A prospective economist and an amateur poet, Adel decided at his 18 years to change country and life refusing to accept war as his everyday life.
His attitude is enclosed in the phrase “I was afraid because of the conditions, but at the same time, confident I would make it“; with no fear but full of courage, as a privilege of his age but character also, he began his adventure from Syria stopping at first in Turkey.
It took several days for him to arrive to Turkey, making the longest distance of the route on foot and less by bus, like most of his compatriots. He succeeded, keeping strong the faith for a better life already seem to be ahead. However, Adel had left behind anymore his parents and his five siblings.
He spent some time in Turkey by working to raise money and thus buy a place in a boat to Mytilene. Adel eloquently describes his time in Turkey, having only unpleasant memories both by people’s behavior toward refugees as well as because of the extremely difficult working conditions.
Adel’s next station was Mytilene, after an overnight journey in the Aegean Sea. A trip that included a forced break due to boat damage, intense moments of people crying, be afraid and separated from their belongings which had managed to save and overexertion of men passengers like Adel, for all’s rescue.
The attempt to continue his trip to Europe led him to Idomeni, but the closed borders led him finally to Athens. In Athens, he joined UNHCR’s relocation program being registered as an asylum seeker. Shortly after, he denied his relocation to Romania; Adel preferred to stay in Greece.
Today, Adel is a young man who makes gradually steps ahead. He works in SolidarityNow as an intercultural mediator, helping this way his compatriots, whereas he soon expects to begin his studies again; although he has not chosen yet among his preferences – biotechnology, philosophy and economics. In the meantime, he writes poems in Arabic and English, he learns Greek and he is always eager to participate in the organization’s actions.
Recently, Adel was the tour guide for SolidarityNow guests at the event entitled “Migration flows and SolidarityNow activities”, held at the Museum of Cycladic Art on October 20th. Adel talked about his own journey and guided the guests in the photographic exhibition about the refugee crisis of the Chinese artist Ai WeiWei, hosted at the Museum until the end of October.
Watch Adel’s video here: