SU_B_29

[i] Welcome. I am [name] your interview partner in the oral history project. Here in the city of Bochum in Germany. Today Wednesday. November 7th, 2018. We are in the premises of the Humanitarian Solidarity Middle East e.V. association. On Westenfelder Straße in the Höntrop district of Bochum. Be welcome. I would like to thank you very much for your participation in the project. Please introduce yourself, your values ​​name.
[r] I am [name], Syrian with Palestine roots, living in Syria in Yarmouk camp. I am 40 years old, married and have 5 children.
[i] You told me. Palestine or Syrian, were you born in Syria?
[i] Yes in Syria in Yarmouk camp in Damascus.
[i] Yes, your father. Has a different root than Syrian? My mother and father were born in Palestine. And my grandparents were born in Palestine.
[i] But you are.
[r] Syrian.
[i] Syrian nationality? And your children?
[r] Syrian, Palestine / Syrian.
[i] You were born in which place?
[r] Yarmuk camp.
[i] Where is that?
[r] For the Palestine refugees in Cham, Damascus.
[i] Damascus. Welcome Mr. [name], tell us? How long have you been beautiful in Germany?
[r] Three years and two months.
[i] Three years and two months, you came with. as refugees or tourists? Or are you here to learn? why did you come to Bochum?
[r] I am here as a refugee, I fled the war and came to Germany.
[i] Yes, tell us? about you? About yourself? What do you like? Start with your childhood.
[r] I grew up an orphan without a father. I am from a family of nine people. And so my mother was the mother and father for everyone, my oldest brother was about 16 years old, was learning, after two years he went into the army. The most important thing I didn’t learn was that everything with us was difficult. Nine people at home, what do you want to accomplish? The most difficult situation. For me, it was at school when my teacher hit me, I bled. We had to learn this in Syria, a big difference from Germany, with sticks, people beat them there. Yes here I remember when he hurt me when my mother came home and found me. So hurt, she researched where the teacher lived and went there, she was very upset.
[i] Was upset.
[r] This was the end for me when I saw my mother fighting. I was very overwhelmed so that we could survive, it wasn’t in my head to learn. I was responsible. I didn’t get a lot of things, everything was difficult, I went back to my childhood looking for plastic or copper to sell, I see my friends going swimming. I don’t dare tell my mother I want to go too. When they buy something, there was so much that wasn’t there for me. I set my mind to work.
[i] At what age did you start working?
[r] I was about 12, but of age. Since the age of 8 I have been selling cakes, I go to the store to buy them and sell them on the street. We sold cakes. I preferred work to learning. At the age of 12 I was fully engaged in professional life. 12 hours every day. From 8 a. m. to 8 p.m.
[i] You help your family, your mother?
[r] Yes, sure, because with 8 people at home.
[i] Are you the oldest?
[r] I am the middle one.
[i] You helped her.
[r] Yes, sure, there are things. Imagine going to the swimming pool, I don’t dare ask my mother for money, I would have to. Looking for plastic, dry bread, I sell it so I can go swimming.
[i] This is very much imprinted on your psyche, but is there anything positive? About your childhood, how did you grow up, growing up in the camp? In stock? What was life like in the camp?
[r] Life in the camp was. Perhaps the best part of my life was my childhood in the camp. What you achieve is not easy to get. You won’t like the taste of it, but if it’s difficult to get something you’ll pay for it. It’s pretty special.
[i] Has special taste. Yes. After that you grew up in this camp. Did you get married? you told me you were married. Tell me about your family? Your little family, then the big one.
[r] We my siblings, my mother was the child. Anyone who wants to learn sacrifices everything for his studies, but at the same time, anyone who doesn’t want to learn is bad, just as those who were afraid of girls were just as afraid of boys. And more, his reputation, the concern for boys was more. Enough you don’t have school, go to work, if the one with the army, before he goes to the army they get married. In our family special ones to marry, my brothers who are older, got married before he went to the army.
[i] Is getting married a tradition for you or is it a must? The boys have to get married.
[r] Yes, I have to.
[i] Nobody stays single?
[r] No, nobody.
[i] Is your family special?
[i] Yes with our family [name], you are 18 years old. You have to get married, that was our law.
[i] Nice.
[r] Most people marry from relatives. Coincidence that someone marries someone stranger. The cousins ​​have priority. It is forbidden for your cousins ​​to marry strangers. If a stranger comes, you have to take it.
[i] Oh. Do you still have this tradition?
[r] Yes. That’s the law, someone stranger comes and takes you, that’s impossible.
[i] Yes, at what age did you get married?
[r] Maybe towards my other siblings, I was a little late because. I didn’t want to get married. Flying used to be my passion, I loved it. To travel, then the right person came along, I got married. Thank God I’m 21 years old, roughly.
[i] How many children do you have?
[r] Five children, I have four girls and one boy.
[i] Yes, do you live here alone?
[r] No, I live with my wife and our children.
[i] Yes, you with your wife and children. Tell us a little about your life in your country, what was it like? You got married, you started a family, a future.
[r] When I worked at the bakery for the [name] family, who are now in Holland, I got in touch with them. They trained me, we only baked cakes, I had more ambition. I wanted more. Not just kitchens, there was something new in our industry, I started with sweets. Cakes and much more. the old ovens. Back then we baked in stone ovens. Now everything is automatic. The evolution, I have worked with others too. And God be, here I put my feet on the first staircase and started climbing. I worked with my cousin, but he has another factory. He gave me the factory, and thank God. I worked in the factory, I was responsible for it I was about. 19 years old, here when I came, the factory owner. He pulled me, imagine I went to him as a child, He trusted me, I worked for him for four years. In the end he was happy, he leased it to me. I’m taking over a factory, it’s a big deal. But I wanted to risk it, I’m still young if I lose. I can compensate others where, here as I told the boys who had taught me. A war started and they wanted to take over the factory. They’re more right, they told me what do you want with it? My family as. They found out that the factory was very expensive, they said no and no. I wanted to buy it, that was a challenge. You also said to my family that God should be with you. Here are my mothers. The biggest role was played by the factory owner who wanted a deposit because she had a gold bracelet. Then she gave it to him as insurance. The first, thank God. I bought the factory, I continued to use the system as I learned. At the end of the month my older brothers came, he wanted them Do accounting, the profit and loss account. Thank God we were lucky with that, after that month I hadn’t written anything down. Whatever comes in or out, I left everything to God.
[i] Were you married or still single at the time?
[r] No, I was still single here.
[i] In this period?
[r] Single, this is where my mother started pushing for me to get married. I was, thank God. I hadn’t thought about it, I got married. During this period I continued to develop, more and more. I deserved more too, thank God.
[i] Yes. Tell us, you got married and started a family, as you say? You are very ambitious and have been a fighter from the start. Tell me a little about your little family and the big one? Your situation, you fought, worked and you have. Some things achieved in your life and in your work?
[r] Thank God I worked, like you, beautifully You know, in our family when someone gets married. It is possible to live with his parents, thank God, from my work and my older brothers. He told me there is a lot of construction going on, what do you think about buying a condo together? We had bought a property together, here after some time, a year. He wanted to sell it, my mother came and told me you are right here with us, come and take your share. And I used the other money from the property to do another job. I bought a car, thank God I was fine.
