Interview with Rizwan: A Pakistani postdoc in Oklahoma City

by PostdocInUSA and Rizwan Qaisar

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Rizwan Qaisar

Postdoctoral Fellow

Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, USA

Experience Timeline

  • 1999 - 2005

    Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Medicine and Surgery

    Khyber Medical College, Pakistan

    Pakistan Flag

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Muscle Biology

    University of Uppsala, Sweden

    Sweden Flag

    2008 - 2012

  • 2012 - 2014

    Postdoctoral Fellow

    Dept of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Italy

    Italy Flag

  • Postdoctoral Fellow

    Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, USA

    USA Flag

    2014 - Present

Table of Content

1 – Tell us about yourself

2 – How long have you been in USA?

3 – Why did you decide to move to USA for your postdoc?

4 – What difficulties (if any) have you encountered when moving to USA (Visa, Housing…)?

5 – Was it hard to get a visa?

6 – Where are you living now?

7 – How did you find the transition to living in USA?

8 – Did you experience any culture shock?

9 – Was it easy meeting new people / making friends?

10 – What do you enjoy most about living in USA?

11 – What do you enjoy least about living in USA?

12 – What is the most striking experience or best moment you have had in USA so far?

13 – How did you pick your postdoc research laboratory?

14 – How would you describe the work culture/environment in research labs in USA? Is it different from your home country or others you had experience in?

15 – How does research in USA compare to your home country or other experiences you may have from other countries?

16 – What do you miss the most from your home country or last country you lived in?

17 – What custom/habits do you find most surprising about USA?

18 – Has anything funny happened to you due to cultural differences?

19 – What are the biggest differences between everyday life in your home country and USA?

20 – Tell us about anything in USA that you wished exist/be more implemented in your home country, and vice versa?

21 – Are there any stereotypes/cliché you may have heard about your home country?

22 – What advice/tips would you give to international PhD students thinking to move to USA for a postdoc?

23 – Is there something that you wish you’d known before moving to USA?

24 – How beneficial you think a postdoc in USA is for your career?

25 – What are your future plans?

Interview – Questions and Answers

1 – Tell us about yourself

I am Rizwan Qaisar, originally from Pakistan. I did my PhD from University of Uppsala (Sweden) and first post-doc from University of Pavia (Italy) before moving to US.

Currently, I am doing my second post-doc at Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, in Oklahoma City, USA.

My areas of interest are skeletal muscle aging and possible interventions to reduce it.

Moving to USA

2 – How long have you been in USA?

Almost 4 years, I moved here in August 2014.

3 – Why did you decide to move to USA for your postdoc?

Primarily because of lab and their research work which fascinated me. US also offers broader and varied opportunities in terms of research. It is also a plus to be in an English speaking country.

4 – What difficulties (if any) have you encountered when moving to USA (Visa, Housing…)?

I had none of those. I applied for visa from Italy and got it in 3 weeks. My host institution sent me list of housings here in Oklahoma, I selected one and then booked it on emails/phones. My supervisor of course called them which helped.

5 – Was it hard to get a visa?

Not in my case. In general, it is hard to get US visa but I got a J-1 visa very fast in 3 weeks from Italy. It helped that I already had a visit visa (B-1) and had visited US few weeks before applying for J-1.

Do you know the steps to apply for a J-1 visa?

Check our step-by-step guide to get a J-1 visa, along with other articles related to J-1 visa requirements, J-1 status extension…

 
PreviousNext
123

How to apply for a J-1 visa ? A step-by-step guide

American Visa

How to extend your stay in USA (J-1 status) ?

J-1 Visa extension

J-1 visa requirements: The rules you must respect!

J-1 Visa Follow the rules

6 – Where are you living now?

Oklahoma city, in an apartment complex.

1
US States
1

Oklahoma City

Capital of Oklahoma state

Flag of Oklahoma

Oklahoma, situated in the south central region of US, is a major natural gas and oil producer.

Living in USA

7 – How did you find the transition to living in USA?

It was very smooth. I had slight concerns about society and people here but generally everybody here is very receptive and friendly. Of course there are exceptions but they are not the rule.

It is unfortunate that most of our world views are shaped by stereotyping and generalization offered by media. Like many people in Asia and Europe, my view about American society in general was that people are slightly intolerant to immigrants and other cultures. I’m glad that this view is proven wrong and common man here is as (if not more) friendly and helping as anywhere else in the world.

8 – Did you experience any culture shock?

I didn’t. Pakistani culture is of course vastly different than here but it helped that I have been in Europe for 6 years before moving to the US. People here though, are slightly more religious and conservative than I expected.

Religion in Oklahoma USA

Oklahoma and Religion

Oklahoma is a state where religion is a very important aspect of its residents life.

Among 50 states of the United States,

Oklahoma is tied for 8th most religious state overall.

66% of adults in Oklahoma are “highly religious”.

Most Oklahoma adults express their religion through prayer — 65% of adults pray every day.

Some 47% of Oklahoma adults are evangelical, positioning Oklahoma as the 4th most Evangelical State in America.

And it used to be higher…

In 2007, Oklahoma was the most evangelical state in the country as 53% of its adult residents identified as evangelical.

Source: Religious Landscape Study from Pew Research Center.

