Hidden Treasures of a Refugee’s Journey | Sara Abou Rashed | TEDxColumbus

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]

[Music]

[Music] good evening everyone I would like for

good evening everyone I would like for

good evening everyone I would like for you to close your eyes and imagine this

you to close your eyes and imagine this

you to close your eyes and imagine this with me so you’re standing in front of

with me so you’re standing in front of

with me so you’re standing in front of an ocean it is wide and deep and endless

an ocean it is wide and deep and endless

an ocean it is wide and deep and endless and you’re on the shore

and you’re on the shore

and you’re on the shore noticing ships coming by and dropping

noticing ships coming by and dropping

noticing ships coming by and dropping their cargo and to you it looks a lot

their cargo and to you it looks a lot

their cargo and to you it looks a lot like garbage

like garbage

like garbage locked up boxes and remains that you

locked up boxes and remains that you

locked up boxes and remains that you don’t know what for but while you’re

don’t know what for but while you’re

don’t know what for but while you’re standing there every time you look there

standing there every time you look there

standing there every time you look there is a key on the shore right now maybe

is a key on the shore right now maybe

is a key on the shore right now maybe you’re too far away maybe you don’t have

you’re too far away maybe you don’t have

you’re too far away maybe you don’t have time to worry about it until one day you

time to worry about it until one day you

time to worry about it until one day you come closer and you pick up that key and

come closer and you pick up that key and

come closer and you pick up that key and you realize that all this time it’s been

you realize that all this time it’s been

you realize that all this time it’s been an invitation to go diving in your ocean

an invitation to go diving in your ocean

an invitation to go diving in your ocean you can open your eyes now and back to a

