People With Katie: Wafiq
Holy smokes! This is what I’m doing now. I’m sick of reading my own posts over & over again so I decided to start asking other people to come on board & share their story.
My goal with guest posts is to interview everyday people & get to know them. I LOVE asking questions, people used to make fun of me for asking 1,088,000 questions every time I ran into them. I’ve always thought every single person has such a fascinating story. And it turns out – they do! And they don’t always have a platform or someone listening, so here I am.
I started my interviews with Wafiq because I can force him to do it. (I needed an example post to show other people.) Since this is my first one, please have a little grace as I figure out how & what questions to ask & how to get a perfect post length 🙂
MEET WAFIQ – my husband (yes, I’m calling him that today). He grew up in the Middle East, on a small island called Bahrain. He came to school in Austin Texas and lives there now. He works in Real Estate!
Enjoy!
People With Katie: Wafiq
Hi Wafiq! Thank you for being the first person in my new series People With Katie on MissBassmaster. I know my audience will love hearing from you.
To start, describe yourself in 3 words:
Bahraini, Funny, Social
Describe your best friends in 5 words (or a short sentence):
Fun, Trustworthy, Far, Supportive, History
What really makes you laugh hard? A thought, memory or story come to mind?
It’s not memories but more like moments. You know, like laughing so hard because something is happening that’s so fucking funny. I guess those turn into memories. There are too many to list – but let me think of one that comes to mind… I guess pranks come to mind. I used to do a lot of prank phone calls, we once got a guy to wake up, get out of bed, walk down the street and start waving his hands in the air while he was in his pajamas. (I pretended to be the guy trying to deliver his laundry… now that I look back, why did he think it was normal to expect laundry to be delivered at 2am… I have witnesses, this took place in Boston – Freshman Year. (When I was like 17!)
You’re from a small island in the Middle East, Bahrain. What are some things people might not know about Bahrain?
Bahrain is a small island in the middle east… Oh you said that already haha! What are things people might not know about Bahrain?
- The population is around 1.6 Million. (Less than Austin and the surrounding area!)
- The Navy has a base in Bahrain, it’s been there for a long time and it’s one of the largest in the region – it’s known as the 5th fleet. Google it. This means Bahrain and the US have had a good relationship for a while 🙂
- Bahrain is a super fun and chill island that many people enjoy visiting, people typically like meeting Bahraini’s. There’s something about us.. not sure what it is…
- We have a tree in the middle of the desert that’s been there forever. It’s called the Tree of life, and looks like it’s out of the Lion King.
+ Allow Me To Introduce the Kingdom of Bahrain (HERE)
Since living in both the United States & Bahrain, what are some differences that stand out & quickly come to mind?
People. Obviously. Completely different worlds, kind of crazy if you think of it. But a big difference is that you don’t see as many homeless people in the Middle east. My theory – it’s the culture. The middle east has a more close-knit community. People really take care of family and neighbors etc, so when people are in need, it’s like there’s no choice but to help. You can’t leave someone hanging, even strangers… Isn’t that weird? Meanwhile, here in the US, I avoid making contact with the homeless because if I lock eyes long enough… I feel bad and give them money… Katie says that I feed the problem when I give them cash and I’m better off donating the money to a community program that helps homeless people.
Another difference – freedom of expression – In the US, you can do whatever the fuck you want! Literally. You can dress how you want, wear what you want, grow your hair to the max, and say whatever you want. Of course, depending on your choices there are consequences but the difference is that the consequences are minimal here compared to the middle east. I can elaborate further if needed, but that’s a longer post.
How did your family celebrate holidays as a child?
We celebrated the main Muslim holidays (Eid) but also had tid bits of Christmas, Halloween, and most recently a Thanksgiving Dinner when Katie lived with us in Dubai.
I recall – Candy Canes, Empty Stockings on a wall because we don’t have fireplaces, the thing that you pull and it pops releasing a toy. We would wait for Santa to show up. It was never really super impressive like the movies… But my parents gave us gifts and that’s what we wanted!
What might people assume about you that you believe is incorrect?
