June 15 2013 was my last day of high school as you might imagine I was
school as you might imagine I was
school as you might imagine I was excited and nervous at the same time
excited and nervous at the same time
excited and nervous at the same time excited because school was finally over
excited because school was finally over
excited because school was finally over and I couldn’t wait to go to university
and I couldn’t wait to go to university
and I couldn’t wait to go to university nervous because I was not completely
nervous because I was not completely
nervous because I was not completely sure that college was a dual doable plan
sure that college was a dual doable plan
sure that college was a dual doable plan and I was right to be nervous when
and I was right to be nervous when
and I was right to be nervous when Bashar Assad forces retreated from the
Bashar Assad forces retreated from the
Bashar Assad forces retreated from the city we dare to dream about living in
city we dare to dream about living in
city we dare to dream about living in peace but soon his barrel bombs and were
peace but soon his barrel bombs and were
peace but soon his barrel bombs and were planes made us realized that there is no
planes made us realized that there is no
planes made us realized that there is no safety anymore
safety anymore
safety anymore later on Isis took over the city and of
later on Isis took over the city and of
later on Isis took over the city and of course they started enforcing their
course they started enforcing their
course they started enforcing their rules they closed schools they destroyed
rules they closed schools they destroyed
rules they closed schools they destroyed churches they blew up everything they
churches they blew up everything they
churches they blew up everything they claimed it was forbidden for us girls we
claimed it was forbidden for us girls we
claimed it was forbidden for us girls we were forced to wear new cops cover our
were forced to wear new cops cover our
were forced to wear new cops cover our faces and we were not allowed to leave
faces and we were not allowed to leave
faces and we were not allowed to leave the house without a male relative
the house without a male relative
the house without a male relative everybody spoke against them got killed
everybody spoke against them got killed
everybody spoke against them got killed once I got a gun pointed at my head
once I got a gun pointed at my head
once I got a gun pointed at my head because an Isis soldier claimed that I
because an Isis soldier claimed that I
because an Isis soldier claimed that I was not properly covered left with any
was not properly covered left with any
was not properly covered left with any other alternative my family and I
other alternative my family and I
other alternative my family and I escaped to kobani but just like Raqqa
escaped to kobani but just like Raqqa
escaped to kobani but just like Raqqa kobani was also left to the devastation
kobani was also left to the devastation
kobani was also left to the devastation of Isis our house was a pile of rubble
of Isis our house was a pile of rubble
of Isis our house was a pile of rubble people close to me got killed
people close to me got killed
people close to me got killed and at that moment my dreams would were
and at that moment my dreams would were
and at that moment my dreams would were smashed but instead I chose to fight
smashed but instead I chose to fight
smashed but instead I chose to fight even harder to achieve them and in
even harder to achieve them and in
even harder to achieve them and in November 2015 I decided to leave Syria
November 2015 I decided to leave Syria
November 2015 I decided to leave Syria and come to Europe before leaving I met
and come to Europe before leaving I met
and come to Europe before leaving I met the Norwegian journalist Anders hammer
the Norwegian journalist Anders hammer
the Norwegian journalist Anders hammer and after discussing documenting my
and after discussing documenting my
and after discussing documenting my journey he gave me a GoPro and he taught
journey he gave me a GoPro and he taught
journey he gave me a GoPro and he taught me the basics of filming when the time
me the basics of filming when the time
me the basics of filming when the time came to leave I packed my stuff I took
came to leave I packed my stuff I took
came to leave I packed my stuff I took two pair of pants to pullovers my
two pair of pants to pullovers my
two pair of pants to pullovers my passport pictures of my mother my high
passport pictures of my mother my high
passport pictures of my mother my high school diploma and of course my Game of
school diploma and of course my Game of
school diploma and of course my Game of Thrones DVDs I was I was terrified
Thrones DVDs I was I was terrified
Thrones DVDs I was I was terrified because so many people got shot trying
because so many people got shot trying
because so many people got shot trying to cross the borders it took me four
to cross the borders it took me four
to cross the borders it took me four attempts to cross this narrow no-man’s
attempts to cross this narrow no-man’s
attempts to cross this narrow no-man’s land between Turkey and Syria but when I
land between Turkey and Syria but when I
land between Turkey and Syria but when I arrived there I thought that the worst
arrived there I thought that the worst
