Activity at the highest grade

Qais Yousufi arrived from Afghanistan on a grant in 2012, and obtained a degree at the department of International Studies at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Pécs. Currently he lives in Budapest and works for an international organization as an intercultural liaison and adviser. He is recalling the past few years at our request and tells us what living in Hungary is like.   

Qais Yousufi arrived from Afghanistan to the University of Pécs

 

What I first liked in Hungary is the peace and quiet and the independence of people. Since I moved here, I have been traveling a lot around Hungary – I hope I will have further opportunities for that –; I like the character of the countryside here, the monuments, and the fact that anywhere I have been, I was always welcomed. I'd always wished to gain experience abroad, and for me the best experience is studying and when I can immerse myself in the diversity of other cultures, religions and languages. I wanted to visit several countries to study. In 2011 I heard about an opportunity – that Hungary grants scholarship for Afghani youth at Hungarian universities – so I applied immediately, together with a lot of other young people. We had to pass a lot of examinations, and finally seven of us were chosen, with me as one of them. 

When I arrived in Hungary, I first visited Pécs in March of that year, the time when we were still celebrating the Afghani New Year. I only spent a day here, but I immediately liked the way I was welcomed and how curious people were about me and my story. I also was attracted by the atmosphere of the town. So when I finished the prep course and the language course, I applied to the University of Pécs in the first place. And I chose the International Studies major because my primary aim is to help my home country – unfortunately, in Afghanistan it often happens that such people work in the field of diplomacy who are not trained and not suitable for the job.

 

Faculty of Humanities at the University of Pécs

 

I think I am lucky to have been accepted into this university community and to have been able to learn from excellent and knowledgeable people. I learned a lot during the lectures, thanks to the fact that information was exchanged in a way that was comprehensible and receptible for me. I could get acquainted and make friends with lecturers who gave me excellent advice concerning my situation and future. By observing them, I can be here today where and what I am. I got a lot of help and I was supported by many people, so I tried to be active during my university years as well. I ran for representative of the Students' Council twice. I visited a lot of lectures and academic conferences, and whenever I could, I contributed to the discussion, and I also gave lectures.

As for my future, my biggest desire is to represent my country abroad as an ambassador. Unfortunately, many of today's youngsters don't know what they would like to do, they just decide to get a degree with which they may get some job. I think this approach is wrong, since work and future will be hard and boring for them. In my opinion, everyone should have a clear aim and they have to do their best to achieve it. I am very sociable so I often meet my friends and acquaintances. I do sports, I love football and volleyball and I work out at the gym. I also love reading, I read everything from daily news to high literature whenever I have time. I like reading Afghani authors, but I'm getting acquainted with Hungarian literature as well. Now I'm reading novels by Khaled Hosseini, the Afghani author living in the USA. Three of his novels have been published in Hungarian, and I am reading them in Hungarian, too. So I would like to recommend them to you: The Kite Runner, And the Mountains Echoed, and A Thousand Splendid Suns.

 

Alumni International Magazin

2017/2018

 

Study programmes at the University of Pécs »

 

 

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