It all started as a wish to learn a new language.
2015, the last few minutes before my uncle’s death the last words he stuttered while holding my mom’s hand and mine were “ Take care of her, she is going to be something in the future”. I used to go to a normal Moroccan public school all the topics were either in Arabic or French, However from a young age, the language I wanted to learn the most was English I had a passion for learning English, but unfortunately, my parents did not have the money to enroll in a language learning center. I did not lose hope or motivation I relied on myself to learn it, so I used to always watch English movies, translate the words and memorize them, then I would eagerly recite these words to my dad when he came back home from work, little by little I started constructing sentences and building vocabulary and standing in front of the mirror and try to have imaginary dialogues with myself in English. I did not expect anything I just liked a language and was zealous about learning it.
In 2018, The American School of my city announced a competition, and the winners would get a full-ride scholarship to that school, it was like a dream, I signed up, and after a few days, the day of the competition came, a few days later they called me “ Hello Manar Lezaar you have been admitted to the American school of Fez with a full-ride scholarship”. From there, my life changed drastically. when I first started learning English, I did not by any means or intention was planning to apply to these kinds of competitions, this competition did not even exist in the past years it was a first-year thing.
After I enrolled in this school I got introduced to different topics, I joined in debate competitions, elaborated scientific experiments after school and online, joined NASA space camp competition and was the full price winner to Cambridge spring program of the year 2020, a member in the YJI or the Youth International Journalism and finally, Teacher at step-up language center where I teach English to beginners who are unable to pay money for completely free. Who would’ve thought that someday Manar the girl who struggled to construct a sentence would now be helping people to learn English.
My message from this experience to everyone all around the globe, no matter what’s your gender, your race, your religion, your financial or physical situation follow your passion, passion is the sign life gives us for happiness and success.
Morocco 