It was the first international journey of my life as I checked into the Indira Gandhi International Airport, India in the fall of 2014. As the plane took off, I bid adieu to my motherland, rising not just above ground, but also beyond expectations, stereotypes and notions. A young married Muslim woman in hijab, traveling overseas alone in the pursuit of higher education: beats all odds at a time. After boarding the plane, I was fondly gazing at my henna tattooed hands when the events leading to this journey came flashing across my eyes. The flyer for the 21st Century Obama Singh Knowledge Initiative STEM-ER Program had caught my attention while walking past the notice board in the university’s corridor. Although appealing at first, I brushed this idea under the rug, shaking my head at the sheer possibility of traveling abroad all by myself. I hail from the third world nation, India, where Muslim women pursuing higher education comprises a minority and married women in the boat app