{"id":67513,"date":"2023-08-15T10:15:52","date_gmt":"2023-08-15T14:15:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/?p=67513"},"modified":"2023-08-18T17:44:16","modified_gmt":"2023-08-18T21:44:16","slug":"the-college-student-getting-a-fresh-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-college-student-getting-a-fresh-start\/","title":{"rendered":"The College Student Getting a Fresh Start"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Rodaba-at-Bard-20-1.jpg\" alt=\"Rodaba Noori, now a student at Bard College, stands in front of Montgomery Place, a mansion overlooking the Hudson River. (Credit: Kate Brennan)\" class=\"wp-image-67973\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Rodaba-at-Bard-20-1.jpg 900w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Rodaba-at-Bard-20-1-525x394.jpg 525w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Rodaba-at-Bard-20-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Rodaba-at-Bard-20-1-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Rodaba-at-Bard-20-1-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Rodaba-at-Bard-20-1-80x60.jpg 80w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rodaba Noori, now a student at Bard College, stands in front of Montgomery Place, a mansion overlooking the Hudson River. (Credit: Kate Brennan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>Editor&#8217;s Note: This is part of our <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/afghan-women-we-are-not-fragile\/\">Afghan Women<\/a> project, marking two years since the Taliban takeover<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rodaba Noori remembers the gunshots. She and her mother were standing in line to buy bread at their local bakery, eerily aware of how few people were on the street that day, when they saw it \u2013 Taliban members driving in a police car, firing gunshots to celebrate their takeover of Kabul.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a member of Afghanistan\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2019\/03\/30\/world\/asia\/afghan-girls-robotics-team-fatemah-qaderyan.html\">all-girls robotics team<\/a>, Noori had already been receiving negative attention. She had traveled to a competition in the United States without a male chaperone, which many conservative Afghans disapproved of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSome of my neighbors saw me in the media, and they were shouting at my mom, \u2018Oh, you&#8217;re not Muslim,\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cAnd they were also shouting out to my father and my brother, \u2018You guys are not Muslim.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On another occasion, her local shopkeeper warned her that two men came into the shop to ask where she lived. So when the Taliban took over, she knew she had to get out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She was one of many women to get in touch with an old contact, journalist Danna Harman, who put together a rescue coalition (read more <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-israeli-american-journalist-who-led-the-escape-mission\/\">here<\/a>) and secured Noori and her younger brother, Rashed, a spot on a bus out of the country.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Noori remembers how she felt when she first crossed the Afghanistan border, with the sun setting. \u201cI looked out on both sides. And I told myself, look, this is the last time you&#8217;re looking out to your country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She and Rashed spent eight months in a refugee camp in Abu Dhabi, but because he was a minor and had to wait for their mother, she had to leave for Calgary without him. She wouldn\u2019t see her family for 10 months after that.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"block_0b5fac14c52cabffdeb67e24dfa90a29\" class=\"wp-block podcast-player alignwide\">\n              <div class=\"player_container player-67379\" ><div class=\"spp_player_textabove\"><b>Listen to the Episode  <\/b><\/div><div id=\"sm2-67379\" class=\"sm2-67379 playercontent sm2-bar-ui compact flat full-width full-width-player\"><div class=\"bd sm2-main-controls\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sm2-inline-element sm2-button-element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sm2-button-bd\" style=\"background: transparent url(https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/app\/uploads\/2021\/05\/podcast_channel_artwork.jpg) repeat scroll 0% 0% \/ cover ;\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"spp-player-background\"> <\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#play\" class=\"sm2-inline-button play-pause\"><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"loader\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"eq\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"bar bar-1\"><\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"bar bar-2\"><\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"bar bar-3\"><\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"bar bar-4\"><\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"sm2-inline-element sm2-inline-status progressbar\">\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sm2-button-bd\" style=\"display:none;\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"playerpitch0\" style=\"display:none;\">0.75x<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"playerpitch1\">1x<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"playerpitch2\" style=\"display:none;\">1.25x<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"playerpitch3\" style=\"display:none;\">1.5x<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"playerpitch4\" style=\"display:none;\">2x<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sm2-button-bd\" style=\"display:none;\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"secrewind\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sm2-playlist\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sm2-playlist-target\"><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sm2-progress\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sm2-progress-bd\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sm2-progress-track\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sm2-progress-bar1\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sm2-progress-bar\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sm2-progress-ball\"><div class=\"icon-overlay\"><\/div><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sm2-row timestamp timetext\"><div class=\"sm2-inline-time timestamp\">0:00<\/div><div class=\"sm2-inline-duration timestamp\">37:37<\/div><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sm2-inline-element sm2-button-element sm2-volume\" style=\"0\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   <div class=\"sm2-button-bd\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"sm2-inline-button