These small things [and] meaningful moments were irreplaceable, and being away from them only made me appreciate them more,” Maram said.
“I strongly believe [that] the greater the dreams, the greater the sacrifices,” Ammar said.
Here at Rice, Ammar found a welcoming environment, leading to new friendships with fellow students from around the globe. “One of the most remarkable aspects of my time at Rice ESL was the sense of family I found within the program,” Ammar said. “[It] made me feel comfortable and gave me a strong sense of belonging to this great institution.”
Maram shared similar thoughts and said the diverse backgrounds of her classmates helped her learn a lot and “made the experience even more enriching.”
Getting to connect with classmates and participate in social activities and outings is certainly a highlight of students’ time outside of class. Ammar recalls the trip to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo as a memorable display of “Texas’ culture and uniqueness,” while for Maram, our Picnic on the Lawn provided a “relaxed and cheerful atmosphere” to practice English with her instructors and classmates.
Looking back on their time in the ESL program, Ammar and Maram shared their most valuable lessons with us. For Maram, “The most helpful lesson was in Level 7 when we learned how to give a TED Talk…[which] helped us eliminate the fear of public speaking.”
Maram’s journey through the ESL program proved comprehensive and prepared her for her goal of pursuing a master’s degree in the near future.
“I highly recommend the Intensive English program at Rice. It was an incredibly enriching journey where I felt I was learning something new every day,” Maram said. “The program’s success is thanks to the dedicated teachers, supportive staff, and a well-structured academic curriculum that truly makes a difference.”
As Maram shared with us, “Whoever walks the path will reach the destination.” (من سار على الدرب وصل)
In Ammar’s journey through the program, he said, his lessons went further than just grammar and vocabulary. They dove into topics like history and geography and media like poems and great speeches, all from an English perspective.
“Rice ESL has been a significant part of my life, shaping not only my language skills but also in many ways I never imagined,” Ammar said. “The impact [it had] on my character and knowledge is unbelievable.”
Neda Zafaranian, one of the ESL teachers in the program, has been a key factor in both Ammar and Maram’s journey here at Rice.
“I’ve had Ammar in my classes since his very first session with us in Level 3 almost a year ago, and I’m so happy that I finally got to have Maram in my class for Level 7,” Neda said. “It has been amazing seeing the growth of Ammar’s English proficiency from when he started in Level 3 to now in Level 7.”
As Ammar prepares to begin his master’s program in the new year, he shared a quote with us from his mother tongue, Arabic. “Achievements are not attained by mere wishes, but rather, the world is seized through determination and effort,” Ammar said. (وَما نَيلُ المَطالِبِ بِالتَمَنّي · وَلَكِن تُؤخَذُ الدُنيا غِلاب)
The ESL program has been instrumental in preparing Ammar for his future. “Rice ESL guaranteed my English proficiency, which led to my admission to the Master’s program,” Ammar said. “Houston and Rice ESL could be a great place to start your journey in the US because of its diversity, so dive in with determination, and don’t forget to have fun along the way!”
Thank you for reading. Stay tuned on our social media channels for new stories about our students and more coming in the near future.
by Hadrian Barbosa