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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| My journey from Doctors Without Borders aid worker to Syrian refugee | My journey from Doctors Without Borders aid worker to Syrian refugee |
| (5 months later) | |
| I got on a small, seven-metre long boat with 52 other people. Small children sat around me. The driver of the boat was one of us, a refugee, who had never driven a boat before. It was only an hour at sea to reach one of the Greek islands but the engine was too small to carry the weight. When the fuel ran out some of us had to get in the water to drag and push the boat. We were exhausted when we reached land seven hours later. But we had made it. | I got on a small, seven-metre long boat with 52 other people. Small children sat around me. The driver of the boat was one of us, a refugee, who had never driven a boat before. It was only an hour at sea to reach one of the Greek islands but the engine was too small to carry the weight. When the fuel ran out some of us had to get in the water to drag and push the boat. We were exhausted when we reached land seven hours later. But we had made it. |
| My journey started in Syria, where I have seen the situation in my country get worse and worse, with no end in sight. Several rebel groups, most notably what’s called the Islamic State (IS), have now taken over large parts of the country, including my hometown of Raqqa in northern Syria. | My journey started in Syria, where I have seen the situation in my country get worse and worse, with no end in sight. Several rebel groups, most notably what’s called the Islamic State (IS), have now taken over large parts of the country, including my hometown of Raqqa in northern Syria. |
| I joined Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in 2014, first working as an administrative assistant in Raqqa, later as assistant project coordinator, helping to set up a new project in Tal Abyad. Providing aid, though, became increasingly difficult as the war dragged on and IS started controlling more areas. It was strange, even shocking, to see people I knew joining IS. One of the leaders in the area was a former neighbour of my family. We had lived next to each other for 20 years; now we had to negotiate with him to be able to provide aid. | I joined Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in 2014, first working as an administrative assistant in Raqqa, later as assistant project coordinator, helping to set up a new project in Tal Abyad. Providing aid, though, became increasingly difficult as the war dragged on and IS started controlling more areas. It was strange, even shocking, to see people I knew joining IS. One of the leaders in the area was a former neighbour of my family. We had lived next to each other for 20 years; now we had to negotiate with him to be able to provide aid. |
| That worked for some time. But the attitude of IS towards MSF, and other aid organisations, became increasingly hostile. The projects grew smaller and smaller, until we reached the point where we could no longer continue working in the area. | That worked for some time. But the attitude of IS towards MSF, and other aid organisations, became increasingly hostile. The projects grew smaller and smaller, until we reached the point where we could no longer continue working in the area. |
| One day, after the MSF projects had already closed, I got a call. It was from former friends, friends who had joined IS. They said I had to go: I was on a list. That same night I left Raqqa. It was hard to leave my country this way: it was never my choice, the choice was made for me. | One day, after the MSF projects had already closed, I got a call. It was from former friends, friends who had joined IS. They said I had to go: I was on a list. That same night I left Raqqa. It was hard to leave my country this way: it was never my choice, the choice was made for me. |
| I left with my brothers and several friends. We travelled to Aleppo first, then to Kilis, across the Turkish border. We stayed in Turkey for some time, and I even worked there for another aid organisation. But it became clear that we had to move on. Turkish immigration rules make it virtually impossible to find and build a life there and so, especially for the sake of my brothers, we decided to set out for Europe. | |
| We took a bus to Izmir, a coastal city in western Turkey. There we got in contact with a smuggler, who prepared our boat journey to Greece. We paid him a lot of money to do this, but there was no other way. You cannot go by yourself. So we got on the boat, 52 of us: men, women and children, all with the same hopes and dreams. | We took a bus to Izmir, a coastal city in western Turkey. There we got in contact with a smuggler, who prepared our boat journey to Greece. We paid him a lot of money to do this, but there was no other way. You cannot go by yourself. So we got on the boat, 52 of us: men, women and children, all with the same hopes and dreams. |
