Parents

Louisiana State University, USA

Mother of Anwar El Sheikh

My daughter, Anwar El Sheikh, came back home as a different person after she studied abroad during the semester of Spring 2018. I was interested in the idea of allowing my daughter to go on an exchange program, because as a university student I didn’t have the chance to go through such an astounding experience. Even though I knew that such an experience would help her gain independence by exposing her to a new cultural environment, as a parent I had some concerns. Such concerns included how secure the location was or whether she would get enough support. I was very happy with the study abroad program, as it helped in building my daughter’s character to be more confident and responsible. I would advise other parents to trust their son’s/daughter’s choice and allow them to go on an experience worth trying. Big thanks to IXO for giving my daughter the opportunity to have an amazing experience.

Maastricht University, Netherlands

Mother of Mohammed Kamil Khan

I could sense in my son, Mohammed Kamil, the excitement of going to a new place, studying in a new environment and discovering new things along the way. He went abroad during Spring Semester 2018. I found the opportunity provided by IXO a perfect one, as it had a connection with the universities abroad, and I could see the arrangements were in place. I was worried about him not finding halal food abroad and how he would manage his breakfast, lunch and dinner. To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised to find that most of my fears were unfounded. I found him to have grown into a mature individual with an open mind. He became a very confident person who did not need guidance all the time, a person who could do his own research and make sound decisions on his own. I would advise parents to judge their children in a fair manner and give them this opportunity to grow. What my presence could not teach my child, absence from family did. I thank IXO for this excellent opportunity that they have offered the students and for the good arrangements that the university abroad provided. Given the chance, I would happily send my younger children on the same journey when the time comes.

Virginia Tech University, USA

Father of Ibrahim Owais 

My son, Ibrahim Owais, went abroad during the semester of Spring 2018. I was excited for him to go abroad as it would be a new experience and something totally different for him. The fact that payments could be made directly to AUS and we would not have worry about any payments abroad was a convincing factor to ease sending my son abroad. I definitely feared the idea of having my son alone in a totally new country, as he could experience a cultural shock in the US since the environment is very different compared to the UAE and Middle East. It was hard not to notice the change in my son after his return from the study abroad program. He became more responsible for himself, especially when it came to adapting to a whole new country, which will benefit him a lot in his future career. I encourage other parents to let their sons/daughters explore and motivate them to go for a study abroad program, as it is totally an eye-opening experience for them.

Maastricht University, Netherlands

Father of Vishnu Narayanan

When my son, Vishnu, proposed his idea of attending an exchange program for Fall Semester 2018, I thought about it for a while. I realized it would be a good opportunity for him to be exposed to universities outside the Middle East. Also, I believed it would be introduce him to a new system of education that is one of the best in the world. That is the main reason I thought of sending him, as well as for the fact that Vishnu would be living alone for a limited period of time, which would give him the opportunity to manage his resources wisely and prepare him to be able to survive on his own when he grows up. We were amazed to see the changes in his personality as he got in touch with many cultures. I am now confident that he will be able to live on his own without any guidance from us.