My name is Lee Sawaira. I am 22 and studying as a second-year student in IT at IIUM. Transitioning from Korea to Malaysia for education was definitely a challenge because although I knew about the Islamic culture and environment as I lived in Pakistan for six years, I was afraid of learning my course in the English language.



But being in Malaysia, I gained much more than what I could even hope for when it comes to personal development. Although communicating in English was hard for me at first, I found a way of improving in that regard just by studying amongst students from various countries and taking part in numerous events. Apart from all of what I learned out of books, I became familiar with actual English expressions and discovered many new cultures existing within one Muslim country.

IT was one field where I had absolutely no experience whatsoever. Everything was new to me right from the start, and I didn’t even know how to get myself prepared for the test. Whenever I would have any problems, I would go up to my lecturers to ask them questions and gain insight into the proper ways of studying. It helped me understand that the fastest way to learn is by asking questions.

But there were definitely tough times as well. I experienced a case of burnout, mainly during examination weeks, but rather than hitting the books, I pampered myself through adequate rest and exercise. Whenever I felt like quitting, I was reminded of Verse 155 of Surah Al-Baqarah of the Holy Quran, and it helped me gain the strength to move forward towards my goal.

On the other hand, I also had some experience in areas that were not related to the school environment. Being able to learn the Malay language provided me with understanding about the Malaysian culture, whereas my participation in the preparations of various activities provided me with the chance to learn about how an organization operates. Finally, living with my friends made me understand their culture and value system and also taught me to respect others even if there was disagreement.



My time in Malaysia is not just seen by me as a study abroad program; rather, it is considered an incredible learning process for me. Utilizing the values and experience that I have obtained from IIUM, I aim to become a better Muslimah and an IT specialist in order to contribute positively to the Muslim community through Korea and Malaysia.