By Faten Omar
KUWAIT: Being an intern can benefit students in exploring a career path, giving them an edge in the job market, helping them develop and refine their skills, granting them access to a variety of tasks and securing good references and recommendations for them.
This summer, political science student Saoud Al-Marzouq, 20, joined Kuwait Times as an intern to develop his skills and get an insight into Kuwait politics. He receives training and education regarding how various media channels operate.
Marzouq shines in conducting interviews, writing feature stories, and striving to be the voice of the voiceless people of Kuwait. Kuwait Times interviewed Marzouq to discover more about him and his deep passion for learning to make a great impact on society.
Kuwait Times: Why did you choose to study political sciences?
Saoud Al-Marzouq: My first choice was psychology to study the mind and behavior of people, but it was not included in scholarship, so I ended up studying political science which was my second choice. I wanted to study psychology because I liked to see how individuals evolve and how they grow up and become who they are. I wanted to understand people around me and understand myself, but I had also an interest in political science like the sociological aspect. I was interested in the scene of how those individuals can come together and create society, government, nations, organizations, and companies, and how people can organize themselves naturally.
My desire to study political science grew when I went to the US and listened to a lot of broadcasts and saw the different perspectives. I watched and listened to a lot of broadcasters for their ideas on foreign policy in the Middle East. For me, I saw a lot of news during family visits; all news talking over and over about Syria, but I never understood what was actually happening. The media never try to explain it but, in the broadcast, they explained it in a real way and very easily. I understand that some people speak the truth, but step by step I started to understand US domestic policy and getting more attached to it. I started to enjoy it after I got the background on politics.
KT: How did you imagine yourself as a grown-up?
Marzouq: When I was a kid, I always imagined my older version of me as a not-worthy man. I was a failure in school, I was not religious, and anything life throws at me, I was not good at it. I remember when I was a kid, I had this idea that when I get older, I will be religious, pray five times a day and fast in Ramadan and be the perfect Muslim, but that kind of thinking changed when my parents got divorced. Their fights revealed the cover of some relatives that I thought were “perfect”, but it turns out that they were not. I started to think that when I grow up, I don’t want to cover up the bad sides of myself. I will not be a perfect human; I will be realistic with myself and the people around me.
KT: What are you passionate about?
Marzouq: I’m passionate about trying to understand Kuwait and how to contribute to fixing and being part of it. I try to see the world differently.
KT: What are your hobbies?
Marzouq: When I was young, I liked RC planes. Also, I was playing soccer in Jahra sports club, then I started to play oud, violin, and piano and will learn more about it in the next semester in the US. I like going to the gym one hour a day for 4-5 times a week.
KT: What projects you are aiming to achieve?
Marzouq: I’m trying to take life piece by piece, focusing on my internship with Kuwait Times and learning more about playing the oud during my free time here in Kuwait.
KT: How do you see your generation?
Marzouq: I see a lot of parts of them are more liberalized. Some of them are different, while others look like the old generation and turn to be like their parents. They allow themselves to do stuff while others are not okay to do it. Parents think that they can discipline their kids by being strict with them and forcing them to do things. Children will be programmed to do stuff, not for their own sake. Nowadays, the generation does things just to please their parents. They are mature, but they are just brought up with their own pressures, and parents will not last forever.
KT: Where do you see yourself after graduation?
Marzouq: After graduation, I want to work in the United States; I do not see my future in Kuwait. I want to freely express myself. I want to be at least 80 present real with my writings.
KT: Any last words?
Marzouq: The people in power in Kuwait should move faster or else Kuwait will be lost. People feel that they are not appreciated but they get appreciation from other countries. I met with some people who are more work-oriented and passionate about work like me; they tell me that I will not work in Kuwait, and it is not worth it as no one appreciates us.
