The College Experience - AUW Class of 2023

It's time to part with campus life. The purpose of college is to gain an education, it is also a unique and unforgettable time, with memories that will last a lifetime. When I leave that school life, I may take with me more than a shiny diploma.

The college experience I am most grateful for is the opportunity to improve myself through education, form relationships, and experience the real world and how people relate to one another.

Education is the most important part of college but it can be very challenging. I am so grateful for the way classes encouraged me to be a better student, and taught me how to manage my time and priorities. I have graduated. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to get a quality education and I am ready for the next journey. 

College is one of the best places to form strong relationships that will last far beyond just four years. Not only gaining friendships among peers but also having the opportunity to get close to our professors, faculty, and staff. The most important aspect of living college life to the fullest is choosing good people to surround yourself with, and such  relationships help make college one of the best experiences of our lives.

College gives us a place to meet new people, adapt to new environments, experience different cultures, languages, traditions, learning, etc. Such things can have a huge impact on our lives and I greatly value the friendships forged during my college days.

The experience gained from college combines relationships and education . Grateful for the moments we have on campus with the people around us, whether the experiences come from education, internships, extracurriculars, or recreation, each and every one has prepared us better for the real world off campus, and I am grateful that we came into contact with those situations, no matter what.

Valerians - AUW Batch of 2023

Above all, I am grateful to Asian University for Women (AUW) for giving me the opportunity, and providing all the services until I graduated, as well as appreciating Civil Society Education and Partnership (CSEP) for all the guidance and support in the first place. I experienced and gained various things and am ready for the next journey.  

See you anytime

AUW

July 2023

By:

Eurosia Guterres Pereira

An Environmental Science Major

Asian University for Women, Bangladesh

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Little Adventure

Time Spent in the Forest is Never Wasted but Healing 

On 25th July, I along with my friends, went to Waterfall, somewhere hidden in the forest after Sitakunda. It was quite challenging because all of us were new to that waterfall. Our journey started from Chittagong city, from GEC to Ak Khan by CNG then took a bus to Sitakunda. As we took the direct bus, it took less than an hour to reach Sitakunda.

Then again took a local bus from Sitakunda bus station to the main road to Waterfall, which took around 5 to 7 minutes. After getting off the bus, we looked for a restaurant to take lunch first then continue our journey. Around 1:30 pm we started our journey from the main road (Sitakunda) to Waterfall. As we were all new to that area, we tried to ask local people to show us the direction of the waterfall, as there was a high possibility to go in the wrong direction without reaching the waterfall. However, you know what happened when we asked people about the direction? It shocked us 🙆. From the main road to the railway, just straight forward.

Till the railway, we stopped and asked each other, which direction now? Suddenly some local people passed by, and we asked which direction is going to the waterfall. One guy said, go to the left and take the second way. He also said, I can guide you if you pay me. We said, we do not need guidance, thank you!

Reaching the second way, we followed that direction, as there were various sub-ways, we decided to follow Google Maps 😀. Google Maps showed we were in the right direction. The confusing thing was it took only 7 minutes to reach the target point. Hahaha.....

We kept moving. After 7 minutes based on the Google map, we still have not reached yet. We said no more Google maps, just follow this direction, as we were almost towards the forest.

Moving a bit forward, we met 2 little boys. We asked, is this the way to the Waterfall? They said, we do not know, give us money then we will guide you. we say, how much? They said 500tk. Oooowwww...no need, hahaha...We passed them. Walking after a few minutes we again met 2 people and we asked, Bhaiya (Brother) which way is going to the Waterfall? They said you are in the right direction. We said, thank you.

Moving towards the forest, no more houses, but forest and farms only, and there was only one way, so we just followed that.

After 30 minutes, we reached a small shop near the stream. We saw two uncles inside the shop. We talked to each other. Let's ask them, maybe they will help us in the right direction without asking for money. One of us said we have to buy something from them so that they can help us. Lol.....We were trying to convince them hehe. ...

We bought some snacks and bananas, then one uncle asked where do you want to go? Somapto explained everything to him, and the uncle said, I am also going in that direction because I have a farm there, so you can come with me. We said, sure. After a few minutes, the uncle said let's go. .. We followed him.

A few meters away from the shop, the uncle said, you need to take out your shoes, as we crossed streams and muddy, we need to be barefoot.

Entering the forest, we met some tourists who just came back from the waterfall, and they told us, you need guidance to go with you! My friends said, no need, we know this place. We kept moving forward. After almost an hour of walking, the uncle reached his farm and just showed us the directions to go by ourselves.

Passing the uncle's farm, we started hiking for quite a long distance, took a rest, then kept hiking till the top.

Reaching the top we stopped for a moment, took a group photo, then kept moving, went straight, down, and hike till we found the stream that connected to the waterfall.

As we found the stream, we just followed that stream till reaching the waterfall in the middle of an unknown place, it took around two and half hours to reach there.

After reaching the first waterfall, we decided to move forward to the upper side, but then we checked that it was already 4 pm. Instead of moving forward we stopped and enjoyed the first waterfall because we did not have much time to reach another waterfall that was located on the upper side.

The whole journey through the stream was hilarious, barefoot, talked, sang, and shouted to forget the tired, but you know what? Inside the water most of the things were slippery, so we had to be careful, else boom. .. (fell down), our friend Sohan fell three times hahaha ha. .... Sompato one time, Alve one time hahaha haha, only I did not fall.

We came back from the waterfall around 5 pm. We decided to come back earlier, otherwise, we could not leave the forest when it gets late or dark and it is dangerous too. So we left by 5 pm, walking as fast as we could, no rest, till we reached back the small shop then sat for a while, bought some cold drinks, used our shoes, then headed to the main road of Sitakunda to take a bus to Chittagong.

The reason we chose that place was because of the waterfall and because it's located in the middle of the forest surrounded by greenery and a peaceful environment. Moreover, we wanted to explore new places that we haven't been to before. Thus, this location was what we looked for.

The interesting things about this location were as follows: we could only feel the fresh air, walk inside the peaceful forest and under the shadow of trees, walk through the stream which was truly cool, and hilarious, only hearing the birds chirping, monkeys, water sound, and other sounds from the forest. No signal and no other crazy sounds as in the city. The place was peaceful.

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