[i] A house, a car, that means your situation was very good.
[r] Thank God good, my work was good. I wanted to achieve, how can I tell you. What I needed to survive was what I had to have, I didn’t want to be a failure.
[i] Yes. No, definitely, as you say, you count everything. A fighter, in your life, even very, you have started a family and own a car. You did, tell us a little about your country, tell us something about your homeland, tell us about Damascus? You were born in Cham, Damascus?
[r] The most beautiful way you say the word, Cham like that. You have the feeling that everything is beautiful there, especially the old town. I’ll tell you about the capital, not yet about the camp, especially if you go to the shopping center at Hamidiye market. The Umayayad Mosque, you go to the Bogdash restaurant, whose ice cream is famous. If we say we’re going to Damascus each of us has to go there. Or the camp is a story, I spent my childhood there. And my life, everything, you fill boredom. One second, you don’t fill boredom, everyone works, everyone loves each other.
[i] Tell me how did your parents raise you at home? The mom, how did she?
[r] My maternal upbringing.
[r] the mom treats you? Just as she raises the girl, the same way she raises the boy, don’t worry. About boys, that you are more afraid of girls, no, the girls get education. The boy exactly like that, the mistakes the girls make. It’s just like the boys. All equal, our reputation is the same.
[i] What role does religion play in your country? Does religion play a role in your country?
[r] To what extent?
[i] In education, in school, in the state?
[r] Absolutely.
[i] Plays a role.
[r] Yes, how our Islam is a conservative religion. There is no such thing as you being Muslim and you having another tradition or ritual. That’s not right.
[i] There is restriction?
[r] Yes, definitely.
[i] Yes, how did you spend your time? What was family life like at home? How was your daily routine? The atmosphere?
[r] You don’t feel bored, you get up tomorrow, get dressed and go out to work, with us you have to get everything for the housewife, she is at home if she wants to do some work. If she wants to work, she can, there are women who only raise the children. The most important thing when we get off work, the most beautiful thing my mother sees when we’re wearing our work clothes. This is the most beautiful thing for you, this is their jewelry and their pride. That’s the most important thing, how my mother sees us.
[i] Yes. tell us about the well-known example of what older people love? What is very well known?
[r] They say your work things are your pride.
[i] Nicer for you than when you’re in your suit.
[r] That’s natural when you’re walking in the street. In your village, your people see you in your work clothes, it’s different than when you’re shaved and standing for someone somewhere. There is a lot of respect here, they respect you in your work stuff.
[i] Yes. and how was it at home? Tell me about your apartment? What was your childhood like? So what do you remember from your family home?
[r] Thank God. In our house, all of our siblings live on one floor. The older brothers and the other were us, thank God, our father, God should forgive him. He built us a big apartment and we carried on from there. Our mother wanted us to live together in an apartment. We built, first my two brothers lived, one upstairs and the other downstairs. After that we continued and everyone built a floor. The nice thing was our neighbor, our aunt, across from us. Our uncle, being together in the evening is the best thing in the morning. Do you remember the women from the village drinking coffee?
[i] Mogens?
[r] The most beautiful thing here tomorrow will be the women from the village, you see. You see something going on outside, one coming from the market, the other leaving. This is the most beautiful hour in the morning, you have the feeling that they taught us. To love, my mother taught us, as she told me. Just as the neighbor’s son worries about me, you should also fill the same for the neighbor’s wife. I can’t make any mistakes in the settlement.
[i] Neighbors play a role in our countries? Arab countries?
[r] Absolutely. Case. The neighbor? So. When you see your aunt buying bread or she comes back from the market. She’s wearing something, if you see, it would be a shame if you didn’t help her. You help.
[i] This is determined by? Our culture that we should cultivate.
[r] Yes, sure. It’s important to keep this in mind.
[r] It is not allowed. You are curious and want to know who comes to whom. Our house. It’s like the neighbor’s house, and vice versa, special in Ramadan month. When he comes calling at prayer, you see the plates flying. On the table you see 20 varieties. And you send us what we cook, we leave us a plate and the rest is completely distributed and the neighbors do the same.
[r] Who were your relatives in your settlement that you still remember?
[r] All the neighbors, thank God, the uncle family.
[i] Transformed?
[i] Aunts and uncles.
[i] Who did you have as relatives in your settlement where you lived, a place that meant a lot to you? What was dear to you when you were little?
[r] Most of the time when we were working we were still little. We’ll finish on Thursday and get our money. We went to Yarmouk Street, to the cinema. It was still called Star Kino and is still there, which is a nice memory. In Yarmouk street we always went out to eat kounafeh [kounafeh is a sweet, specialty] and bought clothes. In the summer we went to the swimming pool.
[i] You had swimming pools?
[r] Yes we had. Bahrain swimming pool. That’s what we called it, there is also a swimming pool in the city. There used to be an organization in the sports city. The PLO has rented land for a soccer stadium. And a swimming pool.
[i] It’s very beautiful. Did you have a hobby that you could do in your free time?
[r] In the camp itself. We didn’t have any free time, your friend is waiting for you after work. There was nothing boring about going out in the evenings, there was no free time. Your time is filled.
[i] We talked about school. About education, your childhood, your development. About leisure. but we haven’t talked about love yet.
[r] Love is a different story.
[i] Did you have a nice time in love?
[r] There is no tree that the wind does not shake you. Every man goes through this circumstance.
[i] Tell me about your wife. Did you choose her or were you obliged?
[r] No, there was When I was working, my sister was beautifully married. Your sister-in-law has a daughter who sees us as we walk past. Where I work, they said well, don’t you want to get engaged? Have you grown old? There I was. about 20 – 22 years old, they made hints for the girls. My cousin had a truck, he sold water, fiege water. He sometimes gave me a ride, I became curious to see this girl, I told him if you go there take me with you. I want to go with you, I took the water canister and as God wanted. We exchanged looks. My brother’s wife [name], the older one. My secrets were with her, even though my mother But I think it was my brother’s wife. The heart is very close, she was a teacher, has understanding. My mother, why should she create our bread, our drink? Yes, I told her my worries, what do you think and stuff. She was my first aid. Here as God would have it, I got engaged to this girl. But a problem arose: I argued with your father about something, we don’t do that here, it was Ramadan and they came to visit us in the evening. I was working in sweets in Ramadan is harder to work. There is no time. My cousin came to buy clothes he was in Moadamiah. He came to our camp to buy clothes. I told him, please come. Why did my cousin look at you? In any case, we argued. He said, your mother tried to calm me down, we older ones will solve the problem, she said. He said no, I said. my cousin is more important to me than all the girls. In the world I have my cousin who is much more important to me, I find a girl every day but I don’t find a cousin every day. My aunts played a big role here, they said you see whoever doesn’t marry from the family, what happens to them. And stuff like that, here they were behind my mother. So that I leave you and marry someone else and [name] fate. My wife’s cousin who lived in the settlement persuaded my mother. So that I can get engaged again. During that time when I was no longer engaged, I didn’t want to be married anymore. That was enough. engagement again. I had decided to go abroad and my mother said okay, you can go. Allah is there, in the end she said no, let it be with the flying. We want you to get engaged, I wanted to trick my mother into this period. When it comes to getting married, I tell her she’s big and she’s too small, she’s ugly. I wanted her to have my bedroom for marriage, I want it to be special. Fate, I got married.