you can open your eyes now and back to a

you can open your eyes now and back to a real world where this ocean you’re

real world where this ocean you’re

real world where this ocean you’re standing in front of is your life and

standing in front of is your life and

standing in front of is your life and all these boxes are all the

all these boxes are all the

all these boxes are all the circumstances and hardships that are

circumstances and hardships that are

circumstances and hardships that are thrown at you it could be war or loss

thrown at you it could be war or loss

thrown at you it could be war or loss maybe you lost your job or something you

maybe you lost your job or something you

maybe you lost your job or something you worked really hard for it could be

worked really hard for it could be

worked really hard for it could be illness depression addiction anything

illness depression addiction anything

illness depression addiction anything and this ski laying there it is

and this ski laying there it is

and this ski laying there it is curiosity it is vulnerability it is

curiosity it is vulnerability it is

curiosity it is vulnerability it is there every single day waiting for you

there every single day waiting for you

there every single day waiting for you to pick it up and to go diving in your

to pick it up and to go diving in your

to pick it up and to go diving in your ocean well I am 17 and I have so many

ocean well I am 17 and I have so many

ocean well I am 17 and I have so many ugly boxes in my ocean one box I have is

ugly boxes in my ocean one box I have is

ugly boxes in my ocean one box I have is the war in Syria it is such a heavy and

the war in Syria it is such a heavy and

the war in Syria it is such a heavy and painful box I hated it I wanted to stay

painful box I hated it I wanted to stay

painful box I hated it I wanted to stay as far away from it as possible this war

as far away from it as possible this war

as far away from it as possible this war that has injured and starved and killed

that has injured and starved and killed

that has injured and starved and killed so many I didn’t want anything to do

so many I didn’t want anything to do

so many I didn’t want anything to do with it so I pretended like it just

with it so I pretended like it just

with it so I pretended like it just didn’t exist but then came another box

didn’t exist but then came another box

didn’t exist but then came another box and that is my new life here in the US

and that is my new life here in the US

and that is my new life here in the US this one didn’t look any better either I

this one didn’t look any better either I

this one didn’t look any better either I came here three years ago not knowing

came here three years ago not knowing

came here three years ago not knowing any English and you can imagine all the

any English and you can imagine all the

any English and you can imagine all the struggles that I went through it was

struggles that I went through it was

struggles that I went through it was impossible I really thought that I

impossible I really thought that I

impossible I really thought that I wasn’t gonna make it we studied the

wasn’t gonna make it we studied the

wasn’t gonna make it we studied the Odyssey freshman here and I was the most

Odyssey freshman here and I was the most

Odyssey freshman here and I was the most depressed you can you can imagine how

depressed you can you can imagine how

depressed you can you can imagine how hard it is for native speakers so for

hard it is for native speakers so for

hard it is for native speakers so for someone like me while somebody well the

someone like me while somebody well the

someone like me while somebody well the average student

average student

average student learning few new words the day I was

learning few new words the day I was

learning few new words the day I was learning hundreds it was insane

learning hundreds it was insane

learning hundreds it was insane and I became really desperate and lonely

and I became really desperate and lonely

and I became really desperate and lonely and my teachers my family they noticed

and my teachers my family they noticed

and my teachers my family they noticed they would encourage me every day to

they would encourage me every day to

they would encourage me every day to look at it differently to pick up that

look at it differently to pick up that

look at it differently to pick up that key and to go diving in my ocean and

key and to go diving in my ocean and

key and to go diving in my ocean and that’s when I thought you know what

that’s when I thought you know what

that’s when I thought you know what I am impoverished I don’t have anything

I am impoverished I don’t have anything

I am impoverished I don’t have anything I’m standing on this Shore without a

I’m standing on this Shore without a

I’m standing on this Shore without a language or friends or a country or a

language or friends or a country or a

language or friends or a country or a house and so I went diving in my ocean

house and so I went diving in my ocean

house and so I went diving in my ocean and it wasn’t easy it was hard it took

and it wasn’t easy it was hard it took

and it wasn’t easy it was hard it took me a while every day I would go a little

me a while every day I would go a little

me a while every day I would go a little deeper until I got there and saw my two

deeper until I got there and saw my two

deeper until I got there and saw my two boxes the war and my new life and I

boxes the war and my new life and I

boxes the war and my new life and I thought you know I am NOT in Syria

thought you know I am NOT in Syria

thought you know I am NOT in Syria anymore I am far away from the war but

anymore I am far away from the war but

anymore I am far away from the war but my new life is starting right now maybe

my new life is starting right now maybe

my new life is starting right now maybe I should open that box first and so I

I should open that box first and so I

I should open that box first and so I did and I opened that box and you know

did and I opened that box and you know

did and I opened that box and you know what I found with all the struggles I

what I found with all the struggles I

what I found with all the struggles I found some treasure my talk tonight is

found some treasure my talk tonight is

found some treasure my talk tonight is titled head and treasure because I found

titled head and treasure because I found

titled head and treasure because I found good things among all the hardships all

good things among all the hardships all

good things among all the hardships all the obstacles I found patience and

the obstacles I found patience and

the obstacles I found patience and perseverance and motivation and

perseverance and motivation and

perseverance and motivation and inspiration and strength and I found all

inspiration and strength and I found all

inspiration and strength and I found all everything I needed to solve these

everything I needed to solve these

everything I needed to solve these problems so I picked that up and went

problems so I picked that up and went

problems so I picked that up and went back to my short but I started solving

back to my short but I started solving

back to my short but I started solving my problems every day I would sacrifice

my problems every day I would sacrifice

my problems every day I would sacrifice hours and hours of sleep I would work so

hours and hours of sleep I would work so

hours and hours of sleep I would work so hard because I knew I can do better and

hard because I knew I can do better and

hard because I knew I can do better and I did in few months I became proficient

I did in few months I became proficient

I did in few months I became proficient in English and I became one of the top

in English and I became one of the top

in English and I became one of the top students at my school I went my life was

students at my school I went my life was

students at my school I went my life was transformed

transformed

transformed I went from practicing how to say the

I went from practicing how to say the

I went from practicing how to say the word poem to winning the Columbus City

word poem to winning the Columbus City

word poem to winning the Columbus City Poetry Slam

thank you this Odyssey that that I

thank you this Odyssey that that I struggled with became my first

struggled with became my first

struggled with became my first inspiration for a poem and in this past

inspiration for a poem and in this past

inspiration for a poem and in this past year alone I was published in over 10

year alone I was published in over 10

year alone I was published in over 10 books that I was even nominated for a

books that I was even nominated for a

books that I was even nominated for a pushcart price it is insane

it is insane to think how far I’ve gone

it is insane to think how far I’ve gone how this journey has brought me here to

how this journey has brought me here to

how this journey has brought me here to be standing in front of you tonight

be standing in front of you tonight

be standing in front of you tonight and just two months ago I was in New

and just two months ago I was in New

and just two months ago I was in New Orleans for a national competition where

Orleans for a national competition where

Orleans for a national competition where I placed third in the nation I am really