| Our boat didn’t stay on the course we had set out, and we had no idea what island we landed on. We were stranded on a beach, exhausted from swimming and pushing the boat, no people in sight. We had to climb a mountain and walk five kilometres to the nearest town. There, utterly spent, we went straight to the police station. Unfortunately, no one could help us that day. We were told to wait, and had to sleep our first night in Europe on the street. | Our boat didn’t stay on the course we had set out, and we had no idea what island we landed on. We were stranded on a beach, exhausted from swimming and pushing the boat, no people in sight. We had to climb a mountain and walk five kilometres to the nearest town. There, utterly spent, we went straight to the police station. Unfortunately, no one could help us that day. We were told to wait, and had to sleep our first night in Europe on the street. |
| The next day, we were processed, and we could begin our trek through Europe. It turned out that we had reached Samos. From there, we organised the journey to Athens, then on to the Greek-Macedonian border. We reached Macedonia, Serbia and Hungary. We took buses, trains, walked on railways and through cornfields. Throughout much of the journey we were in large groups, including families with small children. Despite my feet aching and having sustained an injury to my hand, they had it much harder than I did. On our way, we did find aid organisations – MSF, the International Red Cross – helping refugees, but they cannot be everywhere. | The next day, we were processed, and we could begin our trek through Europe. It turned out that we had reached Samos. From there, we organised the journey to Athens, then on to the Greek-Macedonian border. We reached Macedonia, Serbia and Hungary. We took buses, trains, walked on railways and through cornfields. Throughout much of the journey we were in large groups, including families with small children. Despite my feet aching and having sustained an injury to my hand, they had it much harder than I did. On our way, we did find aid organisations – MSF, the International Red Cross – helping refugees, but they cannot be everywhere. |
| The various authorities, though mostly helpful, made it obvious that they did not want us there. This was most apparent in Germany, which we reached by train from Vienna. When we stepped onto the platform in Munich, with the intention of travelling onwards to the Netherlands, we were immediately stopped by police. After learning that we were Syrian and had no official travel papers, we were taken into custody. We were brought to an empty warehouse and locked up. It makes you feel like a criminal, despite having done nothing wrong. | The various authorities, though mostly helpful, made it obvious that they did not want us there. This was most apparent in Germany, which we reached by train from Vienna. When we stepped onto the platform in Munich, with the intention of travelling onwards to the Netherlands, we were immediately stopped by police. After learning that we were Syrian and had no official travel papers, we were taken into custody. We were brought to an empty warehouse and locked up. It makes you feel like a criminal, despite having done nothing wrong. |
| The next day, we were rounded up and sent to Dortmund by train, where we were detained once more. It was by sheer luck – or rather, the kind help of a stranger – that I managed to get out. I met a translator who worked at the detainment centre who had the same accent as me. He came from the same region in Syria. Because of this, or simply because he was kind and knew what I had been through, he decided to help me. Employees have to carry a large badge that allows them to move in and out. The translator gave me his badge. I stuck it onto my chest where everyone could see it. And I just walked out. I can never thank this man enough for his help. | The next day, we were rounded up and sent to Dortmund by train, where we were detained once more. It was by sheer luck – or rather, the kind help of a stranger – that I managed to get out. I met a translator who worked at the detainment centre who had the same accent as me. He came from the same region in Syria. Because of this, or simply because he was kind and knew what I had been through, he decided to help me. Employees have to carry a large badge that allows them to move in and out. The translator gave me his badge. I stuck it onto my chest where everyone could see it. And I just walked out. I can never thank this man enough for his help. |
| My family is split up. Some of them live in Frankfurt. My father still lives in Raqqa, where he takes care of our house. As an older man, he is not at risk there. I miss my family, of course, but it is better this way. | My family is split up. Some of them live in Frankfurt. My father still lives in Raqqa, where he takes care of our house. As an older man, he is not at risk there. I miss my family, of course, but it is better this way. |
| My next goals are to get permission to stay, to learn the language, to study, and hopefully build a new career, maybe even with MSF. Hopefully, I can live my European dream. | My next goals are to get permission to stay, to learn the language, to study, and hopefully build a new career, maybe even with MSF. Hopefully, I can live my European dream. |
| * Names have been changed to protect identities | * Names have been changed to protect identities |
| Join our community of development professionals and humanitarians. Follow@GuardianGDP on Twitter. | Join our community of development professionals and humanitarians. Follow@GuardianGDP on Twitter. |