[i] Do you treat boys and girls equally?
[r] Yes, straight away. just like the mother is afraid for her daughters. She’s just as afraid for the boy and his reputation.
[i] You got married, started a family, have children, we talked about your family, about many topics that affect you personally, then what was the reason that made you come to Germany?
[r] Thank God, if it weren’t for the war, I was happy in Syria.
[i] You didn’t think about migrating?
[r] I was ambitious, thank God, I made myself, worked and built my life. I did a lot, you remember the days. You have put your feet on the stairs, you have goals that you have realized. My dream was to get my apartment finished, that’s a priority, thank God. I made a nice apartment regardless of my job as a pastry chef, I also do work sometimes. And give decor, I set up an apartment, I was fine. Every day, almost every day, we went for a walk in the evening, after work. Every week we went out, my life was happy, but the war circumstances forced us to do it, we were afraid, there was no security.
[i] Correct.
[r] During the war time, I experienced 9 – 10 months. In the blockade, in Yarmuck Camp, those were the most difficult days. Regardless of what I experienced in my childhood. But here was the hardest pain.
[i] What can you tell us, what can you remember?
[r] The hardest thing was being my brothers’ son. to his father says, I’m hungry, imagine your son said to I’m hungry. And you can’t give him anything.
[i] You didn’t have anything to do in the camp?
[r] No, hard, hard, we spent most of the time. The flavor enhancers that they put in chips and Derby, we cooked them and drank them. It was expensive, it was heavy, we didn’t know a piece of bread!
[i] You’re talking about a long time, ten months, how did you overcome the time? Ten months, how did you get support?
[r] We didn’t get any support, we couldn’t get in. The people who had reserves, we opened up the apartments. People go in and take, for example, an apartment here. If there was anything in it, they sold it, a kilo of rice. The one that costs 25 – 30 lira would be sold for 5000 lira.
[i] This was a black market.
[r] Yes. Cigarettes were forbidden, the most expensive thing in our country was cigarettes. A cigarette cost 2500 Syrian lira, the package costs 25 lira outside. That’s how it was, we didn’t have electricity, we had a generator. We bought one Empäire, two Empäire, called with coal. Sometimes it was necessary to destroy and burn his own bedroom so that it would be warm.
[i] Happened?
[r] Yes.
[i] And the children? The medication, the medicine, you’re talking about ten months?
[r] Ten months. Once my older daughter suffered from anemia, the most important thing. Okay, thank God there was a PLO health center in the camp. There was still a cadre, we are very grateful for it, they fought until the end. Thank God as she needed blood at this time. We could give her that, people camped and gave blood, the most important thing in this siege was people loved each other. People liked each other, for example. One had diabetes, imagine a robber hearing something like that. He would help you, that’s a nice thing. Everyone would help you. That was the special thing about camp, but life. We had no life, imagine that. To keep warm, we bought diesel for 700 Syrian lira, outside was for 25 – 30 lira. How do you want to warm up? Communication was difficult, you walk about a kilometer to find network so you can call. I.. .I was different from the people there. Half of my family was inside and the rest was outside. My wife and children went out the day before, my mother and my older daughters stayed inside. You get desperate in between, you have to do balance. How is there going to be enough money for both of them?
[i] All alone?
[r] I couldn’t have done it alone, my sister was in Sweden. She helped and supported us. Your son has been a migrant there for a long time, he also helped, for example. For us Palestinians the Onrwa helps us. In the camp, they pay us money so that we can survive, do the work. How did the people survive that, I told you, a kilo of rice cost 5000 lira, I’m going shopping. And sell it for 8000 lira, once. That’s a nice story that happened in the day of the siege.
[i] Tell us.
[r] A reconciliation delegation came because of the PLO. They came to the camp to see the situation so that the militias would leave the camp. One of them had brought cigarettes; he knew that people smoked. He gave all 4 men a box to share. Finally gave me a box for myself and one other person, my mother in the morning. Every day we have to go to Regaa Square, which is between the fighters. And the government, you know what happened. He gave me this box. I have 10 cigarettes, we had nothing to eat at home, nothing to warm us. Nothing when she came as if something had fallen from the sky. Ten cigarettes, one costs 2000 lira. When I sold it, I went home and said to mom, what’s wrong, yes, we don’t have diesel. I said don’t worry, I used the money to sell the cigarettes. I bought something to eat and something to drink, she asked me and I told her everything. Thank God, the armed men were always looking in the houses. They make markets, you are obliged to buy from them. I bought, I knew the goods were stolen, I was forced to buy them so I could sell them again. I would have to survive, there was no other option, most of the apartments were affected. There was nothing left to eat or drink. You can’t figure out how much reserve you have at home for two months. Even.
[i] After that, how did the decision come about? The decision that you leave?
[r] The PLO has it here said we have to address the people, the humanitarian situation out and brought cardboard [aids]. The PLO and UNRWA had brought the boxes of aid to the camp. One man takes a box at reception, I was the first man to receive a box. I was the first man, that really affected me, I had been there for a long time. No sugar, no rice, nothing sweet, here are mine Mother and my daughters don’t go out with me. They were afraid for me, a man who would get something, I was worried. I can’t see them starving and my mother goes to get them. The first time, I risked my life and went to the government People scare you, but you have to go through it. What will happen, I have it in my head: either I come back with the box or I leave. Then an army officer asked me, what are you doing here? I said I wanted to get a box. He said stand here. I stood there, he said do you have the family card? I said no, I only have a picture of it. The family card was outside with my wife, he said okay, I went to register. They check whether someone is in Schufa. He wasn’t okay.
[i] Mr. [name] we’ll continue to talk and what we started. Tell us in this difficult situation, war time? The annihilation? [Long break…]
[i] Mr. [name] we continue in this hard time, the war? Surviving, making this decision, staying, fleeing? How did you decide why Germany to leave the country? In Bochum of all places?
[r] Because of the circumstances that happened to us. The war, there was no more life. Everything became difficult, killing, kidnapping. No more security. Everything was very difficult, everything was expensive.
[i] Was there no more hope?
[r] There was nothing left to live like before. No, before the war people loved each other, people changed, the neighbors than me. In the camp there was Karatina, thank God, they had opened the way. The PLO came and helped with the most important cases to leave the camp. Thank God, we hadn’t done anything bad, we submitted an application, we were approved. The government said get out, go out to Damascus, I was there for a while. I found the situation still difficult, and it was getting worse every day. Here I had the phase where nothing works anymore, then I decided to escape like everyone else. Every other day I miss one of my friends, traveled, I said to myself then I’m like all the other people.
[i]Yes.
