anayem314 Introduction Blog

Hello everyone!

 My name is Asif Nayem. I am originally from Bangladesh, a small south Asian country. I grew up in Dhaka, the capital. I moved to USA 3 years ago. Currently I live in Tempe, very close from the ASU campus. I love it here!

 In my culture, parents select nicknames and it is as official as it gets. My nickname is Rafshan. My Bangladeshi friends call me Rafshan, American friends call me Asif. 

When I was young I had so many goals ranging from astronaut to soccer star, but being a doctor was never my goal. After moving to USA my goal has changed dramatically. I am doing my pre-medical here at ASU, I want to become a doctor. After finishing my studies, my goal is to spend a significant amount of time for humanitarian causes. I also want to travel as much as I can.

 I am a traveler. I have traveled in a lot of countries.It`s hard for me to choose just one place that everyone should visit, because there are so many amazing places in this world! I will choose my two favorite places. First would be Prague, the capital of Czech Republic, a central European country. I absolutely love that city. The whole city is like a well preserved museum. Beautiful Gothic and Baroque architecture in literally every street corner. Beautiful countryside, friendly people, quality food, excellent  transportation system makes it a top travel destination in my book.

Evening in Prague

 Second place I want to mention is relatively unknown, Corregidor Island, Philippines, some 45 minutes off  Manila by ship. It's an amazingly well preserved World War II historical site. Pre World war it was an American military reservation. It was the site of some important battles that happened in the pacific theater .I was astounded by how well it is preserved, nobody lives in that island anymore and only a few tourists are allowed everyday. You can find old pieces of mortars and shells in the ground! I found a piece of shell that was fired from a Japanese mortar during the battle and  I am glad they allowed me to keep it!

Topside Barrack (Corregidor Island)

 I really want to visit Machu-Pichu in Peru. I have heard so many travelers say that It's the best place to visit. I am currently saving up money for that trip.
One funny thing about me is that me and my mom share the same birthday. I am pretty sure I am the best birthday present she ever had.

 As an immigrant, I think the most defining characteristic of American culture is freedom of speech. It's very different from some other parts of the world,even some developed countries, where you can get persecuted for your beliefs and life choices. I love that in America you are allowed to practice your own beliefs and culture and no one have to be afraid for their beliefs. This is one of the major characteristic of American society that makes this country great.