sm2-volume-control volume-shade\"><\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#volume\" class=\"sm2-inline-button sm2-volume-control\" style=\"\"><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   <\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  <\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"bd sm2-playlist-drawer sm2-element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sm2-playlist-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"sm2-playlist-bd\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/chtbl.com\/track\/4DAC6F\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/thestoryexchange\/Afghan_Podcast.mp3?dest-id=296878\">Afghan Women: &#8216;We Are Not Fragile&#8217;<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n          \n  <\/div>\n\n\n<p>Flash forward to two years later. She\u2019s entering her second year at Bard College in upstate New York, where she\u2019s enjoying basic freedoms like attending classes, riding her bike and walking around by herself and feeling safe. She said college is more enjoyable here than it was in Herat, where she had been studying when the Taliban took over.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not just about always studying,\u201d she said. \u201cYou have to be away from the family and know how to take care of yourself, work for yourself. It\u2019s also about working on communication, finding friends and enjoying the events here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"453\" height=\"453\" src=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8283-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-67923\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8283-4.jpg 453w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8283-4-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8283-4-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8283-4-84x84.jpg 84w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8283-4-60x60.jpg 60w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8283-4-45x45.jpg 45w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 453px) 100vw, 453px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"466\" height=\"466\" src=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8285-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-67921\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8285-3.jpg 466w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8285-3-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8285-3-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8285-3-84x84.jpg 84w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8285-3-60x60.jpg 60w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8285-3-45x45.jpg 45w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Her mother and brother are in Calgary now, and she was happy to spend time with them for the summer. She described her brother as a typical high school student \u2013 \u201cHe\u2019s so stylish,\u201d she laughed. \u201cHe dresses like the teenagers here. He\u2019s speaking English very well. And I\u2019m so happy for him. He has everything he wants.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8284.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-67912\" width=\"709\" height=\"513\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8284.jpg 750w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8284-525x380.jpg 525w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8284-150x109.jpg 150w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8284-83x60.jpg 83w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 100vw, 709px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Noori said she feels safe walking around the Bard College campus by herself. (Credits: Kate Brennan)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Stil, Noori still feels that she has left a part of herself in Afghanistan \u2013 especially because her father, who passed away a few years ago, is buried there.&nbsp; \u201cI really wish I can go back to Afghanistan \u2013 if only one time \u2013 because I have lots of things to tell him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter how much she loves her new life here, she said it\u2019s not so easy to call a new place home after living in Afghanistan for 20 years. \u201cYou always feel like your spirit is back at home, while your physical body is in another place,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd you still miss that place, even if it was bad for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"block_f6578f7bb15f191115288a322f2c4ca8\" class=\"wp-block featured-category alignwide style-1\">\n  <div class=\"section-title\">\n          <h2>The Women We Talked To<\/h2>\n        \n  <\/div>\n  \n      <div class=\"row\">\n          \n                       <article id=\"post-67507\" class=\"post-item  post-67507 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-features tag-afghan-women tag-humanitarian-aid tag-refugee-support tag-women-empowerment\">\n  <div class=\"post-wrap\">\n          <div class=\"entry-thumbnail\">\n          <div class=\"thumbnail\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-israeli-american-journalist-who-led-the-escape-mission\/\" class=\"post-image-link\">\n        <div class=\"fill\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"525\" height=\"386\" src=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8271-525x386.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8271-525x386.jpg 525w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8271-150x110.jpg 150w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8271-82x60.jpg 82w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8271.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n        <div class=\"entry-text\">\n              <h3 class=\"post-title\">\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-israeli-american-journalist-who-led-the-escape-mission\/\">\n            The Israeli-American Journalist Who Led an Escape Mission\n          <\/a>\n        <\/h3>\n        <div class=\"entry-content excerpt\">\n          <p>Danna Harman didn&#8217;t have any tools or resources, but she knew she had to do something to help the Afghan girls who reached out to her.<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/article>                         <article id=\"post-67518\" class=\"post-item  post-67518 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-features tag-afghan-women tag-journalism tag-women-empowerment\">\n  <div class=\"post-wrap\">\n          <div class=\"entry-thumbnail\">\n          <div class=\"thumbnail\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-aspiring-journalist-following-in-the-footsteps-of-her-father\/\" class=\"post-image-link\">\n        <div class=\"fill\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"525\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/057EE058-8B77-402A-A646-A1B9953D3703_1_105_c-525x394.