I placed third in the nation I am really

I placed third in the nation I am really happy that I get to be somebody

happy that I get to be somebody

happy that I get to be somebody encouraging that I that with all the

encouraging that I that with all the

encouraging that I that with all the treasure I found I didn’t just find some

treasure I found I didn’t just find some

treasure I found I didn’t just find some I didn’t just find treasure for myself I

I didn’t just find treasure for myself I

I didn’t just find treasure for myself I found enough to be shared with the world

found enough to be shared with the world

found enough to be shared with the world I found enough that I am here tonight to

I found enough that I am here tonight to

I found enough that I am here tonight to encourage you to inspire you to pick up

encourage you to inspire you to pick up

encourage you to inspire you to pick up your key and to go diving in your own

your key and to go diving in your own

your key and to go diving in your own oceans I am sure you all have boxes and

oceans I am sure you all have boxes and

oceans I am sure you all have boxes and you all have box of the or ugly and ones

you all have box of the or ugly and ones

you all have box of the or ugly and ones that you’re running away from it happens

that you’re running away from it happens

that you’re running away from it happens but this is a risk worth taking and I

but this is a risk worth taking and I

but this is a risk worth taking and I have to admit I have boxes that I am too

have to admit I have boxes that I am too

have to admit I have boxes that I am too scared to touch self my father died two

scared to touch self my father died two

scared to touch self my father died two years ago in the war and this one I’m

years ago in the war and this one I’m

years ago in the war and this one I’m still too afraid to come close to I

still too afraid to come close to I

still too afraid to come close to I visit every once in a while but I can’t

visit every once in a while but I can’t

visit every once in a while but I can’t say I fully opened it yet and I’m sure

say I fully opened it yet and I’m sure

say I fully opened it yet and I’m sure that one day just like I found treasure

that one day just like I found treasure

that one day just like I found treasure in the war in my new life I will find

in the war in my new life I will find

in the war in my new life I will find judder in that box too and so tonight to

judder in that box too and so tonight to

judder in that box too and so tonight to inspire you even more I would like to

inspire you even more I would like to

inspire you even more I would like to share with you some of the richness that

share with you some of the richness that

share with you some of the richness that is in the box of my war the wharfs fifth

is in the box of my war the wharfs fifth

is in the box of my war the wharfs fifth anniversary in Syria we are running out

anniversary in Syria we are running out

anniversary in Syria we are running out of coffins we wrap our dead like

of coffins we wrap our dead like

of coffins we wrap our dead like Christmas presents we are running out of

Christmas presents we are running out of

Christmas presents we are running out of places to bury our dead

places to bury our dead

places to bury our dead we keep them upright death knows no

we keep them upright death knows no

we keep them upright death knows no laying down in our land we fall standing

laying down in our land we fall standing

laying down in our land we fall standing up and when the last doctor in the city

up and when the last doctor in the city

up and when the last doctor in the city dies the last person to know how to hold

dies the last person to know how to hold

dies the last person to know how to hold a needle and stitch our bulletin

a needle and stitch our bulletin

a needle and stitch our bulletin uteruses dies we hold the needle and

uteruses dies we hold the needle and

uteruses dies we hold the needle and stitch them ourselves

stitch them ourselves

stitch them ourselves spend five years now and my country is

spend five years now and my country is

spend five years now and my country is bleeding a river my father’s head has

bleeding a river my father’s head has

bleeding a river my father’s head has already fallen heavy in my hands it’s

already fallen heavy in my hands it’s

already fallen heavy in my hands it’s been five years now and I’ve grown fifty

been five years now and I’ve grown fifty

been five years now and I’ve grown fifty years standing on two feet

years standing on two feet

years standing on two feet I am no longer myself I am the name of

I am no longer myself I am the name of

I am no longer myself I am the name of the nameless the forgotten the killed

the nameless the forgotten the killed

the nameless the forgotten the killed the murdered the injured the present the

the murdered the injured the present the

the murdered the injured the present the raped and still I breathe and I push and

raped and still I breathe and I push and

raped and still I breathe and I push and I breathe and I push because someone

I breathe and I push because someone

I breathe and I push because someone somewhere in the world ought to keep

somewhere in the world ought to keep

somewhere in the world ought to keep Syria alive it was never her wish to

Syria alive it was never her wish to

Syria alive it was never her wish to come this close to dying thank you

come this close to dying thank you

come this close to dying thank you [Applause]