By NOA AMOUYAL
Orjwan Ghraba is starting a new and exciting chapter in her life as she begins her studies at University of Haifa, where she is earning a degree in Human Services and Sociology. Ghraba, who is from the small village of Reineh in northern Israel, is not letting her status as a first-generation university student deter her from finding academic success.
In fact, University of Haifa is home to more first-generation university students than any other academic institution in Israel. Below, Ghraba speaks candidly about the challenges she has experienced as a new university student, what her dreams are for the future, and why she is grateful for the shared society she has been able to find at the University.
Can you share a little about yourself?
I’m from Reineh, a village in northern Israel. I’m a first-year student studying Human Services and Sociology at the University and the first person in my family to attend higher education. This has been my dream. At first, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study, so I met with a career counselor who helped me pinpoint what’s right for me. She assessed my personality and interests, understood that I’m a sociable person that always wants to help people, and found the perfect field for me. This is a match made in heaven.
What made you want to enroll in University of Haifa?
University of Haifa was a dream. When I took the psychometric exam, my goal was to do well enough that I could get into the University. The hope was always that someday, I’d study there because I heard so much about it. I heard that it’s an institution where every culture is represented and it’s genuinely diverse. I heard that it was a place where Muslims, Christians and Jews, foreign students from China, Germany, and even Kazakhstan can all come together and study in peace. That’s the life I want to have. As someone who gets my energy by surrounding myself with people, I knew being exposed to so many different viewpoints would make me happy.
As the first person in your family to attend university, how has that experience been for you?
I’m very good at adapting and adjusting to new situations since I’m a sociable person. At the University, I have made Jewish, Korean, and Arab friends. In my first month, all my friends were Jewish, and it was a little bit difficult to adapt to speaking only Hebrew at first. On an academic level, understanding Hebrew was difficult for me because academic Hebrew is very different from conversational Hebrew. And yet, in that first month when I met so many Jewish students, we were very open with each other, and we bonded.
Do you think the current war has affected the University’s multicultural atmosphere?
There’s racism everywhere. During a war, it’s easy to not see someone as human but only see their race or religion. Luckily, my friends were not like that. Even those who were distant with me were always polite. I’d caution everyone to not underestimate anybody’s pain.
How has your family reacted to you studying at the University?
They’re so proud. They know I’ve been working on addressing a lot of challenges. When I enter a classroom, professors talk fast and in the first few weeks I was totally lost. My family encouraged me to keep going, and said they believed I can do this. Even though I love new challenges and meeting new people, there was a nagging part of me at first that felt that maybe I don’t belong here, or I was afraid to speak because I was worried that I may not say the right thing. But my family pointed out that every new student feels vulnerable and it’s my responsibility to adapt.
What advice would you give to other Arab students who are interested in higher education?
I’d tell them to think outside the box. To have courage. Nobody will advocate for you — you have to do that yourself. They need to be able to step onto campus and not be afraid of who they are. Once there, they should be friendly, ask questions — nobody will bite if you’re genuinely curious. I’d tell them not to be afraid of those different from you. You only live once, and every minute should count.
At University of Haifa, it’s been my experience that Arabs and Jews really do want to learn side by side. We’re all human and strive to treat each other as such.
What are your plans after graduation?
I have a lot of dreams. I hope one day I own my own company. I’m not sure what it will be, but I want to provide education for children. I see myself starting a foundation where I help orphans get adopted because I believe everyone deserves a decent life. When I see children in the streets, kids picking out garbage for food, it’s just so wrong. So many people would do well at university, but they can’t afford to go. They shouldn’t be deprived of that opportunity, and I want to help in whatever way I can.