[r] We decided to fly, thank God. At the beginning, when you want to leave the country, you can’t tell anyone. The most difficult moments are not to tell anyone, maybe someone will say something in front of the government. This is a big problem and the way, you will survive a lot, a lot of difficulties you don’t know what awaits you, there are a lot of barriers, control from the government. Which is easier than the IS and Nasra checkpoints. You don’t know what they’re up to. My brother’s last girl Twelve years old, imagine you have to put on the abaya. I left in the morning, the last thing before I left, I said goodbye to my mother. I said to her, are you happy with me, she said Allah protect you and open your path, I am proud of you. Here man leaves happy because the mother is happy, thank God. I left at half past ten, my sister’s son, my brothers’ daughter, and my brothers-in-law’s son. They were small, we were through the government checkpoints. Now you have to go to IS and Nusra Front Countryside, Tadmur. Until you get to Raqqa, there should be a smuggler there to take us out, when we arrived no one was there. We went back, stayed with people and went back to Ḥalab [Aleppo], imagine. You stand at six o’clock in the morning, you drive to Ḥalab from Ḥalab to Idlib. Here the path would be more difficult. It was getting harder and harder, I wanted to cross the border. How can I go to Türkiye, someone had recommended to us why do you want to go through Halab, come to Karbet el Jozz. Wallah I have the children, I can’t go alone, tell others you have to insure. We had seen three other men, we left, thank God, we arrived in Karbet el Jozz at 11:00 p.m. We saw the first smuggler, he wanted 25,000 to take us with him. We couldn’t go in the first night.
[i] 25000 what currency?
[r] Syrian lira.
[i] Per person?
[r] No. For all.
[i] Just so that you can cross the border.
[r] The Turkish border so we can get to Türkiye.
[i] The border between Syria and Türkiye?
[r] This is where things went wrong. There was a clash between the Turks, someone else had told me there were smugglers who had bought the border point, but they were expensive but with a guarantee, I had no problems with it because I have children. Hamdellah, we came in on the second day.
[i] Your whole family was there.
[r] No, my sister’s son, my brother’s daughter and my brothers-in-law. I didn’t bring my family with me.
[i] You fled alone.
[r] I told you because of the circumstances, I had to leave, there was no life left. When we arrived in Turkey. We crossed the border, they took us to a school, then took us to a mountain. At night, imagine you’re awake. For two days, at the end you go to the mountain until early in the morning at five. Until we reach Antakia, then we have to go to the garage to buy a ticket so that we can go to Izmir. We waited until seven o’clock in the afternoon to buy a ticket to Izmir, thank God. We sat on the bus for seventeen hours. Until we arrived.
[i] How many people were you?
[r] With me were my brother’s daughter, my sister’s son and my brother-in-law, the three of them. Until we arrived, we arrived in Izmir, you know beautiful, first when you arrive. Is very well known, Basmala place, all the smugglers are there. And the Balamann dealers. Here you have to be smart to find one. Which is cheaper and better. We arrived in Izmir, we stayed. About three weeks until we got there, it was full summer time. You could go the same day but that was expensive I didn’t have the money for us to go further. Thank God, arriving in Turkey was the first sure thing. That I could leave Syria, that you survived. The second: You have to travel in the sea in Balam, that is the second journey. Imagine there are 72 people sitting in a balam.
[i] How long was that?
[r] 9 meters long. Width about 2 meters, there are 72 people in it, children, women. Here the smuggler brought us together and drove us to the meeting point in a large, closed car. We sat there for about an hour and a half. Then we have to go downstairs. From the top of the mountain down to the point. The Turkish smugglers are waiting there and will take you in Balam without a driver. They’re looking for someone, a smuggler, who drives this Balam and they won’t take any money from him. We sat in the sea for nine hours, you don’t know Whether you arrive, you have left everything to God. The love of God.
[i] Definitely.
[r] Only God and the prayers of parents can help here. After nine hours in the water we arrived at the island. Samos. Here, everyone was very happy. You feel a celebration, you are born again.
[i] That was a victory.
[r] That was a great success. 72 person in Balam is not an easy thing. You are between baby and children, in the water all night long. You don’t know what’s hidden up front.
[i] Are you driving in the dark?
[r] Absolutely, on the moon light. The smuggler told us this light, you have to go there. We thought it was close, instead of going to the destination island we went to another island. Thank God we have reached this corner of Samos Island. The Greeks came there and helped us a little and showed us the way until we arrived. At this point International Cross, they examined us etc. gave us food afterwards. There was a map for us to take the ship, here We were lucky that we drove on the same day. There were people who had been waiting on islands for three and two weeks. Thank God we are on the ship from the island on the same day. We went to Athens, the capital, after Athens we went to Macedonia. In Macedonia you should cross the border as you come in. We are between people, traders no one knows the way, they show themselves. Mutually, we divided into groups. Thank God we arrived, the police came. They had heard about kidnapping cases and selling human organs and stuff like that. The government has cooperated, one country gives people to the other. They had made our way safe and were taking people in groups, thank God, onto buses. We went to Serbia and stayed in the garden for three days. By the time it was our turn, we had bought a bus ticket and continued on to Hungary. The hardest thing was that running didn’t make us happy, we were happy. That we are making progress, we had heard how we were crossing the border in Hungary. We were a group.
[i] Where to, which country?
