Her Story
About Ananya
I am originally from Bangladesh and moved to the United States about five years ago with my husband, who is pursuing his doctorate here. Before immigrating, I had a successful career in digital marketing and worked for a publishing company in my home country. We had a very thorough life back home with everything paid off, but when we moved here, I had to start from scratch. After arriving in the U.S., I decided to become a teacher to match with my young child's schedule. I took a short break to be a stay-at-home mom, which created almost a 10-year gap in my career. Despite the challenges of adapting to a different country, different work environment, and facing cultural differences, I took the courage and pushed myself to restart my career. I have been teaching for one year now, working as both a teacher and testing administrator at a school. I also run a small business on the side. Being a teacher is like being a mom to 30 kids at the same time, as they stay with me for 7-8 hours a day. It's a huge responsibility that requires hard work, courage, and dedication. Additionally, I volunteer with Ascension Foundation, working on their social media. This non-profit organization works with kids who have severe developmental delays or autism, helping to fulfill their dreams by arranging trips to places like Disney or Universal Studios.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ananya
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say, never, never think that you are not capable. You have everything that you can pursue your dream, just take the challenge and build the flow.
02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
When you push your career in a different path, you face so many cultural differences. I had to push myself to be with them and go through the politics that exist in every field. I had to learn to be in a different work environment with different people, dealing with cultural shock and everything. The kids of this generation are different from us, so I have had to push myself to their age and adopt their culture and be with the flow. It's been a challenge learning to work with different types of people and adapting to the Z generation.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Being a teacher is like being a mom for 30 kids at the same time. Because they stay with me at least 7-8 hours a day, they're staying with me more than they're staying with their mom. It's a huge responsibility that takes a lot of courage. I would say hard work, responsibility, and dedication are everything to me in this role.
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