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Marwa Dashty at the restaurant in Toronto where she now works. She and her family fled Afghanistan in 2021, but her father stayed behind to join the resistance. (Credit: Colleen DeBaise)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/057EE058-8B77-402A-A646-A1B9953D3703_1_105_c-525x394.jpeg 525w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/057EE058-8B77-402A-A646-A1B9953D3703_1_105_c-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/057EE058-8B77-402A-A646-A1B9953D3703_1_105_c-800x600.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/057EE058-8B77-402A-A646-A1B9953D3703_1_105_c-150x113.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/057EE058-8B77-402A-A646-A1B9953D3703_1_105_c-80x60.jpeg 80w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/057EE058-8B77-402A-A646-A1B9953D3703_1_105_c.jpeg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n        <div class=\"entry-text\">\n              <h3 class=\"post-title\">\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-aspiring-journalist-following-in-the-footsteps-of-her-father\/\">\n            The Aspiring Journalist Following in the Footsteps of Her Father\n          <\/a>\n        <\/h3>\n        <div class=\"entry-content excerpt\">\n          <p>Marwa Dashty&#8217;s father, a well-known journalist, was killed after the Taliban took over. Now, the 20-year-old wants to continue his legacy by becoming a journalist herself.<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/article>                         <article id=\"post-67510\" class=\"post-item  post-67510 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-features tag-afghan-women tag-cultural-identity tag-refugee-experiences tag-women-empowerment\">\n  <div class=\"post-wrap\">\n          <div class=\"entry-thumbnail\">\n          <div class=\"thumbnail\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-pop-star-whose-fan-helped-her-get-out\/\" class=\"post-image-link\">\n        <div class=\"fill\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"525\" height=\"354\" src=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8279-525x354.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8279-525x354.jpg 525w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8279-150x101.jpg 150w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8279-89x60.jpg 89w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8279.jpg 566w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n        <div class=\"entry-text\">\n              <h3 class=\"post-title\">\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-pop-star-whose-fan-helped-her-get-out\/\">\n            The Pop Star Whose Fan Helped Her Get Out\n          <\/a>\n        <\/h3>\n        <div class=\"entry-content excerpt\">\n          <p>After Shakiba Teimori showed her long, flowing hair on television, it was as if she were exiled. And then she fled for real. <\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/article>                         <article id=\"post-67512\" class=\"post-item  post-67512 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-features tag-afghan-women tag-education tag-political-resistance tag-womens-rights\">\n  <div class=\"post-wrap\">\n          <div class=\"entry-thumbnail\">\n          <div class=\"thumbnail\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-teacher-who-chose-to-stay-behind\/\" class=\"post-image-link\">\n        <div class=\"fill\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"525\" height=\"368\" src=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8272-525x368.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8272-525x368.jpg 525w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8272-150x105.jpg 150w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8272-86x60.jpg 86w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8272.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n        <div class=\"entry-text\">\n              <h3 class=\"post-title\">\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-teacher-who-chose-to-stay-behind\/\">\n            The Teacher Who Chose to Stay Behind\n          <\/a>\n        <\/h3>\n        <div class=\"entry-content excerpt\">\n          <p>When Munireh&#8217;s father first received news of the Taliban takeover, he sent all the women in the family to Iran \u2013 but she refused to leave Afghanistan.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/article>                         <article id=\"post-67516\" class=\"post-item  post-67516 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-features tag-afghan-women tag-education tag-societal-norms tag-women-empowerment\">\n  <div class=\"post-wrap\">\n          <div class=\"entry-thumbnail\">\n          <div class=\"thumbnail\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-mobile-app-developer-secretly-working-online\/\" class=\"post-image-link\">\n        <div class=\"fill\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"525\" height=\"350\" src=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8244-525x350.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8244-525x350.jpeg 525w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8244-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8244-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8244-150x100.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8244-90x60.jpeg 90w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8244.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n        <div class=\"entry-text\">\n              <h3 class=\"post-title\">\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-mobile-app-developer-secretly-working-online\/\">\n            The Mobile App Developer Secretly Working Online\n          <\/a>\n        <\/h3>\n        <div class=\"entry-content excerpt\">\n          <p>Parima hides the fact that she works remotely, as many of her neighbors in Afghanistan don&#8217;t believe women should have jobs. <\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/article>                         <article id=\"post-67520\" class=\"post-item  post-67520 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-features tag-afghan-women tag-education tag-entrepreneurship tag-women-in-stem\">\n  <div class=\"post-wrap\">\n          <div class=\"entry-thumbnail\">\n          <div class=\"thumbnail\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-founder-of-afghanistans-first-all-girls-coding-school\/\" class=\"post-image-link\">\n        <div class=\"fill\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"525\" height=\"313\" src=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8269-525x313.