Interview with Abdul by Ricky Figueroa-Carillo ’26
Abdul is a Syrian refugee currently living in Berlin, Germany. He is the only person in his family to leave Syria. He is thankful to be able to connect with them through various social media platforms and to have made many friends, both native Germans and fellow Syrians. Abdul’s main reason for choosing Berlin to live was for academic purposes. He not only studied multiple rigorous courses but had to perfect his English as well as learn the German language. Despite these challenges, Abdul kept a strong work ethic and an open mind. He is incredibly appreciative of the German people and admires the acceptance they have for all peoples, while simultaneously preserving his Arabic culture of hospitality. Abdul’s kindness and eagerness to discuss a multitude of topics can be heard throughout the interview.
Listen to his story, below:
Transcript:
If your family had the opportunity to move to Germany, would they?
My father and mother, I think, I hope they can come to Germany but also. They are, for example, it’s not easy to start a new life for elderly people to start the new culture, new community, new language, I think it’s really difficult.
What are some of your favorite childhood memories?
…sometimes I really miss our cozy home. Nowadays, I can’t find it. This is in my childhood, there was no internet, no social media. So, we used to sit together all before we ate, for example, at lunch. And this is one of the traditions for example, nowadays we look at the families.
And having lunch every day, not one day, or not on Saturday on Sunday, every day. This is one of the biggest things that I miss. For example, I know a lot of people here, in Europe they yeah, they sit together at the weekend, Saturday, Sunday. But sitting every day for a lot of years sitting in the same table, this is absolutely this is the thing that I missed.
German people and hospitality:
Germany is a very welcoming country. There was a statement in Germany said “Refugees Welcome.” A lot of universities welcome refugees, a lot of people welcome refugees, a lot of cities welcome refugees. Germany is well known that it’s welcoming to refugees, or it’s for example, more than other maybe countries around the world.
They are nice and kind, but in hospitality — in generosity, they are absolutely not the Arab people. It’s my tradition. For example, when someone visits me, I will try my best to make him to serve him for example, to make him happy, for example, to okay, now, it’s to give what I can, for example, to invite him for lunch, and then we drink something, and this is this is tradition.
What makes Arab culture unique:
They are about hospitality. And this is one of the also differences are between, like, for example, when you go to visit one of your Arabic friends, he will not allow you to go out before he… and serve dinner and if you went to the restaurant, they will not accept to get out or to go out or to finish before they pay the bill. This is, this is related to the Arabic traditions.
Why Germany?
As I told you, I decided that I want to complete my study. So and I think I that for example, the German universities, American universities. Absolutely they are number one in the world. But when you talk when you ask anyone, where do you prefer to study? He would say, America or UK or Germany. Yeah. These countries are well known for its high education level, and the best universities in the world. So that’s one reason I didn’t want to stay in Turkey.
On University in Germany:
I used to go to the university that morning. And then and, to be honest, studying in Germany is, is much more difficult because the quality of education is high in comparison to Syria. So that’s why I had to work hard more as I used to work for example in Syria to study more in order to overcome the difficulties.
You mentioned studying for, like six to seven hours?
Exactly I had, this is maybe studying six, this is in the exam, in the middle of the exam, but in normal days, let’s say at least four hours, at least four to five, in the exam period in the month of the exam months I used to, at night to study for six hours. Exactl
These countries, like the Middle East I hope they succeed. I wish prosperity, and yeah, all the best for these countries.
