“In Syria you have to choose one side or the other to kill people”

We had the oportunity to talk to Nour, a refugee who was stuck in Greece.

How much time have you been in Greece?

8 months

Have you been in the same place all this time or have you changed to different places?

I was in Idomeni and then we came to Kalachori camp.

Why did you have to run away from your country?

Because of the war, the bombing. It wasn’t a safe place. And if you want to stay in Syria you have to choose one side or the other to kill other people and I don’t like that. I’m very tired of this story actually, because I lost everything and I have nothing in Syria now, not even family or friends. After four years together, my girlfriend died twenty days before we were going to get married because of the war.

How was the journey to Greece?

When we were in the boat we were 75 people and I was the driver. In the middle of the sea, the motor stopped working and there was a lot of children and old people. We thought it would be impossible to continue because we didn’t have a way to go and we called the police. We told them we needed help but they hanged up, they didn’t care about us. Finally, we could fix the mechanical problem and we arrived to Greece. We were in the sea 6 hours.

How much money did you have to pay to make the journey?

1.200 dollars.

How many days did spend to go from Syria to Greece?

3 days

How do you feel now in Greece?

I’m feeling like it’s very strange and difficult, because a lot of people need help and I try to do as much as I can but I cannot do it by myself.

What’s your plan in the future?

My plan is to go to anywhere but I’d like to go to Barcelona, because before I had to go to Greece I saw a lot of picture of Barcelona and Spain. It’s very beautiful. When I arrived to Greece I met a lot of Spanish organizations which want to help us. That’s why I would like to come to Barcelona and work in some organization to help people.

Do you receive any help from any NGO or other organitzations?

They help me to be a volunteer with them without money.

What’s your daily life in Greece?

If you ask me how I feel regularly, I’m tired but I try to show I’m happy.

How do you spend your time there?

I work in a house near to Kalachori and the rest of the day we don’t do so much.

Is there anything you’d want to explain about yourself?

To be a refugee is very difficult, a lot of people lost everything. It’s necessary to help people from all over the world, not only Syrians. I hope some day we can all be together and help each other.

Do you think about the past or instead you’re looking to the future?

I’m thinking a lot about the present actually. To help people and go to another country like Spain.

Have you asked for asylum in Barcelona? Are you free to move?

I didn’t ask yet because I’m waiting for an interview. If you’re a refugee, you have two options: if you have family in another country and you’re under 18 you can apply to go to a country. But if you don’t have family, you must do three interviews and then they choose the country you have to go.

In this short storytelling we have used photos that Nour has been doing in the camp during his work as volunteer. He shared its with us because he wants to show his story.

Let’s meet Nour

A young man, 24 years old, who has been living in a (refugee) camp of Greece for 8 months: Kalahori
He had to flee from Syria because the war only allow him two options
Flee or kill
3 hours trip
6 hours in the Mediterranean
1,200 euros
He got to Greece
He is now a volunteer in the camp
And he cook for the 600 people living with him
He say it is difficult and rare to live like this
But he hopes to fulfill his dream
Living in Barcelona