Being together

Ten years have passed since their encounter in the church, since all the obstacles, since all wonderful tea-moments, and Haide, Fardin, Saeed and Kaya are still close family friends. Meanwhile, Saeed has moved back to Leiden, coincidentally on the Wassenaarseweg, where he lived in the emergency shelter. Now he lives in an apartment with an actual kitchen, although he does admit from time to time that he had more space in some AZCs (Asielzoekerscentrum / Centre for Asylum Seekers).

Unfortunately, he has not been able to find a job, partly because he has to rearrange his personal documents again. In Iran he used to be a truck driver, but he had to retake his drivers test here in the Netherlands. Saeed and Fardin both have temporary jobs, and are looking for something steady.

Haide works as a nurse at a facility for handicaped people. With her practical experience she is able to earn a nursing diploma, with which she can continue her studies. Besides keeping in contact with their families in Iran, they check social media regularly to update themselves on the situation in Iran. Mostly Instagram is a popular medium there, and can sometimes be the reason why people take the risk of coming to Europe. Mostly their idea of Europe is based on all the edited pictures that float around on Instagram.

About her journey to Europe, across the Mediterranean Sea, Haide says: ‘Right then and there I really learned how to pray’. Still, Haide and Fardin admit that their view of the Netherlands was much brighter than it turned out to be in reality. A place to live, jobs for taking and mostly safety were all promised here. In Ans’ words: “It is a very long way up. If you do not have people around you, friends from your home country or friends in the Netherlands, then it is really tough. They are our friends. I don’t feel like we owe them help, it has become a very warm and equal relationship, as if our family has become even bigger.”