Chapter 1 – The Girl Who Carried a Dream
Sarah was never a spoiled girl. Since her father became ill when she was still young, her life changed completely, and her days turned into an endless race just to keep going. She woke up before dawn, put on her old coat, and opened the creaky wooden door before starting her day with household chores. She prepared breakfast for her brother, helped him get dressed, and took him to school before returning to finish the rest of her responsibilities.
She lived in a small village in the north, famous for its beautiful landscapes and enchanting nature that captured anyone's attention. The villagers lived on farming and raising sheep, using their milk and its products. Most of them were simple in their clothes, food, and drink. Their lives were quiet but full of daily struggle. The region had a mild climate: cold in autumn and winter and warm in spring and summer.
Sarah's house was modest, standing at the edge of the village as if it were part of the land itself. Its walls were made of mud and old stones, and its roof of wood and sheets worn out by years of rain and cold. The wooden door creaked whenever it opened, as if complaining about time. Inside were only a few rooms and simple furniture: an old mat, a small table, and some pots hanging on the wall. There was nothing luxurious, but the place kept a special warmth created by the tired hands that lived in it. Poor in appearance, the house was rich in patience and stories.
Her family was simple and burdened with hardship. Her father was disabled and could not move except in his wheelchair, and he could do little more than speak. Her mother suffered from a chronic illness and needed medicine from public hospitals, like many poor villagers who lived with very little. Her brother, Hamza, was eleven years old and studied at the only school in the village.
But this day was different from all the others. From the very beginning, it felt special, as if something unseen was moving through the village air. It was the day Sarah's great dream came true: the baccalaureate certificate, the family's hope she had chased with all her strength and patience through sleepless nights and long, tiring evenings.
Sarah stood with her heart beating fast as she waited for the news. She remembered the years of effort, the cold mornings, and the nights of tears she had hidden from everyone. She was not waiting for a number, but for life to recognize everything she had given. And when her success was confirmed, the silence that covered the place was broken.
The news spread quickly through the narrow village streets, house by house, like fire. Women raised loud ululations that broke the morning calm, and voices rose with congratulations and prayers. Children left their games and ran between houses, happily repeating Sarah's name, while the men smiled as if the whole village had achieved one victory.
Her success was not ordinary; it was something the village had never seen before. Simple music came from the houses, feet danced on the dusty ground, and sweets were shared by happy hands. Even the mud walls seemed to celebrate. It was a day when joy rose from suffering, and Sarah's name stood in the center of the village like a small flag of hope above years of hard work.
After this achievement, Sarah began to think about the next step. She said to her father,
"I am only one step away from reaching my biggest goal."
Then she added with determination,
"I promise I will carry my family on my shoulders. It is only a matter of time. I will study hard to become an English teacher."
Her father smiled, tears in his eyes.
"I am very proud of you, and I trust you and your abilities. You have all my support, my daughter."
Her mother listened with a heavy heart, sad about her daughter leaving to continue her studies, the daughter who had carried many household burdens for her. Hamza stood in the corner of the room, quietly crying for the sister who loved and cared for him.
Between sadness, farewell tears, and the desire to succeed, Sarah decided to continue her studies at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities in a city far from her small village. She knew the road would not be easy, but she carried a bigger dream: to build a better future and lift her family out of poverty. Inside her was a strong determination that pushed her forward no matter how long the road would be.
As she imagined leaving her village, she could not stop asking herself:
Had she chosen the right path, or was she heading toward a harder test than she expected?