arrived there I thought that the worst was finally over in Turkey I met with my
was finally over in Turkey I met with my
was finally over in Turkey I met with my friend Ayman in Syria he had to drop out
friend Ayman in Syria he had to drop out
friend Ayman in Syria he had to drop out of university after he was detained by
of university after he was detained by
of university after he was detained by the regime as he was one of the
the regime as he was one of the
the regime as he was one of the activists in the revolution in March
activists in the revolution in March
activists in the revolution in March 2016 we managed to find a spot on a
2016 we managed to find a spot on a
2016 we managed to find a spot on a rubber boat and a rubber boat as many
rubber boat and a rubber boat as many
rubber boat and a rubber boat as many refugees we would had to cross the
refugees we would had to cross the
refugees we would had to cross the Mediterranean to get to Greece I was I
Mediterranean to get to Greece I was I
Mediterranean to get to Greece I was I was petrified I can’t swim I’ve always
was petrified I can’t swim I’ve always
was petrified I can’t swim I’ve always been afraid of water and I prayed that
been afraid of water and I prayed that
been afraid of water and I prayed that the smuggler would not call us
the smuggler would not call us
the smuggler would not call us but he ended up calling us back
the time we spent on that boat seemed
the time we spent on that boat seemed like never-ending we thought were going
like never-ending we thought were going
like never-ending we thought were going to drown and at the same time I was
to drown and at the same time I was
to drown and at the same time I was thinking why why do I have to go through
thinking why why do I have to go through
thinking why why do I have to go through this why can’t I just grab my passport
this why can’t I just grab my passport
this why can’t I just grab my passport get on a plane and go to a safe country
get on a plane and go to a safe country
get on a plane and go to a safe country why is it my fault that there’s a war in
why is it my fault that there’s a war in
why is it my fault that there’s a war in my country now I felt weak
my country now I felt weak
my country now I felt weak I felt stateless I felt as a true victim
I felt stateless I felt as a true victim
I felt stateless I felt as a true victim of this world’s cruelty nothing more
of this world’s cruelty nothing more
of this world’s cruelty nothing more fortunately a boat was passing by and
fortunately a boat was passing by and
fortunately a boat was passing by and rescued us when we first arrived to the
rescued us when we first arrived to the
rescued us when we first arrived to the Greek island of Lesbos again I thought
Greek island of Lesbos again I thought
Greek island of Lesbos again I thought that the worst was over we were finally
that the worst was over we were finally
that the worst was over we were finally at the cradle of the Western democracy
at the cradle of the Western democracy
at the cradle of the Western democracy and to be honest the help and the
and to be honest the help and the
and to be honest the help and the kindness of many volunteers made me feel
kindness of many volunteers made me feel
kindness of many volunteers made me feel optimistic after spending a few days in
optimistic after spending a few days in
optimistic after spending a few days in a refugee camp we would had to go to the
a refugee camp we would had to go to the
a refugee camp we would had to go to the Macedonian borders there we were stuck
Macedonian borders there we were stuck
Macedonian borders there we were stuck for two and a half months together with
for two and a half months together with
for two and a half months together with other 12,000 refugee
other 12,000 refugee
other 12,000 refugee I was shocked shocked by how people were
I was shocked shocked by how people were
I was shocked shocked by how people were treated shocked by the system that was
treated shocked by the system that was
treated shocked by the system that was clearly broken our asylum applications
clearly broken our asylum applications
clearly broken our asylum applications were supposed to be initiated by a Skype
were supposed to be initiated by a Skype
were supposed to be initiated by a Skype call
call
call but these calls were never picked up and
but these calls were never picked up and
but these calls were never picked up and nothing ever happened rain made our tent
nothing ever happened rain made our tent
nothing ever happened rain made our tent soaking wet diseases were spread and
soaking wet diseases were spread and
soaking wet diseases were spread and people became sick and there were rumors
people became sick and there were rumors
people became sick and there were rumors of women and children being abused so
of women and children being abused so
of women and children being abused so when in desperation we tried to cross
when in desperation we tried to cross
when in desperation we tried to cross the borders to Macedonia the Macedonian
the borders to Macedonia the Macedonian
the borders to Macedonia the Macedonian police shot at us with rubber
police shot at us with rubber
police shot at us with rubber both with the rubber bullets and tear
both with the rubber bullets and tear
both with the rubber bullets and tear gas
