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Engineering or Journalism? The perfect job vs. my dream career | Shahyan Tahseen | TEDxDuhok


so we are all sitting on this in this

so we are all sitting on this in this cozy small room me and my family it was

cozy small room me and my family it was

cozy small room me and my family it was five years ago we were sitting talking

five years ago we were sitting talking

five years ago we were sitting talking about how happy we are because I got a

about how happy we are because I got a

about how happy we are because I got a thank letter from the Minister of

thank letter from the Minister of

thank letter from the Minister of Reconstruction and housing in KRG he was

Reconstruction and housing in KRG he was

Reconstruction and housing in KRG he was praising me and my work I worked as an

praising me and my work I worked as an

praising me and my work I worked as an engineer back then on a project I put

engineer back then on a project I put

engineer back then on a project I put some traffic signs and guardrails I was

some traffic signs and guardrails I was

some traffic signs and guardrails I was paving the routes so he congratulated me

paving the routes so he congratulated me

paving the routes so he congratulated me as an engineer and everyone was talking

as an engineer and everyone was talking

as an engineer and everyone was talking about it suddenly my grandmother she

about it suddenly my grandmother she

about it suddenly my grandmother she told me isn’t it enough I said what she

told me isn’t it enough I said what she

told me isn’t it enough I said what she said you’ve been working in media ten

said you’ve been working in media ten

said you’ve been working in media ten years from now and you are a successful

years from now and you are a successful

years from now and you are a successful engineer now why don’t you just leave it

engineer now why don’t you just leave it

engineer now why don’t you just leave it it’s bad for your reputation as an

it’s bad for your reputation as an

it’s bad for your reputation as an engineer people will respect you more if

engineer people will respect you more if

engineer people will respect you more if you quit this job I love my grandmother

you quit this job I love my grandmother

you quit this job I love my grandmother by the way she’s very direct and I loved

by the way she’s very direct and I loved

by the way she’s very direct and I loved her even more at that moment because the

her even more at that moment because the

her even more at that moment because the thing that she did she did say to me

thing that she did she did say to me

thing that she did she did say to me that that was on most of people’s mind

that that was on most of people’s mind

that that was on most of people’s mind but no one dared to say it to my face so

but no one dared to say it to my face so

but no one dared to say it to my face so in that room everything took me to the

in that room everything took me to the

in that room everything took me to the moment I started this work it was 1999 I

moment I started this work it was 1999 I

moment I started this work it was 1999 I started as a kid I was only 11 years old

