A Dream That’s Not Impossible
A Dream That’s Not Impossible
I’m Olaa, and my story is unusual—perhaps unlike anything you’ve heard before. I’ve had a strange dream all my life, and every time I talked about it, people laughed at me.
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| A Dream That’s Not Impossible. |
Since I was little, I loved looking up at the sky and contemplating it. I often wondered what lies beyond the sky—surely, there’s another world outside the one we live in. As I grew older and learned about space, I became fascinated by videos about space exploration and the universe beyond.
When girls at school were asked what they wanted to be, some said engineers, others said doctors. But I always said I wanted to go to space. Everyone laughed and thought I was joking. No one knew that this was my true dream, not a joke.
The older I grew, the bigger my dream became. I even dreamt of flying in space at night. I was always passionate about staying fit, so I joined running and gymnastics. When my mom asked me why I was doing all this, saying, “You’re a girl, not a boy,” I told her it was because I wanted to be fit enough to be an astronaut. She laughed and said, “You’ll grow up, get wiser, and forget this dream.”
Despite the discouragement from those around me—some told me to be realistic, and others said, “Even men can’t make it to space, so how can you as a woman?”—I didn’t give up. Admittedly, their words sometimes filled me with doubt, but my passion for my dream was stronger than any fear. I studied hard and excelled, but I never lost sight of my dream. I kept reading about space and the universe until I graduated high school and enrolled in the Faculty of Science, majoring in Space Science. The more I studied, the more determined I became to hold onto my dream, even if others thought it was impossible.
I graduated with honors and became a teaching assistant at the university. I conducted numerous research studies, and luckily, one of my professors noticed my dedication and hard work. One day, he asked me, “Why did you choose this field, Alaa? Isn’t it odd for a girl like you to study space science?”
I replied, “What’s really odd is classifying our dreams based on gender—whether we’re boys or girls. My dream is to travel to space and be the first Egyptian female astronaut. Should I abandon this dream just because I’m a girl?”
He smiled and said, “So that’s why you joined this department and were always eager to learn everything about space, even topics outside the curriculum.”
I replied, “Exactly! And I’ll keep pursuing my dream to see the outer world one day.”
I worked even harder and completed my master’s degree. One day, my professor surprised me by inviting me to join him on a scientific trip to the U.S. to attend an important conference. He also said he had a surprise for me. I didn’t hesitate to accept, even after convincing my family through many discussions that this trip would benefit my career. I couldn’t turn down any opportunity to learn more about space.
During the conference, the surprise was revealed—an announcement of a competition to select a new team of astronauts for a space mission.
I looked at my professor with tears in my eyes and asked, “Is it possible?”
He said, “Why not? Let’s give it a try. You just need to pass all the tests.”
For the first time, fear crept into my heart—the fear of losing the dream I’d lived for my whole life, and perhaps the fear of being so close to making it come true.
I applied for the competition. Some opposed my participation because I was a woman, but with my professor’s encouragement and support, I was accepted and started the rigorous tests. I won’t deny that the tests were extremely difficult—some participants even withdrew. But my dream gave me the drive to succeed. I’d lived my whole life seeing myself as the astronaut of the future. I took tests in fitness, speed, physics, and more. With God’s grace, I passed and became the only woman selected for the team—and the first Egyptian female astronaut.
After years of preparation and training, I’m now standing in front of the spacecraft that will take us on a journey to space. The time has come for me to achieve my dream, to see the world I’ve always imagined, and to prove that what everyone thought was impossible can, in fact, come true.
Never give up on your dreams or call them impossible. Your determination and belief in yourself can bring you closer to your goals with every step. Believe in your dream, and one day, you’ll make it happen.
