The Beginning
A dream is a beautiful feeling that visits the human soul whenever one longs for something they wish to achieve. Yet, the most beautiful thing about a dream is not the dream itself, but the moment when doors open before it, and your feet take their very first steps toward it.
That was exactly how Layan felt as she stood in awe before the campus of Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands on her first day.
She inhaled the crisp morning air, feeling as though she had been reborn in this place. The modern buildings, with their glass facades, blended intelligently with the surrounding traditional architecture, creating a breathtaking harmony between the legacy of the past and the ambition of the future.
The noise of students from different nationalities, their laughter, and their small academic conversations filled the place with a spirit that made her heart race with excitement.
Layan’s bright eyes wandered over every corner. She admired the advanced laboratories she had dreamed of entering and the libraries where she had imagined spending countless nights studying. She finally felt that she had arrived at the place where she would build her future as an ambitious Yemeni engineer.
While she was busy trying to decipher the paper map of the campus in her hands, she missed a step and collided with a solid figure she had not expected. The map nearly slipped from her grasp, and she quickly raised her eyes to apologize—only for the words to freeze on her lips.
Standing before her was a young man with unmistakably Eastern features. His deep black eyes carried a quiet spark of intelligence, and his jet-black hair was neatly styled. He held a large book about structural engineering, while a warm smile softened his face and eased the awkwardness of the moment.
"I'm so sorry. It seems I was walking into your path without paying attention," he said gently.
What truly surprised Layan was that he spoke in Arabic, as if he had recognized her identity from her features alone.
She felt a slight embarrassment, warmth spreading across her face, but the calm tone of his voice reassured her.
"No… it's alright. I was the one paying more attention to the map than the road. Thank you," she replied, gathering her confidence.
The young man glanced at the map in her hand and pointed toward a building on the left.
"First-year students always get lost in this corridor. If you're looking for the main lecture hall, it's behind that glass building."
Then he added with a polite smile:
"By the way, I'm Adam."
Layan smiled naturally, feeling a strange comfort in this unexpected encounter.
"Thank you… I'm Layan."
Adam politely walked away after a brief farewell, while Layan remained standing for a moment, watching his figure disappear among the crowd. Then she returned her attention to her path, but this time with a smile that refused to leave her face as she continued toward her dream.
She returned home with that same smile still brightening her features. Beginnings always carried a special kind of magic, filled with excitement that made one feel as though the entire world was within reach.
That was Layan’s nature; she always saw herself as strong enough to overcome obstacles and reach the title of "Engineer"—the dream she had carried in her heart for years.
She surrendered to a short nap to regain her energy, then headed toward the kitchen, where the warm scent of food welcomed her. There, she found her uncle Nasser busy preparing dinner.
She smiled and said teasingly:
"Oh… you're here! Since when did you discover your hidden talent for cooking?"
Her uncle turned toward her with a smile.
"I knocked on your door earlier, but you didn't answer. I figured the excitement of your first day must have carried you straight into the world of dreams. So… tell me, how was your first day in the university battlefield?"
Layan answered enthusiastically as she sat across from him:
"It was much better than I imagined, Uncle! The university is incredible, and the buildings… I felt like this was the place where I was meant to be."
With pride shining in his eyes, her uncle placed the dinner plates on the table and said:
"I knew you would succeed. You have the same determination I saw in your father, may he rest in peace. You will become the best Yemeni engineer in Europe—not just in the Netherlands."
His words touched her deeply. She smiled gratefully.
"Thank you, Uncle. Having you by my side is what gives me this strength."
Then, trying to change the subject, she asked softly:
"But tell me, when will the twins arrive? I miss their noise and laughter filling the house."
Her uncle laughed.
"I'll call them tomorrow. And I think their longing for you is even greater than yours for them. The house has become too quiet without them, don't you think?"
After dinner, as they always did, they sat together in front of the television with a large bowl of popcorn. They chose a light comedy movie that filled the house with laughter, easing the weight of homesickness and the responsibilities of studying abroad.
As midnight approached, Layan felt her eyelids growing heavy. She stood up and said:
"Alright, I surrender. I'm going to sleep now. Tomorrow is waiting for me with a long day and new adventures at the university."
Her uncle smiled warmly.
"Sleep well, my daughter. Rest as much as you can. The road ahead requires a lot of energy."
Layan entered her room and closed her eyes, replaying the events of the day in her mind. As sleep slowly claimed her, the memory of a warm smile and deep black eyes appeared before her again—the eyes she had met in the corridors of Delft.
The image of Adam passed through her dreams.
