Ahmed Tharwat

My Experience Abroad

I have always wanted to go to the US to experience everything the culture has to offer. I’m an electronics and communication engineering major, but I also love music, movies, and experiencing other cultures. Penn is a very diverse campus, and it offers every opportunity for you to meet new people and get to know yourself better. I made sure to stay busy: I got an electric guitar, played tennis, visited art museums, and went on countless outings. We spent a lot of time walking down South Street to check out the record stores and thrift shops, hosted game night sessions in the dorms, and even took fun weekly cooking lessons at Quaker Kitchen. And I have to admit, I definitely attended a lot of social events just for the free food!

Along with my engineering courses, I wanted to branch out, so I took a Negotiation class and an Intro to Music Theory class. I even ended up acting in two plays, which is something I had never thought about doing before, but Penn gave me the chance to try it and it was a crazy amount of fun. I also spent a lot of time playing music, including jamming on a roof with a couple of friends and starting to post the videos online. Whenever we could travel, we did, and I quickly realized that New York City is absolutely the greatest city in the world there’s no doubt about it. I went back to my home university with a much broader perspective, a lot more confidence, and amazing friendships. And I’m even more excited to explore and get to know the world around me better.