started as a kid I was only 11 years old

started as a kid I was only 11 years old it was very cool but on the other side

it was very cool but on the other side

it was very cool but on the other side it was very difficult for me because I

it was very difficult for me because I

it was very difficult for me because I had to prove myself as a successful

had to prove myself as a successful

had to prove myself as a successful presenter for my TV station on the other

presenter for my TV station on the other

presenter for my TV station on the other hand there was my family I had to prove

hand there was my family I had to prove

hand there was my family I had to prove to them that I’m a committed member of

to them that I’m a committed member of

to them that I’m a committed member of the family and I had to prove myself to

the family and I had to prove myself to

the family and I had to prove myself to everyone to my friends to the audience

everyone to my friends to the audience

everyone to my friends to the audience to everyone so it was a large burden on

to everyone so it was a large burden on

to everyone so it was a large burden on my shoulders and I was very little

back then presenters women working in

back then presenters women working in industry in this industry media industry

industry in this industry media industry

industry in this industry media industry was very very few you could count them

was very very few you could count them

was very very few you could count them on your fingers and those who were

on your fingers and those who were

on your fingers and those who were saying they were leaving us like

saying they were leaving us like

saying they were leaving us like choosing another stable life getting

choosing another stable life getting

choosing another stable life getting married taking and other decisions and

married taking and other decisions and

married taking and other decisions and the result was there was less women

the result was there was less women

the result was there was less women faces on-screen and more pressure on us

faces on-screen and more pressure on us

faces on-screen and more pressure on us who were staying in this field everyone

who were staying in this field everyone

who were staying in this field everyone was pointing kind at us in the society

was pointing kind at us in the society

was pointing kind at us in the society you all remember they were telling us

you all remember they were telling us

you all remember they were telling us how shameful our work was so all of us

how shameful our work was so all of us

how shameful our work was so all of us decided it’s enough for me I said I have

decided it’s enough for me I said I have

decided it’s enough for me I said I have to take a degree and I have to be good

to take a degree and I have to be good

to take a degree and I have to be good so other can respect me what did I do

so other can respect me what did I do

so other can respect me what did I do I worked hard I collected my strength

I worked hard I collected my strength

I worked hard I collected my strength and I started studying when my friends

and I started studying when my friends

and I started studying when my friends were in picnics in school I was at work

were in picnics in school I was at work

were in picnics in school I was at work when I had some breaks of work I was

when I had some breaks of work I was

when I had some breaks of work I was studying my exams it was very hard but

studying my exams it was very hard but

studying my exams it was very hard but after finishing high school I got a good

after finishing high school I got a good

after finishing high school I got a good mark a really good mark and the moment I

mark a really good mark and the moment I

mark a really good mark and the moment I took my results I was like running I was

took my results I was like running I was

took my results I was like running I was crying from happiness not only because I

crying from happiness not only because I

crying from happiness not only because I took a high degree but also because I

took a high degree but also because I

took a high degree but also because I could prove to my to myself first and

could prove to my to myself first and

could prove to my to myself first and then to my family that media has a good

then to my family that media has a good

then to my family that media has a good impact on me it can take the best of me

impact on me it can take the best of me

impact on me it can take the best of me so then it was the moment when all of us

so then it was the moment when all of us

so then it was the moment when all of us we’ve always all of us experienced that

we’ve always all of us experienced that

we’ve always all of us experienced that moment when your loss you don’t know

moment when your loss you don’t know

moment when your loss you don’t know what to do what to choose which college

what to do what to choose which college

what to do what to choose which college what I’m going to be my future same for

what I’m going to be my future same for

what I’m going to be my future same for me of course but I had a stable job

me of course but I had a stable job

me of course but I had a stable job working as a presenter but then my

working as a presenter but then my

working as a presenter but then my family said you are not going to the

family said you are not going to the

family said you are not going to the media college you have to take

media college you have to take

media college you have to take a suitable college suitable for your

a suitable college suitable for your

a suitable college suitable for your degree what to do I love build I love to

degree what to do I love build I love to

degree what to do I love build I love to build

build

build it’s always about building for me so I

it’s always about building for me so I

it’s always about building for me so I me and my family negotiated what to do

me and my family negotiated what to do

me and my family negotiated what to do what not to do

what not to do

what not to do I said I’m going to engineering because

I said I’m going to engineering because

I said I’m going to engineering because it’s always about well-being I went

it’s always about well-being I went

it’s always about well-being I went there I studied engineering and then I

there I studied engineering and then I

there I studied engineering and then I became an engineer it was really good

became an engineer it was really good

became an engineer it was really good I had the school job I was working on

I had the school job I was working on

I had the school job I was working on sites people respected me more adding

sites people respected me more adding

sites people respected me more adding this small title to your name engineer

this small title to your name engineer

this small title to your name engineer added a lot of things to me but then I

added a lot of things to me but then I

added a lot of things to me but then I was not satisfied because I thought I

was not satisfied because I thought I

was not satisfied because I thought I love to build okay but I love to build

love to build okay but I love to build

love to build okay but I love to build the mentality that drove us to that

the mentality that drove us to that

the mentality that drove us to that point that working in media especially

point that working in media especially

point that working in media especially is shameful I quitted engineering I

is shameful I quitted engineering I

is shameful I quitted engineering I started to focus on media media is all

started to focus on media media is all

started to focus on media media is all about structures just like engineering

about structures just like engineering

about structures just like engineering when you want to have a good program a

when you want to have a good program a

when you want to have a good program a good structure you have to work really

good structure you have to work really

good structure you have to work really really hard harder than engineering we

really hard harder than engineering we

really hard harder than engineering we have two challenges in media first as a

have two challenges in media first as a

have two challenges in media first as a journalist you host politicians doctors

journalist you host politicians doctors

journalist you host politicians doctors engineers different experts from

engineers different experts from

engineers different experts from different fields as a good journalist

different fields as a good journalist

different fields as a good journalist you have to know more than each of your

you have to know more than each of your

you have to know more than each of your guests the knowledge and the research

guests the knowledge and the research

guests the knowledge and the research you make is the first challenge that we

you make is the first challenge that we

you make is the first challenge that we all face

all face

all face the second challenge for us specially as

the second challenge for us specially as

the second challenge for us specially as a woman luckily there’s a good number of

