One of the periods of my life that I am proud of is when I engaged in the martial arts Karate in the Salmiya Club in Kuwait. In my 12 years athletic career, from the age of six I have started my journey. By the age of 11, I have achieved black belt 1st Dan and won numerous gold medals at the local level. And by the time I was 17, I have had participated in a competitive championships on the international stage. Some of my prominent achievements are 3rd place in world championships and 1st place in Asian championships. I have been to more than 15 countries as a Karate Kuwait National team representative athlete. Of those trips, I was a team captain for three trips where I took a leadership position to assist the coaches and led my fellow players in the campsite and on the competition floor.
Karate to me is more than a sport or self defence skill. It is indeed a great institution in which I learned discipline, resilience and humility. It is a place where one can learn how to push one limits in order to reach their goal. A place where one is allowed and rewarded to focus single mindedly without giving up on a dream of being a champion. I realized that there is always room for improvement and development and one should stay humble in the endeavor. I developed strength and character in a way that became handy in my journey to the United States. Today, I still practice Karate as a recreational activity.
