PETALING JAYA – Inspirational stories are always heartwarming, and such is the case for a burger seller’s daughter who is now pursuing her masters at Columbia University in New York City.
In a TikTok video detailing her journey “From Selayang to New York”, Azida Azmi expressed her disbelief on how she could pursue her dreams.
“Worked hard to climb my way up, but even now, it still feels a bit blurry.
“But that’s okay, I’ll just keep going," she said on TikTok.
@gniwoem From UiTM to Columbia :D Worked hard to climb my way up, but even now, it still feels a bit blurry. But that’s okay, I’ll just keep going. I have always been someone who is scared of taking space, unsure if I have the capacity of building my own table. But then again, I don’t really have a choice, I have to shamelessly make room for myself in spaces where I’m not welcomed, because I have a family to take care of :) My Columbia journey begins :D #fyp #uitm #columbiauniversity #postgraduate #studentlife ♬ Scott street x i know the end - ella
Posting under the @gniwoem handle, Azida said: “I never thought this day would come. Always thought I’d just sell burgers with my mum.”
In the comment section, she told her followers that her mother is about to undergo heart surgery.
“Actually, I'm leaving my mom, who’s about to do a heart surgery…but I think of it as seeking a greater journey so I can provide her a better life,” Azida said.
Azida, who is taking up a masters in conflict resolution and negotiation at Columbia, was formerly a student at Universiti Institut Teknologi Mara (UiTM).
She received many congratulatory messages as people expressed their joy looking at her success story.
For them
Azida also shared a video of her bidding her family farewell at the airport.
“I worked really, really hard to be where I am today. All that hard work, so that none of my family members ever have to become immigrants ever again,” she said.
In an online article, Azida said her mother hails from Indonesia and came here as a teenager to support her family.
Azida’s mother later married Azida’s father and is now a permanent resident in Malaysia.
She used to help her mother out at their burger stall in Selayang.
In her video, Azida said her parents never made it to high school, which is why she is pursuing this dream on their behalf.
She also mentioned that she was the first in her family to pursue higher education.
Her journey began after she completed her STPM examination and proceeded to attain an undergraduate degree in English for intercultural communication at UiTM Shah Alam.
She previously spent a month in the United States, where she represented Malaysia under the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative fellowship. – The Vibes, September 16, 2023
