Movement Magazine Issue 163

I always dread the question, “What are
you studying?” Don’t get me wrong –
it’s a perfectly simple question with
a perfectly simple answer. It’s the
question that comes after I say “I study
Arabic and Farsi” that demands a more
complex answer: “Why?” Depending
on my mood, energy level, and time
available, I give everything from a one
sentence answer to a whole feature
film length retelling of my life story.
This article seeks to sit somewhere
between the two extremes.
If you had asked me every year from
about the age of nine what I wanted
to be when I grew up, you would find
yourself faced with a different answer
every year. I was interested in a lot of
things growing up, but two passions
stood out in particular: a love of music
and a love of languages.
I began learning cello aged seven
and quickly became enamoured with
all things musical. I devoted a lot of
time to the instrument, playing in
local orchestras, chamber music, not
to mention time spent alone in my
room practicing. My dedication grew
and grew, and at age 12 I began
spending my Saturdays as a junior at
the Royal Northern College of Music.
Here I felt I really fitted in, surrounded
by other young people passionate
about music. I discovered a taste for
composing and conducting, seeing a
way I could express my voice through
music. My holidays were spent playing
with the National Youth Orchestra, an
experience that has shaped a lot of
who I am today.
Languages, too, had always intrigued
me. My mum would teach me bits
of French here and there, and I was
always fascinated by the language
section at the local library. At high
school I was beyond excited at the
opportunity to learn Mandarin, hoping
to take it at GCSE (which sadly did not
come to fruition due to bureaucracy),
and trying my hand at Latin. I would
spend my lunchtimes in the Classics
department grappling with Greek
texts, finding solace from what was
a less than welcoming schoolyard.
In languages, too, I found a way to
express myself and quench my thirst
for knowledge.
Choosing a sixth form was where I first
felt the need to choose between the
two, and at the time I thought going
to music school was the right choice.
Though I gained many invaluable
experiences there, it wasn’t right for
me. I felt very lost – what was I meant
to do if it wasn’t music, this thing I had
devoted so much time and energy to?
I started reading about the Middle
East, having always wanted to learn
Arabic, and so a Middle Eastern related
degree seemed to be the perfect
choice. SOAS felt like the perfect
place to do that, given its expertise
in this area, and I took the once in a
lifetime opportunity to devote myself
to learning Arabic and Farsi full-time.
My degree allows me to study all
things Middle Eastern, from literature
to politics, whilst being challenged by
the intricacies of semitic languages.
I’ve dived into student journalism,
student politics, and a myriad of other
things.
All this is a long-winded way of saying
that trajectories can and do change.
You are not defined by your school
experiences. Why did I choose what I
study? Because I wanted a challenge,
something new, a skill that would
be useful but interesting to acquire.
Don’t do what you think you must, but
instead what intrigues you most.
Be open to where God and life take
you. I never expected to be where I
am, doing what I am. But I’m so glad
that I am.
JOSH MOCK
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