Terrorist. There I said it. Whether they mean it or believe it, I bet it crosses people’s minds. It has to… why not? Think about allllll the media that associate Arabs with terrorism, I actually wrote a paper on this and can share it with you if you want to post it. It’s crazy. I have some crazy facts about Arabs/ Muslimes being portrayed as Terrorists in the media. And it’s not just post 9/11. It started way before that. Anyways… let’s keep this post light and fun. I’m enjoying writing this and answering your questions so I’ll be happy to contribute more as I don’t really have a place to publish this and I love that you invited me to write a post for Missbassmaster.com, it’s the best. (Plug-in 🙂 )
So you’re marrying Katie (me!), what’s that feel like?
Wow. Good question. I’m very grateful to have met Katie (you) and that I get to marry Katie. I feel so lucky to be with her and know that I’ll wake up beside her every day. Knowing that she will be the last thing I see before sleeping and the first thing I see when I wake up is like winning the lottery. Honestly. Even when we have good or bad days or go through a rough time (which happens waaay less since we both stopped drinking as of this year!) knowing Katie is beside me and with me makes me so proud. It’s weird but like as a kid I dreamed of a life like this (although I didn’t know how to really picture it back then) now I feel like I’ve found what I was looking for. Katie has changed my life. I know there are people who may not be too happy with the decisions and our relationship. Mostly because we no longer live near our friends and family. To those people – please don’t be selfish okay? Nothing is permanent, today we are living in Austin, who knows where we will be tomorrow. What matters is that we are fucking happy, and growing together, we have goals and we get to work together to accomplish them. We’re having a lot of fun doing it. So I feel Katie and I are ready for the next steps. Honestly, marrying Katie is long overdue. We both always made fun of “weddings” and traditional expectations. I guess it’s because we knew deep down that planning a wedding to accommodate all our families and friends’ expectations is a logistical nightmare and an expensive endeavor. Regardless, I’m so happy and looking forward to calling Katie my wife.. my hot, blonde, wife. – Damn, how badass does that sound. Katie is so hot, as you may already know… Yup.. I’m one lucky dude.. #winning
+ When Wafiq Met Katie (HERE)
What’s one of your biggest life lessons? This could be anything! Something you learned as an adult, career advice, life advice, relationships, friends, a major turning point, someone else’s advice to you… ect
Wow, It’s funny but I feel like I have a lot of advice, and I don’t know if I should be giving it as I’m still on the journey myself. But I did learn that you can work hard and achieve anything. You’ll see and read this everywhere – if you “think” and “believe” things will happen. Yes, add the “put in the time” and “focus” and then for sure you can do anything. I don’t know if that makes sense. But what I’m trying to say is, although I’m young, I feel like it took me a while to figure out how to be successful at things. I really think it comes down to having the right goals and motivation.
Advice – It’s okay to grow, it’s okay to change, it’s okay to fail. AS LONG, as all your actions and decisions are based on one goal – What can I do to make my life better? What will help make things easier? – Then DO IT. Quick. Then repeat that forever. Sometimes, you will end up growing apart from some relationships, places, jobs, whatever. And guess what… It’s okay.
Also – It’s important to know that money isn’t going to be the key to happiness. I know people who have a lot of money and can guarantee this. You need to figure out how to enjoy your life and be in the present. Don’t lose focus on the important things around you and chase money.
What do you consider your greatest achievement, so far?
I think, my real estate career is something to be proud of. Like, it’s the first thing in my life that I created by myself, with just me and my skills. It’s paid off well and I’m very grateful for the career and opportunities I’ve had to help people.
What led you to choose a career in Real Estate? What happened before that?
