--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was 17, I came to the U.S. to…" description: "\"When I was 17, I came to the U.S. to study Middle Eastern history and politics at Columbia University.\" — Julia Bacha" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b6/julia-bacha-37264_came_when-i-was-17-i-came-to-the-u-s-to-study_2093938.png" --- # When I was 17, I came to the U.S. to study Middle Eastern… ![“When I was 17, I came to the U.S. to study Middle Eastern history and politics at Columbia University.” quote by Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b6/julia-bacha-37264_came_when-i-was-17-i-came-to-the-u-s-to-study_2093938.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b6/julia-bacha-37264_came_when-i-was-17-i-came-to-the-u-s-to-study_2093938.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b6/julia-bacha-37264_came_when-i-was-17-i-came-to-the-u-s-to-study_2093938.png) > “When I was 17, I came to the U.S. to study Middle Eastern history and politics at Columbia University.” [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker recounts moving to the U.S. for graduate study in Middle Eastern studies, highlighting personal ambition and cultural transition. **In simple terms:** She pursued higher education abroad. Key Takeaway Embrace new environments for growth. Themes education migration identity Mood reflective inspirational thoughtful Type biographical educational When to use this quote - academic research - immigration - career planning - cultural adaptation Key Concepts cross‑cultural studies political science Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to study abroad? - How do you navigate cultural differences? A Different Perspective Challenges include cultural adjustment and academic pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Columbia university](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/columbia-university/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Middle eastern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-eastern/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/) ## Related quotes > [I was 17 and came to the realisation that I didn't have plans for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/i-was-17-and-came-to-the-realisation-that-i-didn-t-have-plans-for-the/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [Columbia University, where I went to study in 1993, insisted its undergraduates learn a foreign language, so I discovered French.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/columbia-university-where-i-went-to-study-in-1993-insisted-its/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [ \[Mark\] Lilla is a professor at Columbia University in New York, and he has waded into the debate about what Democrats and liberals should… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/mark-lilla-is-a-professor-at-columbia-university-in-new-york-and-he/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [Misguided liberal Joseph Stiglitz.Columbia University professor and Nobel Prize winner, claims the American dream is dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedediah-bila/misguided-liberal-joseph-stiglitz-columbia-university-professor-and/) [Jedediah Bila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedediah-bila/) > [I work with The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. 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I want the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-stiles/i-m-going-to-columbia-university-but-i-m-trying-to-keep-that-low/) [Julia Stiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-stiles/) > [I worked at Columbia University's School of Public Health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/i-worked-at-columbia-university-s-school-of-public-health/) [Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/) > [As a health scientist at Columbia University, Les Roberts, pointed out, sooner or later people are going to be looking at a child in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/as-a-health-scientist-at-columbia-university-les-roberts-pointed-out/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Columbia University in 1959 had a kind of reputation that interested me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/columbia-university-in-1959-had-a-kind-of-reputation-that-interested/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [The young women, what can they not learn, what can they not achieve, with Columbia University annex thrown open to them? 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I prided myself on getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-koenig/i-went-to-columbia-university-because-i-knew-i-wanted-to-go-to-a/) [Ezra Koenig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-koenig/) ## More by Julia Bacha > [A film seeking to create change on a difficult issue should not try to provide a definitive historical overview, nor present an op-ed style…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/a-film-seeking-to-create-change-on-a-difficult-issue-should-not-try/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [For any filmmaker who has just released a film and who is experiencing some measure of success, the temptation can be great to respond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/for-any-filmmaker-who-has-just-released-a-film-and-who-is/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [Non-violence is not glamorous, and you don't see the effects right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/non-violence-is-not-glamorous-and-you-don-t-see-the-effects-right-away/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [Where is the Palestinian Gandhi?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/where-is-the-palestinian-gandhi/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [At the heart of any successful film is a powerful story. 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They both depend and thrive on the response of an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/violence-and-nonviolence-are-after-all-two-different-forms-of-theater/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [Nothing scares the army more than nonviolent opposition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/nothing-scares-the-army-more-than-nonviolent-opposition/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [ If we don't pay attention to \[nonviolent protests\], they are invisible, and it's as if they never happened. 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