Overall Religiosity by State in USA

9 – Was it easy meeting new people / making friends?

Absolutely.

10 – What do you enjoy most about living in USA?

I like people’s curiosity about how the rest of the world think about them. Oklahoma city is slightly less multi-cultural than some of the metropole cities of US but I love living here and interacting with different people.

Source: WalletHub

Oklahoma city and Diversity

Oklahoma city ranks 48th most diverse cities in USA,

after tallying the scores across the five major diversity categories (socioeconomic, cultural, economic, household and religious diversity) for 501 of the largest cities across 13 metrics.

Oklahoma city ranks 21st among 60 large cities in USA

Oklahoma city and Cultural Diversity

Oklahoma city ranks 117th most culturally diverse city in USA,

after tallying the scores across three key indicators of cultural diversity (Ethnoracial, Linguistic, Birthplace) among 501 cities.

Source: WalletHub
Source: WalletHub

In 2016, less than 6% of residents of Oklahoma were born in a foreign country.

Source: WalletHub’s diversity study series.

11 – What do you enjoy least about living in USA?

Weather, bit too hot and dry for me.

 

 

Source: NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data from National Weather Service Forecast Office.

12 – What is the most striking experience or best moment you have had in USA so far?

Traveling all around the country and how people are so different in terms of religiosity, liberal values, culture, foods, even physique. I guess any country with large enough size and population is like this but I have no other experience.

Working as a postdoc in USA

13 – How did you pick your postdoc research laboratory?

I found the advertisement and I like the research areas so I applied.

Are you looking for a postdoc in USA?

Check our related articles to find a postdoctoral position advertised on job website, as Rizwan did, or apply for a postdoc fellowship in the US…

 
PreviousNext
123

How to apply for a J-1 visa ? A step-by-step guide

American Visa

How to extend your stay in USA (J-1 status) ?

J-1 Visa extension

J-1 visa requirements: The rules you must respect!

J-1 Visa Follow the rules

14 – How would you describe the work culture/environment in research labs in USA? Is it different from your home country or others you had experience in?

People here are more interactive and collaborative than in Europe and Pakistan but my sample size is small.

15 – How does research in USA compare to your home country or other experiences you may have from other countries?

Research here is of high quality. Of course it will vary from university to university and lab to lab but in general I have more learning here in 4 years than 6 years in Europe.

Cultural differences between USA – Home country

16 – What do you miss the most from your home country or last country you lived in?

I miss the Pakistani and Italian foods here. Of course I find those in restaurants here but there’s something missing in those that I can feel but can’t describe.

My favorite Pakistani and Italian restaurants in Oklahoma City

  • Pakistani restaurant

    Sheesh Mahal at 4621 N May Ave offers amazing Pakistani foods at reasonable prices. There are so many flavors of traditional foods with spice levels for everyone.

  • Italian restaurant

    For Italian, I’ll strongly recommend Patrono at 305 N Walker. The Italian cuisines and imported wines are great there.

17 – What custom/habits do you find most surprising about USA?

So many people going to Church. It was very different in Europe and probably in north of US too.

Oklahoma and Religion Practices

More than 40% of adults in Oklahoma attend religious services at least once a week,

and 65% of adults in Oklahoma pray at least daily.

Source: Religious Landscape Study from Pew Research Center.

18 – Has anything funny happened to you due to cultural differences?

Not really.

19 – What are the biggest differences between everyday life in your home country and USA?

Life is little more organized here although people are little less social.

In US when I woke up every morning and go through the plans for the day, I usually accomplish them by the time I go to bed. It could be some grocery or reading or get together or a trip to the museum etc apart from lab work. In Pakistan, friends would visit you without informing beforehand, or in a more family-oriented society you might have to take care of something (taking grandma to hospital or dropping niece at school etc) that was not in your day’s plan which disturbs your routine. I think it is in the Eastern culture because many of my Indian and other friends complain the same.

20 – Tell us about anything in USA that you wished exist/be more implemented in your home country, and vice versa?

Far less leg pulling and politics in educational institutions here, I wish I could carry it to Pakistan.

21 – Are there any stereotypes/cliché you may have heard about your home country?

Not directly but I see those all the time in media. It saddens me in one sense because common man is always the same (same dreams, good job, good education, good life partner, big house, peace, love etc) be it is in Pakistan or in US or in Europe. I can say that very confidently after living in and visiting so many countries and making warm friends all around the globe.

One stereotype I hear all the time is that people in Pakistan are more violent and intolerant than in US. Well they are not. A small minority of course is violent but that can’t be generalized to whole society. Many of my foreign friends have changed such views after visiting Pakistan. That’s why I strongly believe that people-to-people contact is the best way towards a peaceful, coherent world.

Tips to future postdocs in USA

22 – What advice/tips would you give to international PhD students thinking to move to USA for a postdoc?

Of course there are specific issues about your lab, supervisor, host university etc that I cant help in. In general though, the society is very receptive and friendly here so leave behind all the stereotype media has stuffed in your brain about US.

23 – Is there something that you wish you’d known before moving to USA?

No

24 – How beneficial you think a postdoc in USA is for your career?

US is a good place to do research work in. So it helps in career development. Of course you need to find a good lab with good research output.

25 – What are your future plans?

Faculty position or industry, open for other options too if I find some.

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