after this we had to find another way
after this we had to find another way Amon and I had to find another way so
Amon and I had to find another way so
Amon and I had to find another way so with the help of a big loan a smuggler
with the help of a big loan a smuggler
with the help of a big loan a smuggler and a fake passport
and a fake passport
and a fake passport we got smuggled to Austria there we
we got smuggled to Austria there we
we got smuggled to Austria there we applied for asylum and now I have been
applied for asylum and now I have been
applied for asylum and now I have been granted to stay for three years there in
granted to stay for three years there in
granted to stay for three years there in studying German and I hope to start
studying German and I hope to start
studying German and I hope to start University soon when during the whole
University soon when during the whole
University soon when during the whole escape I stayed in touch with hammer and
escape I stayed in touch with hammer and
escape I stayed in touch with hammer and also I document I kept on documenting
also I document I kept on documenting
also I document I kept on documenting because the media was talking about it
because the media was talking about it
because the media was talking about it like as if it’s not happening anymore as
like as if it’s not happening anymore as
like as if it’s not happening anymore as if thousands of refugees are still stuck
if thousands of refugees are still stuck
if thousands of refugees are still stuck in Greece Macedonia Serbia all the way
in Greece Macedonia Serbia all the way
in Greece Macedonia Serbia all the way to Austria and because I felt that I had
to Austria and because I felt that I had
to Austria and because I felt that I had the right to tell my own story I had the
the right to tell my own story I had the
the right to tell my own story I had the right to give a human face to the cause
right to give a human face to the cause
right to give a human face to the cause our documentary was published last
our documentary was published last
our documentary was published last August by the Guardian and in the first
August by the Guardian and in the first
August by the Guardian and in the first week it was viewed over 8 million times
week it was viewed over 8 million times
week it was viewed over 8 million times we did not expect that but now that I
we did not expect that but now that I
we did not expect that but now that I have the time to step back I think I get
have the time to step back I think I get
have the time to step back I think I get why the story resonated that much you
why the story resonated that much you
why the story resonated that much you see all over Europe you hear governments
see all over Europe you hear governments
see all over Europe you hear governments complaining about the integration of
complaining about the integration of
complaining about the integration of refugees but integration cannot be
refugees but integration cannot be
refugees but integration cannot be learned through isolation and rejection
learned through isolation and rejection
learned through isolation and rejection we are we want to dive in our new homes
we are we want to dive in our new homes
we are we want to dive in our new homes but I still have hope because
but I still have hope because
but I still have hope because governments have failed us but people
governments have failed us but people
governments have failed us but people haven’t
today I’m 22 years old and I spent the
today I’m 22 years old and I spent the last year and a half of my life escaping
last year and a half of my life escaping
last year and a half of my life escaping my own country a year and a half during
my own country a year and a half during
my own country a year and a half during which I had no idea whether I’m going to
which I had no idea whether I’m going to
which I had no idea whether I’m going to live or not believe me when I say I have
live or not believe me when I say I have
live or not believe me when I say I have no regrets because it made me who I am
no regrets because it made me who I am
no regrets because it made me who I am it also made me appreciate the smallest
it also made me appreciate the smallest
it also made me appreciate the smallest things in life like not waking up to the
things in life like not waking up to the
things in life like not waking up to the sound of bombing or freezing in a wet
sound of bombing or freezing in a wet
sound of bombing or freezing in a wet tent but in a comfortable bed instead it
tent but in a comfortable bed instead it
tent but in a comfortable bed instead it also made me appreciate present moments
also made me appreciate present moments
also made me appreciate present moments present moment we are now sharing now
present moment we are now sharing now
present moment we are now sharing now Paris think about it you have the luxury
Paris think about it you have the luxury
Paris think about it you have the luxury to not consider time as a dangerous
to not consider time as a dangerous
to not consider time as a dangerous concept that might kill you but as an
concept that might kill you but as an
concept that might kill you but as an opportunity to thrive so make it count
opportunity to thrive so make it count
opportunity to thrive so make it count thank you
”
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