[r] To Hungary, we are from Serbia. You have to go into Hungary, to the village, this is the most difficult place. Like, those in front of us called and told us that we should take something with us to cut the barbed wire. Takes tools with you for cutting, there were 90 of us. We had agreed that we would cut three groups of extinguishers so that the people would. So that the people can get through, three openings so that they can get through, here we have the women with small children. To put the children to sleep, to calm them down, to give them sleeping pills, as you well know, the Hungarian police are very tough. They take your fingerprints, there are people who don’t want to come to Germany. They want to change direction to Sweden, to Holland, a child screamed here. Everything broke down, the Hungarian police came and spoke in English. Come on, it’s no problem, take a fingerprint. I didn’t go, neither did my aunt’s son, his wife and his brother. There were six or seven of us people who didn’t want to, my brother-in-law went alone, the people were scattered. Everyone has a different opinion. I didn’t want to give up on the first try, I tried two and three times. Why from the first adventure, all the people were gone, there were only six or seven of us left. The important thing is that after three quarters of an hour everything was quiet and we went inside. You walk into cornfields, don’t know the direction, imagine. All day you walk in cornfields higher than you, but thank God. There are drawings where the loud noises occurred, you can see that. We arrived in Hungary, the first village in Hungary was here. You know, everyone who runs away tells the other what happened to them on the way, we had seen. Taxi, they charge €200, at the beginning we saw a taxi. He took €200 per person and drove us to the capital of Hungary. Here was the hardest part, we were surprised, we thought how. Macedonia and Greece, here no one is allowed to leave the train stop. People slept there, imagine 25,000 people sleeping on top of each other in the cold room train. The village was very difficult, people were looking for cars and smugglers. They take €400 per person, here after three days the men came and said why are we staying here, the people all had to be fingerprinted in Hungary, they said let’s all go together. And walking to Germany, people said it was difficult, it was very difficult, why are we staying here? We are sitting here and we will also be sitting on the street, people have given us courage. Everyone went out, here as people left together. Imagine 25,000 people walking together, we are at around 12:00 p.m. At noon, we walked for two or three hours, a police car came and stopped us, we crashed their car and didn’t listen to them. We walked further, here the world press and media became bigger than we saw. Between us, we were relieved you have some protection on your side. Press. Media, although when we were in Hungary, the press came every day, there was a demonstration every day. Do demonstrations, slowly, slowly, the Hungarian people, you should stay honest. You will find older people who get walkers or trolleys, for example children. You find someone throwing water bottles or bananas from their car. Until we arrived, there were people here who had children, little girls. we helped each other when the press came last day. We take breaks, we run for an hour, take a break for a quarter of an hour. Until we arrived. It was nice at half past ten at night, people here had been tired and walking since ten o’clock in the morning. You run until ten o’clock in the evening, we may be. Before the Austrian border, people wanted to spend the night there. On the street and later we continue to walk, here we have. Only saw rain, a little later people said there was a bus that took people to Germany. Here people found it strange, perhaps the Hungarian/German people thought. Maybe it’s a lie, they’re taking us back to the camp, we weren’t sure here, we’re trying to take the first bus, the first group should go, if that’s okay we’ll continue, actually. I didn’t tell you this when we were at the demo, they showed posters of Merkel. The flag of the EU, here the people were relieved, were happy, nothing happened. What scares us, you run Happy when we saw this. The matter is serious, when people arrived in Germany, buses came, people were motivated, yes it is Germany. Here you took the bus that took us to Vienna, to the train stop. Central stop, arrived at seven in the morning, they treated us. Medically treated, from the human side everything was very nice on the way. They were very humane with us, sick or something. They started dividing people into groups, we wouldn’t know where we were going. That’s how your group took us on a train, we thought we were going to Munich. We’re going to Munich, we don’t know anything. We landed in Duisburg, I remember that the Interior Minister welcomed us. We had breakfast and then they started sorting the people. That was the most beautiful moment, the way the Germans welcomed us. We refugees were on two sides. This scene affected me so much. I have filled you are still in your country, there are still people. It could be that people want us, here we were even happier, relieved. Psychologically. The worries on the way, tired, you have forgotten everything. In this view, you see people clapping for you, whatever you want. After breakfast, they sorted us out.
[i] Was interesting.
[r] Very interesting, yes. Here they sent us to a camp, a hospital or something, in Duisburg. We stayed there for about ten days, then they sent us to Hemmer, Heimer!? I’m not exactly, about two hours from here, there in the home was nice. The home was beautiful, there was a party there, the first party here was difficult for us. Here I cried, we in the festival we hear the speech from the mosque. Here you can feel something in your heart.
[i] Did you feel alien?
[r] Here was the most difficult moment.
[i] Without family, without parents.
[r] Yes. The festival has come, the first thing for us is the prayer for the festival. Visiting the graves was tough here. I couldn’t show the people, each for themselves.
[i] Sad?
[r] Yes. I thought about it a little later. The children who knew we were having a party, who were in the home before us, told us. There is city, you have to walk for half an hour because of fate. So there was something to celebrate in the city and I saw the carousel. Thank God the festival was double, I offered them a nice atmosphere for the festival, I took them there. Played on the swings in the carousel and went to the restaurant with them. Thank God, in the camp itself, let me tell you, they had a good thing. This camp was nice, they had like a hall. A small hall, there are songs for everyone, Africans, Kurds for Arabs, Serbia for everyone. Every hour they do a song, it wasn’t boring, there was a huge screen. We stayed for fifteen days, after four days they sorted us out. If there were names on a list, we don’t know anything about it, we should get our fingerprints here. When we arrived in Germany we were so happy, we didn’t think about anything anymore. The important thing is that we arrived in Germany, we were supposed to give our fingerprints, we did. Thank God, here you think, if you have given your fingerprints then there is a stay. You’re thinking about family reunification. After two weeks they transferred me to Bochum.
[i] Let’s talk about Bochum, the last thing was arriving in Bochum.
[r] Here when I came to Bochum. They had us in the car, on the bus, they transferred people. Everyone ends up in a different corner, not everyone in Bochum, our luck was in Bochum. We don’t know anything about it, he sat us down in front of the town hall and said go, where should we go. We asked, about four hours until we knew where the social welfare office was. After the social, they drove us to the camp in the car. This camp was newer, the first people to inhabit it were us. It was a sports hall for a school. Families also came there. Slowly, slowly the camp has grown larger. Everything is there. There is a woman [name], she is a German., She was a very noble person, she did a lot. Did a lot of good things, imagine as. We met her when she came in to camp. We feel the mother is here, everyone goes out to see her.
[i] [name] was a normal German citizen or she worked in the camp.
[r] No, volunteer, German. She’s leaving her apartment and her daughter because of us, we’re not strangers there. No matter what problem, you are sick, she takes you with her, no matter what problems there are, she solves it. You get mail, it helps, slowly. Slowly, she knows we are Arabs, she brings us to the camp. This was the first Arabic bread we got, we had toast. Slowly, slowly she had a lot of understanding, next to our camp. A school, she asked the teachers there to support us. We are supposed to help you, every evening from eighteen to nine thirty in the evening. Teaches us language. Everyone should take part, big and small, we can’t say no to her. Even when someone is sick, we all went because of her, she did that for us, we went around like that. Great, they taught us how to introduce ourselves and the simple things. We learned this for two weeks, after two weeks she checked the level, you have an education that needs another teacher. You don’t know, Okay, she sorts people every day. She did something nice at camp, for example you want to eat go to the kitchen. You tell her you need four pieces of bread if you don’t speak German, and she won’t give it to you. Just so you love the language, here people started to love the language. There is something that motivates you, you get in shape, the best days were in the camp. I attended a school here and learned a lot from it. I benefited a lot from the camp.
[i] What impression do you have of the German people?
[r] The impression right at the beginning is that they are very human. The humanity, all the Germans I met. They are human, they are honest but the difference between us is their culture is different. As our culture that is one thing, but it is beautiful. When you have one culture and learn another culture and are civilized. This is the difference between us, whose work is holy, whose work is faithful. With a conscience, if vacation, then vacation. And the law for them is good, the system. Eight, must be eight.
[i] There is respect for deadlines?
[r] Very, they respect that very much.
[i] What picture do you have of Bochum? You’ve said a lot of good things about [name], you’re making a good impression on the people? The German people, what does Bochum mean to you?
[r] She is You should see it that way for me She is like the Yarmuk Camp, where I lived and grew up.
[i] Up to this degree?
[r] Yes, sure, you’ve been in this city for three years.
[i] When did you come?
[r] My first day in Germany was September 6th, 2015. That was my first day, I won’t forget it. I’ve been in Bochum for three years, I am. I know three quarters of the people, leave the Arabs aside. I know a lot of Germans, a lot of Germans here.
[i] Do you have friends or contacts with the German?
