How to get scholarship in Europe

 How to keep getting scholarships (and jobs) in Europe? 

5 tips and tricks from someone who did it. 

Here are five tips that I will give you if you want to survive in Europe and keep getting scholarships (and jobs).

1. Do not go after PR

Many Pakistani students come here and forget about the career they have. Instead, their focus is on getting permanent residence in the EU. Eventually, some of them do get a PR but everything comes at a cost. Their career is compromised, and they have to work odd jobs their whole lives. In contrast, I focused on my career. Therefore, changing countries within the EU was not a problem for me. Of course, that means I do not have PR, but that’s the sacrifice I am willing to make.

2. Do not focus on rich countries only

Everyone wants to study and live in Germany. No doubt that it has many job opportunities but also high competition. Also, the living standards in Germany are not as good as in Mediterranean countries like Spain and Italy. People are social and happy. The food is good and the weather is nice. Yes, the salary won’t be as good as in Germany but no country is perfect. If you really like Germany or the US, go for it. But if you just want to live somewhere nicer, there are other options.

3. Money vs. career mindset

Some people want to earn money, and some want to achieve their dreams (and earn money). The difference is in the preference. If money is what you are after, you will end up doing odd jobs and earn that money. But this will happen at the cost of your career. In short term, it is good to earn some cash, but investing your time and energies in you career will get you much further. Learn more skills, work on some nice research projects or volunteer. All of them will help you much more than some odd job. If you really need the money to survive, try freelancing because that will increase your skills and knowledge. That’s what I did when I was unemployed.

4. Learn an EU language

Yes, we all want to live in English-speaking countries but so do the millions of other people who speak English. The result is high competition and no place for average students like me. If you learn an EU language, your chances of getting employed can sky-rocket in the EU. Not to mention how it will make your life easier and worth living here. Research shows that learning a new language is also very good for the brain so you will become more intelligent.

5. Integrate into the EU

How to learn a language and culture of a country? The easier option is to enroll yourself in a language course but the best solution is to integrate yourself into society. Hang out with the locals and enjoy life. The famous proverb goes; when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Practice your language but also show your interest in their country. There is nothing wrong with being patriotic but sometimes we become too obsessed with our country and only want to talk about Pakistan. Show some interest in the country where you are living also. If Pakistan is perfect, there is no need to come here.

Here you go. Hope these tips help you enjoy your stay in the EU. Let me know what you think and if I missed something.

Work ethics

Aey Musalmaan!

Are you one of those who always find it difficult to develop loving affair with their office bosses and working environment!

 Despite of a long working career by now, I have still failed to understand or learn how to be in good books of my bosses. I seriously don’t understand “Boss ko patatay kaisay hain yar”!!

   Every time when I feel that am doing good and people are happy around me, a clock in my mind start tickling hard, and I feel that every passing second is nearing my annual leave. So somehow I gather the entire strength, take a deep breath, hold my neck high and

 “Excuse me sir”

And before boss’s slow and obsolete processor interprets what I have just said, I enter his office, assuming that the answer would definitely had been

“Yes, come in”!

Today, it was the day…finally am going to ask him for a leave! And my ever wish of a leisure trip to northern areas, with an amazing group which am sure am going to find and in that too I will meet someone whom I had always seen in my dreams ……just like in movies….wow….Bullshit!!

It was my boss.

“What kind of bullshit is this”!

“Abdullah, I think you should look into this. Ahmed is new and he is not getting things right. Next week the foreign delegation is coming and we need to get ourselves geared up”!

‘Yes Sir ’, I could not say anything else.

While working on that ‘Bullshit’ which my boss assigned me to clean up for him, I was wondering that how on the earth he came to know that am planning for a leave.

‘He definitely knew it, and had nothing better than this crap to do away with my little wish of leave’….ohhhh my love, again I failed to reach you!

And now what am going to tell people around me who often ask me, ‘aur bhai…shadi wadi kar li k nae?’

‘Nae yar, bas abi talash e gumshuda jari hai’, my pet answer with a stupid smile.

And at this moment I realized that how much I hate doing work.

Any how I did not have enough time and was to submit my work before the end of the say, so I quickly turned on my laptop, placed on a serious and annoying look on my face, Plugged in my headphones into my laptop and there it goes. 

I saw my colleagues in the praying area, tired looks on their faces and shoulder tilted down as if they are carrying tones of load.

And of course my body language was not very different.

What ?

You don’t expect me to be energetic and fresh after such hard work of 1:30 hr!

To be continued…………..