​

 

A heart full of aspirations and desire for a better life led Ahmed Naser to flee Syria almost 2 year ago. “I lost everything in Syria”, says 26-year-old Naser who yearns to establish his identity. His journey in pursuit of a better life took him to Lebanon first. He lived there for year and a half but due to innate abhorrence between Syria and Lebanon, he faced racism and extreme discrimination. Lebanon did not prove to be the ideal place where he could find foundation for a new beginning. Naser deems education as the most important aspect for personal growth. He studied Economics from the University of Damascus. His disdain for completing the degree of four years in six years because of the ongoing war is evident in his eyes when he talks about it.

​

He lived most of his life in the city of As-Suwayda. He says, “I did not like my life in Syria. It was really bad, especially after the war”. Naser is a diligent learner at N.E.S.T. He is very conscious of his spoken and written English. Which is one of the reasons that lures him to the conversation sessions at N.E.S.T where he gets to improve it. He is determined to continue in his life and persevere until he achieves it. Recounting his hardships in Syria, he says that he opened a little shop to sell clothes because of the lack of jobs during the war. He lost £5,000 in that venture and still has a lot of debt.

Naser is not shy when it comes to expressing his opinion. His opinion and ideology didn’t favour the dictatorial political and extremist religious regime. He says that he was not liked much amongst his peers because of his liberal views. One day he received a threatening note via Skype. Someone got a whiff of his opinions on Islam, and in a country where law is abided by religion, they advised him to either leave the country or to keep his opinions to himself otherwise he’ll face dire consequences. That incident shook him from within but then on he decided to never voice his opinion. 

​

A man of opinion and a will to survive didn’t want to continue living that way, “I can’t live as a stone, I want to share what my country has plunged into”. The last straw that deterred Naser to either flight or fight was when one of his old friends threatened to get him arrested. Naser could see a life of grave danger and bleak future of torture in the jail. 

His demeanour changes while talking about his prospective life in the UK. “I hope I can Make the UK my home”, says Naser. Born to a mother with Brazilian nationality, he also has a Brazilian passport. He knows that he could go to any European nation with that passport, but he vehemently chose UK. Language becomes the biggest barrier for any human to cross if they wish to settle in a new place. Naser is an intermediate speaker of English, whereas Portuguese seems like a language from Mars to him, which led him to choose the UK over Brazil. He further adds that, “UK has the most powerful universities in the world, so I would like to finish my studies and build a life here”. 

​

Naser knew Syria could never be his home even before the war took place. He says, “Syria was not a suitable place for me because of the people there. if you do not believe what they believe then they will not accept you in their society. They will not kill you as too many people say but they will not accept you. And you will live alone, with your ideas, with your dreams, with your activities, with your hobbies. How can you live this life of isolation?” Naser talks about the impending doom looming over Syria with an impassive mask. He claims to not have any friends in his country of birth which could be the reason behind his lack of attachment with the nation. Talking about his family, he says that he doesn’t think they are in danger in his hometown of As-Suwayda.

​

Naser is living, as of now, as an asylum seeker, awaiting his interview and decision of the judiciary. His pragmatic approach to life is undeniably evident when he says, “If I do not get asylum here I will not kill myself I will go to Brazil and continue my life there”. UK is also a suitablechoice for him because if he gets selected as a refugee, he will receive support from the UK government. Whereas, he would be a citizen of Brazil if he goes there which will not result in any help from the authorities there, he admits honestly. He adds with resignation in his voice that, “so, my Brazilian passport is just a piece of paper to me”.

Naser claims to have met other asylum seekers and refugees who are from Iraq, falsely claiming to be a Syrian national and seeking help from the government of UK to begin a new life. 

“I lost six years of my life during war”, says Naser forlornly. He wishes to live a normal peaceful life now. He aspires the joy of the ordinary- a roof he could call his own, some work to sustain him and a normal peaceful life that would not bring nightmares of the war.