I started working in Real estate in Dubai. As some of you may know if you read this blog, Katie and I moved there back in 2014-ish and both worked there for a while. Before the Real Estate job, I had two horrible jobs. One was like a call center job at an Islamic Bank, I kind of got the job through “hookups” and “connections” that my parents suggested. You see, my brother Yousif works in a bank and has had a successful career, so my mom believes that banking is the best job in the world. The Bank job sucked ass. They literally had no training or anything, they gave me a desk, computer, phone and list of their customers. They instructed me to start dialing… I literally had to ask — what do I tell them? They looked back at me, confused, and said Loans! Like what?! – You expect me to sell someone on a loan, what type of loan are we talking about? What are the terms? And how the heck do you expect me to call one of your Islamic Bank customers and sell them on a loan that I have no experience in. There was no practice call or anything lol. Let’s just say it was a fail and I think they are doing a horrible job managing that bank. The best part is I quit, and they kept me on Payroll for a few months after that. It was the best. Don’t report me! After that… I got a job working at the Dubai airport, let’s just say It wasn’t for me. I quit within 72 hours. I know people look down on quitters and think, he didn’t even give it a shot… Fuck off, I know what I like and dislike… Why waste my time? The world is my oyster, the sky is the limit. I don’t like ceilings… Hence real estate…
While I was miserable with these other jobs, Katie was working for a real estate company and I ended up interviewing at the same company. Landing a job at the same office Katie was working in. We didn’t tell them we were dating, we had a secret relationship. It was fun. I did well. The best part was the freedom, you end up working more sometimes and giving up weekends or evenings with friends… but the job can be thrilling at times. Especially when there are high stakes – it’s a high risk high reward job. Lots of anxiety, stress, and ninja shit. It’s never the same, there’s always problems you need to solve. You meet people from all over the world – good and bad. You make friends and help people. I love it. Also – you can make a lot more money if you do it right.
One tip for someone trying to SELL their home?
Be smart. Hire a good realtor. Call me… If you can’t call me… Here’s my advice – find someone good, interview at least 3 reputable realtors – if you manage to take the time to do that and truly give all three a shot to present and explain why they can help and what they will do (Ideally with proof, a presentation, and good data to educate you) – Make a decision on who you think is most qualified to get the job done. Keep in mind, all three realtors will have the goal to get you to commit to working with them. Follow your instincts.
One tip for someone trying to BUY a home?
Don’t be afraid, don’t overthink it. It’s very unlikely the first house you buy will be your forever home. I think the average home is owned for 7 years in the US. Think about it as an investment and learning experience… From there… your next houses are likely to cost more money, you will be an experienced homeowner and know what to look for then.
Oh and call me – I’ll help you find the house and guide you through the whole process. Why give yourself a headache trying to navigate the process alone? And in case something comes up, you want someone experienced to help advise you.
+ 5 Tips for First Time Home Buyers (HERE)
Do you like what you do every day, explain, please ☺
Fuck yes. At least that’s how I feel today. I’ve done two days in a row of Gratitudes in my journal so I’ve been feeling good. I like what I do every day for sure. It’s hard work. A lot of work. A lot of emails, calls, thinking. Time goes by fast. Sometimes it’s stressful. But I get to work from home or wherever I want. It’s also not super routine as I have to drive around and show houses in different areas etc. I get to work with Katie and be with her all day, we don’t have the 40 hours a week apart from each other. Thank god.
I also am lucky to have my job. It’s fun to help people with real estate and I like to see the results. I’ve learned it’s a long process. It’s cool to see how things progress with people over time.
Do you have a morning routine?
Yes. Try not to get angry. Try to be happy and positive lol.
I always try and set different morning goals but I’m never consistent. My dream is to wake up at 5AM daily. But that doesn’t happen.
When I wake up, I brush my teeth and go to the bathroom. I start thinking about the day. And then write down my to-do list or add to it if I started it the night before. Katie and I like to go to Yoga a few days of the week and then go grab coffee. We like to leave the house in the AM and then come back. Otherwise, it gets annoying when you’re home all the time – that’s a thing for people who work at home – you get cabin fever.
Can you share a favorite book or TV Series (or both!) that we can all binge this week??
The Sinner Season 2 is great.
Book: Rich Dad Poor Dad
And I think a great way to wrap this up, what are 3 things you’re grateful for right now?
- I’m grateful for 2019, although we had to cancel a planned trip to visit family, we worked hard to accomplish our financial goals for the year. Hard work pays off!
- I’m grateful that Katie and I communicate our feelings well and constantly create better versions of ourselves and relationship. Currently on version 118
- I’m grateful that I’m confident enough to make my own decisions to control my future
Thank you Wafiq! KILLED IT!
I’m going to work on a guest post 1x a month. If you know anyone that would be interested in an interview email me katie@missbassmaster.com 🙂 love u.
be thoughtful
Nice! Enjoyed the Read
I’m glad! 🙂