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8269-525x313.jpg 525w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8269-150x90.jpg 150w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8269-101x60.jpg 101w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/IMG_8269.jpg 687w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n        <div class=\"entry-text\">\n              <h3 class=\"post-title\">\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-founder-of-afghanistans-first-all-girls-coding-school\/\">\n            The Founder of Afghanistan\u2019s First All-Girls Coding School\n          <\/a>\n        <\/h3>\n        <div class=\"entry-content excerpt\">\n          <p>Fereshteh Forough opened Afghanistan&#8217;s first coding school for girls and women \u2013 but the Taliban&#8217;s ban on education prevents students from learning in-person. <\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/article>                         <article id=\"post-67522\" class=\"post-item  post-67522 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-features tag-afghan-women tag-human-rights tag-judiciary tag-women-empowerment\">\n  <div class=\"post-wrap\">\n          <div class=\"entry-thumbnail\">\n          <div class=\"thumbnail\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-judge-who-escaped-we-lost-all-of-our-achievement\/\" class=\"post-image-link\">\n        <div class=\"fill\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"525\" height=\"350\" src=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/shutterstock_2312580127-1-525x350.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Women who served as judges in Afghanistan were immediate targets when the Taliban seized control. (Credit: anindyoandar\/Shutterstock.com)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/shutterstock_2312580127-1-525x350.jpg 525w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/shutterstock_2312580127-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/shutterstock_2312580127-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/shutterstock_2312580127-1-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/shutterstock_2312580127-1-90x60.jpg 90w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/shutterstock_2312580127-1.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n        <div class=\"entry-text\">\n              <h3 class=\"post-title\">\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-judge-who-escaped-we-lost-all-of-our-achievement\/\">\n            The Judge Who Escaped: &#8216;We Lost All of Our Achievement&#8217;\n          <\/a>\n        <\/h3>\n        <div class=\"entry-content excerpt\">\n          <p>Since the Taliban&#8217;s return to power, women judges \u2013 who once dared to sentence men for their crimes \u2013 have been forced into hiding. We spoke to one whose identity we are protecting.<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/article>                         <article id=\"post-67513\" class=\"post-item  post-67513 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-features tag-afghan-women tag-cultural-identity tag-refugee-experiences tag-women-empowerment\">\n  <div class=\"post-wrap\">\n          <div class=\"entry-thumbnail\">\n          <div class=\"thumbnail\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-college-student-getting-a-fresh-start\/\" class=\"post-image-link\">\n        <div class=\"fill\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"525\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Rodaba-at-Bard-20-525x394.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Rodaba Noori, now a student at Bard College, stands in front of Montgomery Place, a mansion overlooking the Hudson River. (Credit: Kate Brennan)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Rodaba-at-Bard-20-525x394.jpg 525w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Rodaba-at-Bard-20-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Rodaba-at-Bard-20-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Rodaba-at-Bard-20-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Rodaba-at-Bard-20-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Rodaba-at-Bard-20.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n        <div class=\"entry-text\">\n              <h3 class=\"post-title\">\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/the-college-student-getting-a-fresh-start\/\">\n            The College Student Getting a Fresh Start\n          <\/a>\n        <\/h3>\n        <div class=\"entry-content excerpt\">\n          <p>Rodaba Noori is enjoying her new life at Bard College in upstate New York, but she still doesn&#8217;t consider it home. <\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/article>                    \n          <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n<div id=\"block_666dbe956ee75094757c2d4187a96339\" class=\"wp-block timeline-cta alignwide\">\n    <div class=\"timeline-cta-wrap\">\n        <div class=\"timeline-cta-text\">\n        <h2>A Timeline of Women in Afghanistan<\/h2>\n        <p>Breakthroughs and Setbacks<\/p>\n        <a class=\"button red\" href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/a-timeline-of-women-in-afghanistan\/\">Explore<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2014-Women-in-Kabul-Wikimedia-Commons-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"timeline-cta-background\">\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"block_0ac38b45db3d72023d11eaddb1705f9f\" class=\"wp-block footer-cta alignwide\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"background-image\" src=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/zabihullah-habibi-b522ia5vG5c-unsplash-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\n        <div class=\"wrap\">\n      <h2>Ways to Support Afghan Women<\/h2>\n      <p>Learn about the resources and organizations you can support to help Afghan Women.<\/p>\n      <a class=\"button red\" href=\"https:\/\/thestoryexchange.org\/ways-to-support\/\">Learn More<\/a>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rodaba Noori is enjoying her new life at Bard College in upstate New York, but she still doesn&#8217;t consider it home. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":161,"featured_media":67972,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"autoblue_enabled":false,"autoblue_custom_message":"","autoblue_shares":[],"autoblue_post_url":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[187],"tags":[19632,20172,21942,19682],"class_list":["post-67513","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-afghan-women","tag-cultural-identity","tag-refugee-experiences","tag-women-empowerment"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.3 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The College Student Getting a Fresh Start<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Rodaba Noori is enjoying her new life at Bard College in upstate New York, but she still doesn&#039;t consider it home.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, 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