Ammar Younas: "My internship was a life-changing experience"

September 10, 2015

Now a junior of International and Comparative Politics, Ammar Younas spent an unforgettable summer attending the Summer School of Finland, participating in a Model UN Conference in Germany, visiting the Expo 2015 in Milan, Italy, as well as completing an internship at HRCP in Pakistan. Ammar shares with us his unique experiences and impressions.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

When I was 15, I finished high school and was admitted to the Honors BSc program in Biotechnology at the FCC University in Lahore, Pakistan. I studied there for one regular semester and a summer semester. After, I left for Kyrgyzstan to study medicine at the International University of Kyrgyzstan. By the time I was 21, I had received my MD, making me one of the youngest medical doctors in the world. Part-time, I also studied finance at Maupfib in Kyrgyzstan, eventually getting my degree in finance as well.

I received a Masters scholarship to study Political Marketing at the Rome Business School, which I will complete through distance learning this October. I enjoy studying Urdu Poetry, Philosophy, and different historical writings of Muslims writers.

 

Why did you decide to study at AUCA? Why did you choose your department instead of any other? What you can tell about studying at AUCA and about the university itself?

I have always been interested in Social Sciences. My father was a Professor of Political Science, and my mother was a teacher with a Master’s in Education and Urdu Literature. In our home, we had a small library with lots of books on many topics. I often discussed various political issues at home with my parents. I excelled in Arts and Social Science, though I was not as good in Pure and Applied Sciences. I participated in debate tournaments, declamation contests, public speaking competitions, and Model UN conferences; all these increased my interest in Political Science. My parents wanted me to get a professional degree like medicine, so I started studying medicine. After completing degrees in medicine and finance, I could have decided to get a Master’s in Political Science, but because I was young and had the time, I chose to start from the basics and get a Bachelor’s. AUCA was my first choice because I had already fallen in love with Kyrgyzstan and did not want to leave. Within Kyrgyzstan, AUCA was the only institution to meet my requirements for an ideal university: a Liberal Arts system that allowed me the freedom to choose the courses I wanted. By 2017, I will have a total of five degrees.

 

How you were selected for the International Summer School at the University of Lapland? How did you learn about the program?

At one time, I was studying “Bio-politics.” It occurred to me that this school of thought could be more than a philosophical idea. The University of Lapland was offering a degree in Bio-politics, and while I was browsing their website I stumbled upon their Summer School in Social Sciences. I applied and was selected. As there was no tuition fee and I had never been to Scandinavia, I decided to go without a second thought.

 

Why did you decide to apply? What difficulties have you faced during this process?

I received an invitation to participate in the “International Model UN Conference” held at the University of Gottingen, in Germany. That conference took place immediately after the Summer School. Afterwards was the “Milan Expo 2015,” then the Rome Business School, and finally I was selected for an internship at the “Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.” These back-to-back events were more than enough to make my summer an exciting experience. Fortunately, these commitments did not present any logistical difficulties. SILC helped me purchase my ticket to Finland, and because the summer had been planned well in advance, my other transportation, accommodations, and other expenses were also already set.

 

Had you been to Finland before? What are your impressions of the university, professors, students, as well as the country and culture?

It was my first time in Finland. It is a very beautiful country. The University of Lapland is a young research institution offering very innovative courses. Professors are very competitive and experienced. People in Finland are very polite and friendly, but there were not many people on the roads and not many places to visit in the Rovanaimi city, so I was a little bored. In the summer the sun never sets and one cannot tell night from day. In Finland, I visited Santa Claus Village, met with Santa Claus, crossed the Arctic Circle with AUCA’s flag, and went to many exhibitions. I tried a Finnish Sauna, made a daily 4.5 km trek to the university, met with students from many countries, and learned many things about social work in different parts of the world.

 

Where else have you been over the summer?

I was in Finland for the Summer School and then I entered Germany via Denmark. I stayed in Hannover, Germany for three days before heading to the Model UN Conference at the University of Gottingen where I stayed for four days. I then took a bus through Switzerland to Milan for the Milan Expo 2015. There I visited the Kyrgyzstan Pavilion and represented AUCA. I then spent three days at the Rome Business School until my flight to Istanbul, Turkey where I would spend another three days. Even though I learned Turkish in Kyrgyzstan, I never had the opportunity to visit Turkey. In Istanbul, I met up with my Turkish Language Coordinator, a PhD Candidate at Marmara University. She showed me the ins and outs of the city and and briefed me on every historic building and tourist site. In a sense, my brief vacation in Istanbul was also a very important learning experience. I flew from Istanbul to Lahore, Pakistan, and then started working at my internship in the Complaint Cell of the HRCP of the “Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.” It was an incredible opportunity to work with the most prominent Human Rights Activists of Pakistan. My job was to prepare a mid-year report of the HRCP. I was also a mentor in the four-day conference “All-Pakistan Youth Model UN Conference” in Islamabad. Suffice to say I remained busy the whole summer.

Tell us an interesting story from your trip.

While I was in Finland, there were other Pakistani students, all of whom were representing Pakistan. I decided to represent Kyrgyzstan instead. Once, we had to do a panel discussion and final presentation where we had to represent our countries, and I decided to stick with my Kyrgyz identity. My final presentation was on Kyrgyzstan, AUCA, and my social work. We also had a Cultural Night and every country had to present something from their own culture. I was very stressed because I was alone in representing Kyrgyzstan and no one else could help me prepare something. In the end, I presented a video on Kyrgyzstan from YouTube and danced to the “Kara Jorgo” song. I had to risk my reputation as a serious participant and my ego because I had never really danced before; however, when I started dancing, all other participants joined in. I still laugh a lot when I remember my dance moves during that performance. It was an unforgettable experience.

My second most interesting experience was seeing the Great LGBT Parade in Rome Italy. It so happened that the Rome Pride Parade was the day after my arrival in Rome. I had no idea it was one the biggest gatherings of the LGBT community in Europe. I will probably never get another chance in my life to see something like it.

 

What experience did you get from this summer abroad?

I learned a lot over the summer. My internship was a life-changing experience. It was very motivating to work with the best human rights activists, social critics, and prominent lawyers for my country. I was continually impressed by their knowledge, experience, and motivation to work for human rights. During my internship, I learned about the many different types of cases of human rights violations. While preparing my report, I had the opportunity to read letters from several people who were experiencing human rights violations in their homes, communities, jails, hospitals, and other institutions. These letters were very emotional and full of pain and sorrow. I also learned about how authority responds to these various human rights violations. This experience was invaluable in teaching me the techniques and tricks for dealing with different cases of human rights violations. Now I feel confident enough to react appropriately in these cases.

 

How have your world views or life goals changed after this experience?

In general, my life, my views on life, and my goals in life have not changed substantially. I would say I have come to know that there are many more things to learn and to explore in life. I believe everything is relative. Many things which seem static to other people are dynamic for me. Before this summer, I just had a sketch of my five-year-plan. After this summer, I know where my competencies lie and can clearly see what I need to do moving forward.

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