[r] Yes, I have. Thank God, when I attended the measure I met many, there is one. Thank you very much. My name is Izmehir, I can’t pronounce it well. She is Turkish, she is sweet when I was there at the beginning. The men were there for three months, their job was to find apartments for the people. She helps people, she was very human. With everyone, I’m going there, can’t benefit, they had me in. A school was simply free. I’m leaving, but this woman doesn’t benefit. Make up for it and thank God there is still. A woman’s name is [name], she’s wonderful, she helps people. If you take an apartment, what you need helps. Maybe the Arab says, today I don’t have time, you, you have an appointment. She gives you her time. That’s great if you find that. Here I have filled, Bochum is like Yarmuk Camp, When I go to the town hall. Walking there I feel like I’m in the camp, on Yarmuk Street. I feel that their current Easter is so special. Mid-November to the beginning of the year you see the festivals that light up the world.
[i] Christmas?
[r] Christmas with them is very, very nice, you won’t get bored. Every evening you go out for a walk, alternation, these two months I hope Bochum stays like this.
[i] Where exactly in Bochum do you live?
[r] In the theater.
[i] Tell us about the Playhouse? The place?
[r] At the beginning I lived in a village, I felt a little depressing, maybe for the older people it’s nice because they’re used to it. This atmosphere, but I was used to it in the camp, to noise and movement. I felt the same especially in front of the theater itself when you see the people. In the evening, at night on Thursday and Friday, Saturday you will find the people, I am happy to see them at the window. I watch the people, everything is beautiful near the city.
[i] Are you happy there?
[r] Yes, very much.
[i] What do you do in your free time in Bochum? How do you spend your free time? How do you spend your free time if you have a family? Do you have a wife and children?
[r] Leisure in the sense of, there is none. Maybe a little, you know Germany, the many appointments, mail, you can’t get there. You got mail, despite three years here, no matter how much you learn. He won’t be able to translate it, you have to get help. You have to wait on Him. If this is at 10:00 a. m. , this post will bind you. For example. On the weekend, Saturday, Sunday I meet up with my friends and go into town. After Dortmund, after Gelsenkirchen, the more cities you visit. You will learn more, become more educated, and learn new things from German.
[i] Do you have any hobbies?
[r] I have hobbies, I love football, a lot.
[i] Are you following this?
[r] Very. I’m waiting for it.
[i] You can pursue your hobby here more than in your home country?
[r]Here, maybe. I couldn’t, but here I can offer this to the children, for us it was difficult, the means for it weren’t available, in the sense of If you have money, you can do it, if you don’t have anything, it’s been difficult.
[i] Which places in Bochum do you like?
[r] The town hall, The town hall reminds me of Yarmuk Camp when I go there. Maybe I can’t find all Arab friends though. But I find the Germans I like, mostly they are there.
[i] Does your education, your culture, what you brought with you, play a role in your life here in Bochum?
[r] Absolutely. The most important thing when I get up in the new apartment in the theater. I hear Fairuz drinking coffee at the window. This is in the morning, not forgetting whether we want Our parents are like that and we have it like that. Social life, unfortunately, is difficult here. In Germany, the time, the situation of people, you have to take all of that into account. No time like ours.
[i] Yes, you told us something nice? What did you experience in Bochum? Is there anything negative you can tell us? Did that happen to you in Bochum? With your children? Have you experienced anything like that?
[r] I experienced a difficult situation, I was. When I did the family reunification, the most difficult thing was my daughter’s problem. When I did the interview in Lebanon, she was 17 years old, 18 days old. If you were 18, we would have done the interview here, thank God. Everything was okay, the papers are correct, I’m sitting at home, then I got mail from the foreigner. Because of my daughter, I went there, she says you can’t get your daughter. Here I couldn’t think, what should I do, I was tied up. There was a Moroccan helping Arabs, he saw me, he asked me, I told him. He said it was okay, he knew something about me, his name was Elias and he was great. Moroccan helps the refugees, he went to the clerk. He asked are your papers complete, I said yes, he told her what right you have to tell him. You can’t get your daughter, what’s that? I had the most important document that I can bring my family. This is known when you submit your fingerprint. Has family reunification, he explains to the others, we had been asking the whole time, what is it like with family reunification. Man knew something about it, he showed her when she saw it, he said it wasn’t his fault. That the dates are so far from the interview. She sent us to the boss, he wanted the original birth certificate. Here I promoted it from Syria, he said everything would be fine, here I was relieved. They sent me to the measure, I stayed there for eight months, I would be interviewed on the first day. The phone went from Lebanon who told me. The visas have come, thank God, here it was friends, at the same time I’m asking about my daughter, she said. You can’t get your daughter, here the joy and the shock. The Turkish woman saw me, she is very, very good, asked what was going on. I told her that, closed the door, called the boss. Actually I felt something, she was more upset than me. She explained that she had no idea what was being translated and had spoken to the person in charge. They called the embassy, ​​thank God, three quarters of an hour later they said they would let your daughter come, here, thank God. I was overjoyed, it was the most difficult thing I experienced in Bochum. Everything else, thank God, apart from the language etc. Which puts a lot of strain on us. Is the stability, you want to start something in Germany. If such a law comes, what about Merkel, what am I in Germany, maybe you will send me back. This problem that burdens us is difficult for most people, I say okay, I’m going to work in Germany, my language isn’t sufficient. This is the biggest problem, thank God the others. Everything is OK.
[i] Are you happy in Bochum? Are you happy that you decided to go to Bochum, of all places in Germany?
[r] I as God would have it, perhaps. I didn’t know my way, it was important that my sister came to Germany. I wanted to go to Sweden to see her, but I stayed here. All people have advised me what is the difference between here and there, though. There after three years you will be naturalized, but here, thank God, in a month. I got the stay and did a family reunion tour even though this is an industrial country. That’s the nerve of Eu, there’s work here. There is not much work in Sweden, for me it is important to work, there is land here. Culture, civilized, European nerve, I would like to stay here.
[i] The future of your children?
[r] The future is the most important thing I couldn’t do in Syria. I left school because of Thank God for their future, I would like to offer them what I couldn’t do for myself. They should do that.
[i] Big win that you have brought your family and brought your family. You didn’t tell me what it was like saying goodbye to your mother? She raised you alone, you helped each other? What was the decision with your wife? Are you going alone?
[r] That was hard, I thought about it a lot? Everything is burning, you want to go to Damascus. No matter why, for example. A bomb can fall on you.
[i] Mr. [name] in conversation, you talked about it. About family reunification and the difficulties in Bochum? Did you come alone? Without wife and children tell me how did you end up alone?
[r] In the beginning I brought my brothers’ daughter and my sister’s son with me to make the decision. I’m flying, the situation in Syria is zero, I was desperate. There was no life, everything became harder. If a bomb comes, you survive or not. I spoke to my wife. One of us has to leave because of the children’s future. We agreed that I would leave. The most difficult moment. Was all I wanted to go. I said goodbye, my siblings wouldn’t know. I called the rest and said goodbye, everyone was surprised at how you left. Spontaneously, I said everything happened quickly. That’s how it happened, my mother gave me a souvenir. She said leave it with you, on the way, think about God. That has always accompanied me. I think of God, of you. Thank God, everything went well. All difficulty in escaping on the way. You know smuggling isn’t easy.
