Passport Denied: Why Visas Keep This Traveling Student Grounded

Passport Denied: Why Visas Keep This Traveling Student Grounded
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

For those of us coming from a third world country, traveling is a privilege. And with visa approvals, for a Pakistani like me, traveling is a privilege that is often out of reach.

I am telling you one part of my traveling story that is full of struggle, failure, pain, success, relief, and achievement; it is a story which recycles every time in this exact sequence: As a young student, I have the privilege to travel and live in four countries a year exploring different societies and cultures at the world’s first traveling high school, THINK Global School (TGS). But, this process is often complicated due to my Pakistani passport, and while I should be out in the world engaging in experiential learning, life-altering encounters, and lessons in growth, I’m often left at home.

A “never give up” attitude aided in getting all of these visas, and it allowed me to break the stereotypes held by Pakistanis that traveling is impossible and unworthy of consideration.

As per the first year of my traveling with TGS, my destinations varied from Peru to US, and from Morocco to Canada. For a Pakistani like me, these were dream places to explore. Thoughts of hiking along Inca trails to Machu Picchu and enjoying walks through the narrow medina streets of Fez were permanently etched in my head. My traveling dreams were coming true; however, it was accompanied by fear. Fear of losing the privilege through no actions of my own. Afterall, dreams and fear go hand-in-hand.

It is a struggle to get visa stamps on my green Pakistani passport, the one that stands second to last on the Global Power Passport Rank by Passport Index. From a rejected US visa to a six-week long process for my Moroccan visa (constituting application disapproval four times), from no Peruvian embassy in Pakistan to an attempt of getting a third country national visa for Canada, it all has been a struggle that initially was full of failures. Failure to apply on time due to numerous required documents and making it to our set destination on time. With rejections and no-way-out situations, it accumulated to the level of pain. Nothing seemed more daunting and stinging to this 18-year old than this pain. Excitement for traveling with peers from all around the world turned into anxiety.

Sorely missed in India

Sorely missed in India

Niladri

Grit, willpower, passion, dedication, and resilience are key qualities that can overturn a biased and discriminatory system. With these qualities, I have been able to submit all of my applications and generate the vibe of success, and these submissions gave a sense of relief. My hard work paid off: I was able to travel freely during my 11th grade year. With the visa stamps obtained for the above mentioned destinations, I felt my anxiety slip away, replaced by a feeling of privilege.

A “never give up” attitude aided in getting all of these visas, and it allowed me to break the stereotypes held by Pakistanis that traveling is impossible and unworthy of consideration.

However, I have also seen fear becoming a reality. I am witnessing this during the first term of my senior year, taking place in India, probably the most crucial term during my high school career. It was the toughest of struggles to find someone who could sponsor me for the Indian visa application. After exhausting all contacts, I had some luck in finding a sponsor and submitting the application. Success and Relief. But the cycle couldn’t complete itself this time. After waiting for 50 days, my Indian visa got rejected because of the low-key diplomatic relationships between Pakistan and India. Despite all of my efforts, I am currently staying home and doing distance learning.

It is not easy to be away from the platform that I have fallen in love with. It is a tough time. It’s the worst time. It is a time when I have been left with nothing but to move out of my comfort zone. I am scared of lonesomeness, but it is the only thing I see from dawn to dusk. There is no Pauli and Chloë to greet me in the morning, there is no Pablo and Andrew to hang out with in the evening. I am alone. But I am still moving. Despite so many hurdles, I am moving forward. Sometimes swiftly, sometimes slowly. TGS taught me to succeed in all situations under any circumstances, no matter how hard they can get.

My message to you: never let circumstances stop you from achieving your goals. The situation I am in might be a curse, but I see it as a blessing an experience to look inward and grow as a person. Among these processes, I grow ever stronger. Resilient. Independent. Passionate. Strong-minded. Patient.

My experiences with this aspect of traveling urge me to become a change agent so that future generations from third world countries do not have to face issues that could be a barrier to their own success.

-The following post was written by THINK Global School student Wajahat M.

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot