Final Reflection on the Soliya experience.

First, when I took the project, I started thinking about who I was going to interview. I considered some friends and family members, but in the end, I chose to interview two family members—my cousin and my brother—because I felt they would give me honest and thoughtful information. My group’s interview question was: What stereotypes have you experienced or witnessed? Do you hold stereotypes about specific groups that you are not a part of? Do you have stereotypes for other countries that contradict your identity? We chose this topic because we believe stereotyping is a major issue. People often judge others based only on appearance.

Both of my interviewees gave me strong insights. My first interviewee, my cousin Tala, talked about how she had seen people judged by how they looked or where they were from. She gave this example: “I’ve seen someone treated as less intelligent just because they spoke English differently. I’ve also seen people assume someone is dangerous because of their skin color or clothing. It’s unfair, but it happens often—at school, work, or online.” I asked if she held any stereotypes about other groups, and she said yes. Here’s a summary of what she said:
“Sometimes I do hold stereotypes about groups I’m not part of, even without meaning to. These come from movies, social media, or what others say. For example, I used to think French people were rude, but after meeting kind ones, I saw the stereotype was wrong.” She also talked about a stereotype she personally experienced: “It’s unfair that people judge me for being an AUCian and see me as spoiled, but that is not the truth. Everyone comes from a different background and should not be criticized for that.”

The second interview was with my brother, Ahmed. Here’s a summary of what he said:
Ahmed believes stereotypes are common in culture but wrong. Everyone has unique backgrounds. Though he hasn’t faced stereotypes himself, he’s seen many in media, like how jeans are seen as stylish in one place and inappropriate in another, or how some places in Egypt limit hijabi women. He mentioned Egyptian shows like Ga3far El Omda and Ash8al Sha2a Gdn as examples. He firmly rejects stereotyping. I think he made strong points and gave valid examples. Hearing different perspectives helped me realize that everyone sees others differently, often based on their background. My group and I came up with the interview question together. One of us wrote a draft before the session. After joining, each person shared their ideas, and we agreed on the final version. During the interviews, I smiled and asked follow-up questions to keep the conversation relaxed and engaging. I also spoke clearly, which helped my interviewees feel comfortable and open up. I think the question made them reflect on something they had never talked about with me—or maybe even with anyone before. This made me realize that judging people is really harmful, and we should all think carefully before making assumptions based on community, appearance, or clothing.

The Soliya experience was a one-of-a-kind experience. At the beginning, during my first session, I felt it was a bit boring because we were just answering questions from our facilitators without any real conversation. There was no back-and-forth; it was just question and answer. I don’t enjoy that format because no one responds to your answer or discusses it—they just move on to the next person. It felt like I was talking to myself, not being part of a conversation. But session after session, my group and I began to break the ice. We became more comfortable talking to each other, and we started having meaningful conversations. I began to love the Soliya experience. One of the things I loved most was that some of us exchanged social media accounts and continued talking outside the sessions. We became friends, and I think that’s a great part of this program—making friends from all over the world. Through Soliya, I didn’t just build skills. I built emotional connections, empathy, communication, and cultural awareness. I learned how to communicate freely without judging or contradicting others. The program helped me connect with people from around the world and discover cultures I would never have known about on my own. For example, I learned that in Kurdistan, they celebrate Newroz—a festival marking the new year, which means “new day.” One of the most meaningful conversations we had was about holidays in different countries. Most were related to religion. Some participants talked about how difficult fasting during Ramadan can be. When I shared that I personally don’t find it too hard and actually feel proud of my religion during Ramadan, it made me very happy. During the first 10 to 15 minutes of each session, we did group activities to help break the ice and have a better session. As I said, we had gradual growth—at first, we didn’t talk much or seem happy, but over time, we began opening up and discussing new topics. We connected more deeply with one another.

This experience influenced me a lot. Now, when I interact with people, I feel more relaxed and open. I especially loved the last session—we all talked to each other, shared how engaged everyone was, and reflected on what a great experience it had been. Even the facilitators were amazing, and I felt lucky to have them. The group was also very engaging. I still keep in touch with the people I connected with. We talk almost every day, share pictures of traditional foods, cultural places, and historical sites. I’m really happy I had this experience.