Sankha recollected about how happy she was when she found out about the scholarship that she had been awarded. She was going to go abroad, to a country called Beyaha Republic. She was the only person from Zjava Village that had won the scholarship. A few months later she travelled to Beyaha Republic to do a degree in marketing. During her first year, she started dating a fellow student by the name of Dan. The couple fell head over heels in love. He was 21 years old and she was 20. Sankha was greeted by the prevalence of freedom and human rights in Beyaha Republic. Zjava village was characterised by patriarchal principles and traditions. She felt freer than she had ever been albeit being in a foreign land. The major culture shock for her was how female genital mutilation was considered as a heinous evil. This knowledge made her uncomfortable to engage in any sexual activity with Dan. Sankha had undergone the cutting procedure in her village. She felt the sexual urge, but she could not get herself to go through with it. She was scared and worried. She started feeling like Dan was pulling away because of the lack of being intimate. She sat down at the edge of her bed looking glum. She had called Dan over to her room to discuss something. Dan was anxiously standing a few paces away from her. Sankha told him that she had been cut when she was 12 years old. Her past home traditions were haunting her. Dan was in disbelief. She explained to him that the cutting was done to make sure that girls did not engage in sexual activities. Theoretically, this would force them to keep their virginity and become faithful wives to their husbands. Sankha now knew that this was a serious violation and discrimination against women. She explained that she was not sure Dan would still find her attractive after seeing her like that or if she could feel any pleasure. Dan felt a wave of anger run through his body. He moved close to her and held her so tight. He reassured her that he loved her and was not going to leave her or treat her differently. He encouraged her to communicate so that they could find a way of helping her deal with all the physical and psychological pain and suffering.