Oh, this video took 11 years to make.

And for the first time ever, I want to share it with you because I think it can help someone.

This is the story off opportunity.

It's the story of how I went from being a village kid toe getting into Harvard University in the US And trust me, this is not a normal story.

See, I grew up in the Middle East as a Palestinian Israeli, and if you come from that background, you don't get many opportunities.

You're stuck in politics forever, and you live your life here hoping that one day you can succeed in life, you just need a little bit off help.

Almost 11 years ago, I got that help.

An American woman from Ohio named Martha was invited by my English teacher to come to our classroom and teach us English for one hour.

She came as a volunteer every year, toe villages like mine to teach English.

And when she walked through that door, she was the first American I met in my life.

Immediately, I fell in love with her and her family.

Immediately, I connected with her son and we became email buddies penpal buddies.

After a few months off email exchanges, one day Martha invited me to their home in Ohio.

She said, Hey, we know you like America.

Why don't you come and visit us for one month and we will take care off all your expenses?

This was the first opportunity in my life to go and explore the United States.

I jumped on that opportunity.

One month later, I was on a plane from my village to another village called Dayton, Ohio.

For one month, a Jewish American family hosted a Muslim Arab kid in their home, the Jacobs.

Where the Jacobs of Dayton, Ohio.

I became part off their family and fell in love with their culture.

Um, it was exciting for you.

You were curious and open.

You stayed here at the house with our four cents.

You stayed down in the basement.

You were kind of excited and curious about everything.

And one day Martha gave me another opportunity.

She said I should go and visit Harvard.

I didn't know what Harvard Waas.

I thought it was a place that Onley smart people go, so I had nothing to do with it.

I am not smart enough.

She didn't listen to me.

She flew me from Ohio to Boston to go meet her son, Eli, who's a student at Harvard.

Why did you send me there?

Because I thought you were really smart.

I thought would be interesting for you to see it.

I didn't know that you'd end up going there, but I thought you could apply there.

I thought you were persons perfectly capable of applying there and possibly getting in.

And when I landed on campus as a tourist, my world changed.

People were not as smart as we think they were normal people like you and me.

And that inspired me.

I flew back home immediately and bought many books.

I improved my English Salman salmon, Salman Salmon.

I learned about Harvard admission.

I studied and studied and studied in A few months later, I applied, and to my surprise, Harvard said yes and give me a full scholarship to study their.

This made me the first Harvard college student to enter from my village.

And exactly one year after my visit, I flew to Boston again, but this time not as a tourist but as a Harvard student.

I made friends.

I learned a lot, and I graduated with a Harvard degree.

I went to New York, got a really good job and made money.

And then I started Nass daily.

I traveled the world, created videos, connected with millions of people, published a book and started a really company.

This'll video isn't about me.

It's about opportunity.

The village kid in me needed opportunity.

I needed someone to open the door just a little bit to show me the light on.

I am so lucky that someone did that for me.

My parents gave me opportunity to be free and explore what I like.

My English teacher, Jamal, a CD, gave me opportunity and invited Martha to come to our English class.

And Martha's family gave me opportunity to grow, you know?

Well, you know, you give people opportunities, and whether or not they take advantage of it or appreciate it, it's up to them.

I don't know why she cared.

I don't know why she hosted me for a month.

I don't know why, she said I should go to Harvard.

I am so glad she did.

But I do know this.

If you want to change someone's life.

You don't need toe build skyscrapers or invent machines.

You just need to give someone out there on opportunity to succeed.

Give them advice, jobs, love, money, support, whatever your opportunity can change someone's life forever.

Thank you.

And, uh, see you next week before you go.

One last thing.

That video you just saw I made using this camera and this microphone.

But for the first time ever, I'm ditching my camera and I'm picking up my podcasting equipment because, yes, I'm starting a podcast.

It's called Mass Talks.

It's free.

And it's on Lee on Spotify.

And if you liked that video, I think you're gonna love the podcast because I just wanted to make a podcast about things that I would listen to about topics that I wanna listen.

Thio.

Yes, no stocks is 100% honest and raw and deep, and by the way, it's 100% free.

So keep your money and give me your ears.

Because if you like this video, I think you're gonna love this podcast.

See you on Spotify.