I'm finally done with my PhD

Assalamualaikum!

With a humble heart, I would like to share that I finally finished my PhD

Alhamdulillah with this blessing

I never imagine that this will come true

I can still remember 4 years ago when I step on Arizona soil, a very foreign land for me

I cried for almost a week because of homesick

Now I'm done

I can go home!!!

Not alone but with a Ph.D., a husband, and insyaAllah a baby boy

Alhamdulillah with all the blessing that I have now

So the defense went very smooth

I manage to answer every single question that asked by audience and my committee members

I am so glad that reading and prepared myself to write the book chapter was worth it

All the questions were general questions that related to my field

If I read enough, then I will not have the problem to answer that

Now I'm waiting for my graduation ceremony that will be on December 17 this year

After that, I have to deliver my baby here because that time will be too late for me to leave

I will be almost full-term by that time

So I can only leave after confinement here

That's okay

At least my mom and my sister are coming on January to take care of me and my baby

I wish I will be able to take them somewhere near especially to taste the snow up north Arizona

We will see

But after all, it's such a big relief that I am finally done with my study

It feels so surreal and I still couldn't believe that I'm a doctor now

When I passed the defense yesterday, my Professor called me Dr. Kamarudin (they call by last/family name here)

I feel like I want to cry

I wish my dad is still alive to see what have I achieved

He would be so proud to see me holding the degree

But it's okay, I believe that he is watching me now from the other side

At least my mom is still here to celebrate this important mile of my life with me

I am very very grateful to be surrounded with people that always support me

Without them, I don't know how I can survive this journey

I almost quit this 2 years ago but I never did

I keep going, keep pushing myself

Countless sad and angry moments

I can't even remember how many times I cried and even ask myself why I do this, why I'm doing phd

But alhamdulillah I still make sure to keep on striving 

And it's worth it

I am looking forward to moving to Malaysia and start teaching

COntribute my knowledge, what I have learned here with my future students

#phdone

link to my defense on youtube: https://youtu.be/znw6GbURSSg