The Soliya Connect Program and the Tuesday in Tahrir experience were both very unique experiences for me because they pushed me into an environment I was not fully used to. Both experiences were centered around communication, intercultural dialogue, and connecting with people from completely different backgrounds and parts of the world. At first, the idea of discussing personal opinions, social pressures, and life experiences with foreigners felt unusual and honestly a little intimidating to me. I was used to staying within my own comfort zone and speaking with people who mostly shared similar experiences or ways of thinking. However, over time, these conversations slowly changed something in me.

The Soliya sessions:

Community Interviews

For our final project in my Soliya sessions, my group chose the topic “Feeling lost about the future and the pressure of having everything figured out” because it felt very relevant to our generation and honestly something many of us personally relate to. During the interviews, we explored questions about social pressure and these were the interview questions:

• What social pressures people usually have about figuring out their future?
• Why do you think people vary in the way they feel about the future?
• How societies define success in adulthood in different societies?

The response of my first interviewee mainly discussed the pressure created by family expectations and traditional social norms, especially regarding marriage. They explained how many people feel expected to get married by a certain age and may face judgment if they do not. They also mentioned that people experience the future differently depending on their environment and the amount of pressure or support they receive from family and society. In addition, they explained that definitions of success vary across cultures. In more traditional societies, success is often connected to stability, marriage, family, and financial responsibility, while other societies may focus more on personal happiness and independence.

The second interviewee focused more on career pressure and the expectation to pursue “respectable” careers such as medicine, engineering, or law because they are often linked to status, stability, and family pride. They explained that this can make people feel pressured or afraid of disappointing others if they choose different paths. They also discussed how feelings about the future vary depending on factors such as opportunities, financial security, and self-confidence. In addition, they explained that societies define success differently, with some cultures valuing money, education, and social status, while others focus more on freedom, creativity, and personal growth.

One thing I found really interesting while discussing the interviews with my group was how similar many of the responses were, even though our group itself was made up of people from very different backgrounds and countries, including Morocco, Palestine, Michigan in the United States, and Russia. I honestly expected there to be bigger differences in how people viewed the future, success, or adulthood, but instead I noticed that many of the fears and pressures people described were very similar. Almost everyone mentioned pressure from society, family expectations, fear of failure, or feeling uncertain about whether they were “behind” in life. That was one of the moments that really stayed with me because it made me realize how connected people actually are despite cultural differences. Even though our societies may define success differently, many young people around the world are struggling with the same feelings and asking themselves the same questions about the future.

Reflecting on the Process of Cross-Cultural Dialogue 

Reflecting on the process of engaging with different perspectives, I realized that one of the reasons our group chose the topic “Feeling lost about the future and the pressure of having everything figured out” was because it allowed people to have honest and personal conversations. It is a topic that almost everyone can relate to in some way regardless of their culture or background. When creating the interview questions, we wanted them to be open-ended so people could freely explain their feelings and experiences instead of giving short answers. Questions about social pressure, success, and adulthood led to deeper discussions because they touched on struggles many people quietly deal with.

At first, I honestly expected the conversations to feel awkward since we were discussing personal topics with people from completely different parts around the world. However, I unexpectedly really enjoyed communicating with them and listening to their experiences. What surprised me the most was how much I related to many of the discussions even when I did not fully share the same perspective. I rarely felt like someone was completely “wrong” because most of the time I could understand where they were coming from. Even during disagreements, I found myself trying to understand both sides and reach common ground instead of choosing one perspective over another. I think this made the conversations feel more respectful and comfortable because people felt heard rather than judged.

I also realized that the way questions were asked had a big impact on the dialogue itself. Asking questions in a more open and understanding way encouraged people to share more honestly. Instead of feeling like a debate, the conversations felt like a genuine exchange of experiences and emotions. The biggest thing I learned from this process was that cross-cultural dialogue is not only about recognizing differences, but also about realizing how similar people can actually be. 

Reflecting on My Overall Connect Program Experience

Reflecting on my experience in the Soliya Connect Program, I can honestly say that I noticed a real change in myself throughout the sessions. At the beginning, I was not very excited about participating and I mostly felt unsure about speaking up in discussions. Since the sessions were based on open dialogue and participation, I initially thought I would mostly just listen rather than actively contribute. However, as the weeks went on, I found myself becoming much more comfortable and genuinely interested in the conversations. I started participating more naturally, sharing my opinions more openly, and becoming more curious about other people’s perspectives and experiences.

One of the most important skills I developed through the program was learning how to communicate with people who may think differently from me while still maintaining respectful and meaningful dialogue. I became better at listening carefully instead of immediately reacting or judging, and I learned how to approach conversations with more patience and openness. I also noticed changes in the group dynamic over time. In the beginning, many people seemed slightly hesitant or careful with what they said, but as the sessions continued, people became more open, honest, and willing to discuss personal topics and experiences.

At the same time, there were definitely some challenges during the sessions. Since each session lasted around two hours, there were moments where the discussions felt mentally exhausting or less engaging. Sometimes there would be moments of silence where everyone just kind of went blank because the question did not immediately spark ideas or nothing really came to mind. I personally experienced moments where I genuinely could not think of an answer, or where I started to feel tired after discussing some topics for a long period of time. However, I think those moments were also part of the reality of dialogue and communication because not every discussion flows perfectly all the time.

One of the most impactful discussions for me was during the last session when we discussed globalization and the idea of the world becoming more united under shared systems or values. What made the discussion interesting was how different the perspectives were within the group. One participant strongly supported the idea and believed globalization could create more unity and understanding between people. On the other hand, other members argued that the idea was unrealistic and pointed out the political, cultural, and economic differences that make complete global unity difficult. I found this conversation especially interesting as I thought about both perspectives. It reminded me again that people can completely disagree on a topic while still having valid reasons behind their beliefs. Discussions like this were some of the moments that made the Connect Program feel meaningful to me because they pushed me to think beyond my own perspective and consider viewpoints I may not have deeply thought about before.

Tahrir experience:

 Experiencing Cultural Exchange Through Language

One of the most memorable parts of this experience for me was the Tuesday in Tahrir field trip at The American University in Cairo, where we got to meet foreigners who were learning Arabic. Honestly, before going, I was not very excited because I had an exam that same day, so I was tired, unmotivated, and did not really know what to expect from the trip. However, once we arrived and started interacting with the students, my whole perspective changed. The experience ended up being genuinely fun, interesting, and very different from what I imagined.

What surprised me the most was how good their Arabic was. I was honestly shocked because some of them spoke so naturally that for a moment it did not even feel like I was speaking to foreigners. It genuinely felt like I was talking to people who had lived in Egypt their whole lives. Seeing people from completely different countries put so much effort into learning my language and understanding the culture made me appreciate Arabic in a different way. It also made me realize how difficult learning another language actually is, especially one as complex as Arabic.

While working together on the activity sheets, there were moments where I could really feel the gap between English and Arabic and how certain words, expressions, or ideas do not always translate perfectly between the two languages. Sometimes we would stop and try to explain the meaning behind a phrase rather than just translating the words directly. I found those moments especially interesting because they showed me how language is connected to culture, emotions, and ways of thinking. The experience felt much more personal than simply practicing another language because it became an exchange of culture, perspectives, and understanding from both sides.