Lyrics by Majd Sahed from Syria
The New Year’s Day of 2018 is the second for him in Greece and finds him to be a financial independent working man and student.
Majd from Syria is only 24 years old. Perhaps his age is the reason why he remembers his life up to today so accurately. While speaking about his experiences, he mentions an amazing number of details!
Majd is currently studying English at the American College of Deree in Athens; he is one out of the 78 refugees who got a scholarship under the framework of the program “Education Unites: From Camp to Campus scholarship program”*. This program is an initiative of the U.S. Embassy in Athens, implemented in collaboration with the American College of Thessaloniki-Anatolia College, Deree-American College of Greece and Perrotis College-American Farm School.
His ambition of becoming fluent in English, is necessary both for his work as an interpreter as well as for the achievement of his goals in terms of his artistic dreams. He wants to be able to translate his own lyrics, both in English and Greek, and he will soon make it. We feel the same for him, since it is apparent that this young man whatever he decides to do he will either do it good or not at all.
»… life is bitter / and sad
Voices, anger / little affection
guns everywhere / blood everywhere / I want to spread love everywhere
turn on the light and let me see / I want to build my future here
we are brothers not enemies / come with me / let’s build your country together…»
Majd was born in Syria in 1994; he belongs to a five-member family. He was an active and dynamic child and teenager and remains the same as an adult. When he was at school, Majd was also working voluntary in an artistic organization. His duties concerned the organization of theatrical and musical performances; for this activity, ISIS started threatening his life. However, Majd tried hard not to abandon his love for the theater and the dream of becoming an actor. At the age of 19 he had to become strong enough to overcome the life threats he was facing. He still remembers “the worst day of my life so far. The day they stole my identity card; without this card you are invisible.”
Still, he lives a regular, as he describes, life in Syria from 2013 to 2015. In 2015 his world collapses; his father dies. Majd becomes now the leader of the family, but he knows he cannot respond to this role as his mother wants. He wishes to leave the country knowing he will not be able to live normally if he stays and he cannot accept the fate of the persecuted.
Majd tells unbelievable stories about his long journey within Syria to reach Damascus. He thought that from there it would be easier for him to travel to Turkey. Majd relied only on himself. He came up with many stories in front of soldiers to save his life – “I lied, I was telling stories similar to horror movies’ scenarios to save myself.”
He finally escaped. Majd arrived initially in Istanbul and then to Greece. He lived in the port of Piraeus for two months. There, volunteers helped him to learn his first Greek and English. Today, he works as an interpreter at SolidarityNow, while studying at Deree College. «I don’t have colleagues in SolidarityNow. I have a family». Majd finds also the time to do rehearsals along with the members of the theatrical group to which he is a member. He will stay in Greece. Maybe at some point, the rest of his family manage to come too; until then, he will constantly try to improve his life.
“The path to social integration is not as difficult as we believe. If you are open and willing, you will make it. All together we will.”
*See more for the “Education Unites: From Camp to Campus” academic scholarship program for young refugees in Greece initiated by the U.S. Embassy in collaboration with the American College of Thessaloniki- Anatolia College, το Deree – The American College of Greece και το Perrotis College – American Farm School | https://gr.usembassy.gov/el/first-semester-education-unites-camp-campus-started-2/.