New country, new language
The idea to do a master’s degree abroad was born during her bachelor studies. "I got accepted at three universities in the UK, Italy and Spain. Sadly, I didn’t manage to get my visa for either of these countries.’ Instead, Afrooz started working in Iran. First at an advertising company, then at a packaging design studio and finally at a consulting engineering company. ‘Meanwhile, I was still dreaming about leaving Iran for a while. Five years after my graduation I said to myself: "it’s now or never." So, I dropped everything, quit my job, and started preparing for the master. This time I did get my visa."
I got accepted at three European universities, but sadly I didn’t get my visa.
When she arrived in Spain, there was one hick-up. Too few candidates applied for the master’s program in English that Afrooz had selected. So instead, she enrolled in a master’s degree in manufacturing engineering which was entirely in Spanish. "I had to learn a new language in a very short time. I managed well, but especially understanding different accents was a challenge. Luckily, I have always felt at home in Spain. Due to the weather, the people, and the culture."
Afrooz obtained her master’s degree during the COVID-pandemic. A tough time, which she mostly spent unemployed. "I did many interviews, but since I didn’t have a working permit, it would mean an additional time investment for companies to hire me. None of the organizations I spoke to wanted to start up the process of applying for a working visa." To keep herself busy, Afrooz followed online courses and did several small research projects.