[i] Does this mean a lot to you? This chain?
[r] To my mother. Because she said take it with you.
[i] Did you pay attention to this on the way?
[r] Yes, sure, I won’t leave it, always in my pocket. If you forget to mention Allah, this will remind you. You pray, in Balam. We sat for six hours, the screaming was too much for us. I touched it, says Allah is there. We can only pray if it is written, we will survive, thank God. People prayed, in difficult moments you can only pray. The good Lord. Everything is good.
[i] Your mother is happy with you?
[r] The most important thing when you leave. No matter what a man does, satisfaction comes from his parents.
[i] What was the last word she said to you?
[r] The last thing was, are you satisfied with me? She said yes. I left, I was at home with myself until the end, I didn’t want anyone to accompany me.
[i] Do you still have family contact?
[r] Yes sure, we talk via Whatsapp every day, my siblings are Damascus. I have my sister in Sweden.
[i] Do you maintain the relationship?
[r] Yes, of course, we were raised that way. We bring our children and grandchildren, that is our culture. Hard you leave your rituals.
[i] Are you thinking about going home?
[r] Not now. I am building a new life and a new future in Bochum. I think, thank God, I got the family, I have an apartment and I’ve settled down. Everything is getting better, my children are going to school. I learned something. If you’re twenty, it’s different than if you’re forty. To learn the language, it takes a while. I’m looking for work now. Than I would find out. I love working, learning is nice. So that men can become more educated, but for me work is more important. Education is for my children. Bochum for me is now. All that means to me is that I met Germans. I have contact, the teacher is my son. Because he has a deficit, she comes to us to give him tutoring. Free, she comes for two hours, on a voluntary basis. We in Syria don’t have anything like that, if you have exams. You buy a tutor yourself for a fee. The difference is big.
[i] What distinguishes the European from our nation?
[r] Maybe we have something like that, but here it’s better. The school, you are a teacher. You have an exam, they don’t do that for God, the teacher says it’s my right. He only gives tutoring for money, this teacher is obliged!!. To help you at home.
[i] Definitely not.
[r] She comes because she likes the child, she supports him, so far I’m maintaining the German relationship. I invite you. They call me at regular intervals to see if I need anything. Since I’ve been in Germany, no matter what happens to me.
[i] I seek their protection. tell me about your relationship? From your fellow countrymen here? You are a Syrian, do you have anything to do with them here? With the Syrians, there are many of you here, do you have an association?
[r] There is relationship when that arises. We visit each other, at the same time I leave time for my German friends, you can’t forget the good things. What they have done for us. I try to have time there, at least. Man invite you, without you we wouldn’t have it. That achieves and could not get them.
[i] Now the topic of integration? We want to talk about it, you’ve made a decision, now is the time? At the moment you want to build a life and future here in Bochum with your children. How do you realize that?
[r] The first. I went to school and rode the bus. I listen to what you talk about, I like to hear what they talk about. I remember a word. I’m getting curious. Keep this, I like that the Germans visit us so we can hear the language, that helps us. If we didn’t have the contacts, we wouldn’t have benefited. That’s very good, I studied in a school. Thank God we are learning, but now the most important thing is. The children to start here.
[i] Have you tried eating German food?
[r] This happened in Langendreer. When I went home from the camp, there is a church that helps refugees once a month Everyone meets together and gets to know each other. He is from Serbia, Afghans, Greeks from all countries. So that we can get to know each other better, he is from Serbia. I don’t understand his language, we spoke German. Here’s one. She makes a meal once a week where we lived, whatever a man wants, one person has to cook. You cook, we go visit each other. It wasn’t just a visit, the topic was the food, they cook a dish and we, for example. This week it’s my turn, next week it’s Jihan’s turn. Next week is the neighbor or the Serbs. Everything was, we felt so much abroad because there is something that brings you together.
[i] There is connection?
[r] Yes, exactly.
[i] Have you tried the German food?
[r] Yes, I have.
[i] Did you like?
[r] This is away from our kitchen. Sometimes lemon and sweetness are mixed together.
[i] Is alien to us.
[r] The Germans love our cuisine more than we love their food, they don’t have a kitchen. Maybe because of their work or time. I often see you at the bakery, I am, God bless. I like this because this is my job. I’m watching what’s happening there. Sometimes I don’t want to buy but I’m curious to know how to bake it, what the oven is like. This is your hobby, you love it, you want to touch it.
[i] Surely you cook Arabic?
[r] Yes, definitely, we only cook Arabic. Even the Germans know our dishes by heart. The Arabic food.
[i] Do you like Arabic food?
[r] Very.
[i] That is also culture.
[r] Now when they come. Tabbouleh [specialty]. Falafel.
[i] They love that.
[r] There is something too. She listens to German music, we thought that was good. We wanted to hear it again and again, even though we didn’t understand it. I liked you.
[i] Very nice, music is also important for cultural exchange because music has no status, everyone can listen to world music, no matter what.
[r] Yes, you come, you want to learn the language. We do cartoon in German because that is the first stage to understand the meaning. The cartoon film.
[i] Tell me about your friends here in Bochum? Your relationship, you Syrians meet? Have you had any activities together since you organized? How do you describe your relationship? Are there many of you here? What are you doing? Tell us about it? How are you organized?
[r] We live roughly German culture, since we live here, we have to go along with it. Their atmosphere, their life, roughly like yours, but don’t forget our culture, our upbringing and values. Our tradition, here I have to experience the other tradition too. Of rituals, home culture, contemporary culture. I have to come to terms with it. I live here in this country I have to live like you, but our lives, for example the festival of sacrifice. We all meet up, go to the mosque together, visit each other. We make our sweets and offer them like we do at home. We have built an atmosphere like ours, we do not forget this tradition.
[i] People are happy about that, let them develop further in their lives where they live?
[r] Definitely, the Germans in Ramadan. Imagine that they help us with things that we know are fasting and have respect for. They have a different religion. He has respect for you, you are forced to respect him, mutually. We celebrate with them, you with us.
[i] Absolutely, that’s nice. You talked about Christmas, how much you like it in November and December, the Christmas atmosphere, Bochum, the culture? The children, how do you feel about this?
[r] The children at the beginning. Bochum is quiet. Berlin is busier, more Arabs, what’s going on. I just wanted to stay here. You can’t take a fish out of water, I’m like that. My wife wanted to go to Hamburg to see her uncle. They’ve been there for 30 years, I said no. I’ve gotten used to it here, she also has acquaintances and Syrian friends. Not just Syrians also from Serbia. We lived with them for a while and are in touch.
[i] You live in a democratic country where peace reigns in Europe, are you staying in Bochum? Because of security, you also have your country, what you love, where you come from? As you grew up, do you have conflict between the past and the opposite and the future?
[r] Absolutely. Everyone has a conflict between past. You remember your childhood. The thoughts of the past, your beautiful days, now you are. You fought in Syria, the war conditions, your dreams collapsed, you’re starting over here. We’ll work on it, if God wants it that way. First the work, the children’s future.
[i] Because of the language barrier? Did you report the children to school, did you go to school? How do you see the authorities in Bochum?