a woman luckily there’s a good number of

a woman luckily there’s a good number of women now working in media field but the

women now working in media field but the

women now working in media field but the challenge is to prove to the audience to

challenge is to prove to the audience to

challenge is to prove to the audience to the society that me it’s not all about

the society that me it’s not all about

the society that me it’s not all about my face it’s not all about my appeal

my face it’s not all about my appeal

my face it’s not all about my appeal I’m not a doll I’m not just talking I

I’m not a doll I’m not just talking I

I’m not a doll I’m not just talking I know I have the knowledge so this is the

know I have the knowledge so this is the

know I have the knowledge so this is the big challenge now for us women working

big challenge now for us women working

big challenge now for us women working in media we sacrificed a lot in this

in media we sacrificed a lot in this

in media we sacrificed a lot in this field just to prove this point that a

field just to prove this point that a

field just to prove this point that a woman is not only about a beautiful face

woman is not only about a beautiful face

woman is not only about a beautiful face on screen you just just don’t watch and

on screen you just just don’t watch and

on screen you just just don’t watch and then turn to another channel it’s not

then turn to another channel it’s not

then turn to another channel it’s not only about that we sacrificed a lot

only about that we sacrificed a lot

only about that we sacrificed a lot recently a superstar a beautiful young

recently a superstar a beautiful young

recently a superstar a beautiful young lady a good presenter

lady a good presenter

lady a good presenter and one of the best journalists our

and one of the best journalists our

and one of the best journalists our colleagues chief augur g-god Martin just

colleagues chief augur g-god Martin just

colleagues chief augur g-god Martin just to prove that point that it’s not only

to prove that point that it’s not only

to prove that point that it’s not only about her beautiful face she can do

about her beautiful face she can do

about her beautiful face she can do something she can make change just like

something she can make change just like

something she can make change just like men do this was the second challenge and

men do this was the second challenge and

men do this was the second challenge and still it is as I said there is a huge

still it is as I said there is a huge

still it is as I said there is a huge number of women now working in this

number of women now working in this

number of women now working in this field but we have to work really hard to

field but we have to work really hard to

field but we have to work really hard to make good journalists not only women

make good journalists not only women

make good journalists not only women working in this field so many times I

working in this field so many times I

working in this field so many times I gave up I was about to give up but then

gave up I was about to give up but then

gave up I was about to give up but then I could see some lights of hope I would

I could see some lights of hope I would

I could see some lights of hope I would say ok let me try again and after so

say ok let me try again and after so

say ok let me try again and after so many tries I think I would go back to

many tries I think I would go back to

many tries I think I would go back to the same room that I talked first last

the same room that I talked first last

the same room that I talked first last week I came back from a will I came back

week I came back from a will I came back

week I came back from a will I came back to home we are all saying people sitting

to home we are all saying people sitting

to home we are all saying people sitting in the same room talking about me and my

in the same room talking about me and my

in the same room talking about me and my work but this time luckily it was not

work but this time luckily it was not

work but this time luckily it was not about engineering only it was about one

about engineering only it was about one

about engineering only it was about one of my shows that

of my shows that

of my shows that a minister responded to the call of

a minister responded to the call of

a minister responded to the call of people we talked about it and this is

people we talked about it and this is

people we talked about it and this is the reason that we all continue if you

the reason that we all continue if you

the reason that we all continue if you want to make that change you have to

want to make that change you have to

want to make that change you have to work really hard it’s not only about

work really hard it’s not only about

work really hard it’s not only about luck thank you

luck thank you

luck thank you [Applause]

”

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