When she was 12, Salwa promised herself to complete her education and enter college. Day by day, she worked as hard as she could and studied day and night. She had planed her way and made sure she would achieve her goal.  Part of her dream became a reality when she graduated from high school with excellent grades.  She had a supportive mother and sister who encouraged her to enter college. But nothing in life is perfect. 

Salwa’s fiancé, who was working outside the country and had a high paying job, said he couldn’t wait anymore; he wanted to marry Salwa.

 “Well, ok we’ll get married. But you must let me finish my education” Salwa said.
“What do you mean?" He answered smiling
“Does it really need an explanation?” she asked.
“Well, I don’t think so.”
“Good, so we are agreeing” Salwa responded in relief.
“No we are not.” He said politely “I didn’t wait for you three years just to wait other four years.”
“Who said you will wait! I just said…”
“I know what you said” he interrupted her.  “See, I have a job, I have a house and I have a great future, what I need is a wife. Just a wife. A wife to share my life with, to make my house a heaven when I came back tired, to give me children and take care of them. What I want is a housewife, not a certificate. You understand me?”
“Yes but,” Salwa’s brother intervened, “I don’t think her studying will hinder your wishes.”
“And education is not only a certificate,” she followed, “It’s important for raising your children and it’ll help me make your house a heaven.”

He smiled, “first of all it’s not my child and my house. It’s ours if we agree. And your education needs four to five years, that’s makes it six years to have my first child. Also instead of coming home relaxing and having a good time after a long, hard work day, I’ll come to…”
“What are you trying to say?” Salwa interrupted.

“Nothing, I just want you to choose, either to marry me, live in my house, be a housewife and a mother or complete your education. You have just three days, I hope you will think wisely.” He stood up and left, leaving Salwa alone between two hells.

She didn’t expect that. She didn’t even imagine it would happen. Now what could she do? On one hand was a very nice guy with whom she would have a happy life. He is rich, well-mannered, well-educated and handsome. On the other hand she had a dream and 18 years of working and studying hard to fulfill that dream. She couldn’t choose.  Salwa asked her mother for help who simply said, “Look sweetheart, you are old enough now and you know what works for you. Think wisely and look at all your options then do what you think is right.”  “Sister, see I know it’s your dream, actually it’s our dream that you finish college” her brother said “I don’t want to tell you to stop here and get married.  No, but I’ll tell you to look at both of your choices and think. Opportunity comes only once in a lifetime, if we don’t recognize it, we will lose that opportunity forever.”

 Salwa, for the first time in her life felt she missed her father. She really envied girls whose fathers didn’t give them a choice; the fathers who just demanded with words.

The three days went by so fast but Salwa didn’t come up with a decision. “Marriage or education?” Her fiancé asked her what she decided. Salwa, without thinking, told him she chose to complete her education. Her decision was a shock to everyone. Her fiancé quietly and disappointedly left. A few weeks later he was married.

 For five years, Salwa studied in college until she graduated.  Unfortunately, her grades were not good enough. She couldn’t continue to be a lecturer in her college. Salwa was 24.  She needed to be independent and knew she couldn’t do better in school even if she repeated the last year. Seven months of looking for a job ended with nothing. Whenever she applied, there were about 60-80 other applicants who had better grades and experience.  Salwa didn’t know where else to apply and was desperate.  She thought about her ex-fiancé’s words and realized what a big mistake she had done. 

Two months later a friend of Salwa offered her to work as a teacher in her school.  “See, we really need teachers, all you must do is become a volunteer for a year then you will be an official teacher. What do you say?” Salwa signed up as a volunteer.  For a whole year she worked as hard as she could but when the time came, she was put aside. Her place was given to one of the school’s manager’s relatives. And another year of Salwa’s youth had gone.

 A few weeks later she found a job in a factory. She had to work 13 hours a day and the salary was not that good. At first she thought she would get a chance to work as an accountant or work in the administration department. But four months later, Salwa was still working in the factory as a line worker.  “I didn’t study all that to have this kind of job.” She explained to her family “I can’t do all that hard shit for nothing.” and so she quit.
Eventually Salwa yielded to her brother and mother’s opinion. She went back to college and studied the last year again. She really did her best but it wasn’t enough. Another long and hard working year gone for nothing; her grades were not much better. Five months later her brother came home with good news. “A friend of mine,” he said “has been promoted as a bank manager. I told him about you and he said he could find you a job in the bank.”

 The next day she visited the bank manager who was nice enough to offer her a job at the counter.   It was an easy job that paid well.  All it needed was for Salwa to deal with customers in a nice and polite manner.  

 For a year Salwa worked in every department in the bank.  At the end of that year Salwa was fired. “I know she is educated and has certificates,” the manager told her brother “but that doesn’t mean she is above others. She is no better than anyone else. You must understand my situation, I really did all I can but it’s just not working.  She couldn’t get along with her coworkers and customers, and that’s what our job is all about.”

Salwa was a year and a few months away from being 30.  She gained nothing from education, but lost everything: her youth and beauty, her fiancé, and her future. Who would marry a 30 year old woman without any special merits? No job, no money and no beauty. Her education had a high cost.  It cost Salwa everything, but Salwa became… nothing. 

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