[r] The topic is…
[i] Is this easy or difficult?
[r] It’s hard until you find a place. No place, imagine at the beginning when I came, fate. Chance, a family came after me whose children were registered before mine. Here I didn’t think it was good inside. No room for mine, after four months, they would be reported, you run every day. Thank God, they are registered and continue to go to school. They talk beautifully.
[i] They speak German?
[r] Yes, thank God.
[i] You feel safe here.
[r] Absolutely. There’s definitely a difference, you’re living in a war, you’re living in an apartment. Do you hear he was missing, someone who wanted to get something was hit by a bomb. He can’t find the man anymore, kidnapping, what can I tell, no security.
[i] Tell us about a story that happened to you during the war. You can’t forget them even though you live here, do you remember?
[r] When my sister died. That was a hard moment that I can’t forget because I was at the camp and want to go out. What’s important is that fate came in. She called me, what when I came you left, Don’t you want to see me? I said yes, I’m coming. She said wait two days, I will come back. She spent a night with my mother, she said to her and my mother-in-law. Buy me black coffee, if I die then you can spend it. She had that feeling. Stayed with my mother, didn’t want to sleep with her in-laws. I miss my mother, she was strange tomorrow. My mother asks do you want something, should I make you something, everything happened so quickly. Told me my mother, they went away, came back. On the way back, she would be hit by a bomb, that’s something. I went to meet her, she came to see me.
[i] Fate. Was your mother with her too?
[r] Yes.
[i] She saw her when she was injured.
[r] Yes, she would be hit in the heart. Very quickly, she didn’t die so quickly, she would be in the ambulance, the medical help there. It’s just first aid, there’s no operating room, she had to get out of the camp. You need a car that can drive between IS and Nasra militias. Afterwards the control, there were obstacles. Maybe she would have survived. She sat on the chair for a while, no one noticed that she was hit. Didn’t make it to the hospital. I left everything here.
[i] You didn’t realize that she was hurt. In your heart, you didn’t look at her.
[r] Even you, all people say she has no pain.
[i] May she rest in peace.
[r] Live and be merciful. That was very difficult, she was my older sister. She was our mother, very dear at home, you feel. Everyone has a strength, she was the most loved. She knew how to cook so well. What we want to eat is still married. I tell her.
[i] She could cook well?
[r] Very good.
[i] Who does your mother currently live with?
[r] With my older brother.
[i] What is the situation now?
[r] Now is the situation. Tragedies from one tragedy to another. Surviving is hard when I show you what my apartment looks like now. I can show you video, my whole life is destroyed. Now people rent outside, the rents are very expensive. Everything is expensive, food, drink, everything is expensive. You’re sitting here in Germany, what are you thinking about? To the.
[i] Would you like to bring your mother here?
[r] Absolutely. I’m paying half of my life for her to come here. If I have to sell an organ from my body. So I can see you.
[i] Tell us something funny so we can get away from this atmosphere, missing that, love? The mom? Tell us something nice?
[r] The best thing is the weddings in our camp. These are nice memories.
[i] Is the wedding still worth it?
[r] Very. You can’t imagine if the groom wants to get married three days before. The shower, the hen party, the lunch. Giving it away, we argue a lot. A family so that the groom is invited. One loads the other. For example, my relative’s wedding was when we were the same age. I now my cousin have come. I invited you to the restaurant for dinner. My cousin drinks alcohol, he was very happy, very . Very, we walk on the curb there is a slide next to it is a dumpster. He was so drunk that he didn’t see you, he was nice in there, that’s a memory. Until now, let’s not forget, those were good times. The weddings, stuff like that.
[i] Have you experienced a wedding in Germany? Has anyone gotten married?
[r] No, I attended one of my sister’s son’s weddings in Holland.
[i] Did he have a wedding as we know it?
[r] But not like our wedding. Hard you experience these moments. No matter how much you do here, your loved ones won’t gather around you, my friends are in Holland, in Sweden, everywhere. In Syria, Schwer or in Berlin. Cologne, it’s hard for everyone to come together. I celebrated my daughter’s wedding, you can’t blame people for why they didn’t come. I wanted everyone to come.
[i] [name], you are still young, you married your daughter, how old was she?
[r] She was twenty.
[i] Twenty!. Here in Germany?
[r] Yes.
[i] When?
[r] In May.
[i] this year?
[r] Yes.
[i] In the month of May 2018?
[r] Yes.
[i] I hope she is happy!?
[r] Thank God, she has a young man who can appreciate her. Very.
[i] She is happy with him.
[r] Very, very.
[i] It’s not your fault that you let her get married young?
[r] No, on the contrary. On the contrary, the most important thing here is that it is in good hands, after which you can move on with your life. She decided, she chose Him, you can’t.
[i] Tell me about your family? You love this tradition and rituals, everyone has to get married? Which is of course positive. The man is married and has children and is doing well in life. That’s nice, are you continuing this here? Three years here, you do this with your children?
[r] Nothing here is the same as it used to be. In the beginning, you marry your cousin, you can’t say no. If you say your father, never in front of people. Then he has no value in front of people, only when he dies. Okay, Okay, here, no, it’s different. You develop further, as you get older you have more education. Our children are not allowed to experience the oppression that we have experienced beautifully.
[i] 100 percent correct.
[r] It’s okay if you want to get married, I have no problem.
[i] You think that’s good. You want them all to get married.
[r] In the end everyone has to get married. No matter how much she learns, in the end she has to get married, she is human.
[i] Of course, she can combine, get married and work.
[r] Can form.
[i] Growing up with your children, getting an education, working, everything is allowed. They’ve gotten older. I’m sitting with my son now. When your son grows up, he’ll be like brothers, in my free time. I feel he is my friend, I don’t treat him like a father. Like a friend, all my children.
[i] Was your mother happy that your daughter got married?
[r] So, she told me: The worst thing is that I wasn’t there. We should make her a video. Even though she has nothing.
[i] Did you make a video for her?
[r] Yes, if we don’t talk for two days. She goes crazy, she calls all the relatives to ask what’s going on. The main thing is that she can reach me.
[i] [name] you have achieved a lot. From childhood to marriage. You are very determined, a fighter, and have mastered everything well. You founded a big family, you saved them from the war. You’ve been brought here in the most difficult situation. You are very kind to your fellow human beings, what do you still have to achieve, what do you dream of, what are your goals? What do you want to achieve here in Bochum?
[r] How should I say this? I will do everything here that I didn’t do in Syria. A bakery that I love with passion. As a man loves a woman, I become sensitive when I touch the flour. The butter, the flour. I want to do this here, you know here It’s not like that here in Syria. There are strict laws here. A second thing. I want to get my mother.
[i] You will realize both goals. I really hope so for you, you are ambitious. You will achieve this, thank you very much for the exciting story, we had a lot of fun. We learned from you. I wish you good luck and success, safety with children. You live in a civilized country Mr. [name]. Honor us, welcome here in Bochum.
[r] I would like to thank Ms. [name]. For your work with refugees. She has achieved and done a lot for them. Thank you very much for you and every German who helped us.
[i] Thank you very much.