Hevin. An inspiration to stay happy. That’s the name of a lady, a young girl in my eyes. A 24-year old mother of three children. A blithe spirit. A very wise woman from Kurdistan. A quick learner in my German language class. She is pretty like a princess. Her voice is like that of a little girl.
She was orphaned at the age of 2. Her grandmother adopted her and brought her up. When Hevin turned 16, her ageing grandmother asked her to get married, having grown too old to take care of a young girl. So Hevin was married off to a man eleven years her senior. They moved from war-torn Syria to Germany as refugees. Asylum- seekers in Germany are eligible for a fully paid 6-month German language course in a language institute or in the nearest Community Centre. That’s where I have the good fortune of meeting her.
Saleha. An Afghani woman in Germany.. Thirty four years old. Four children. A tailor by profession, with the brain of an engineer. You can’t help noticing her for her intelligent remarks and handling of the classwork in the language class(where I meet her). She brings the most wholesome Kahwa in a flask and I get lucky to partake. She has the air of a queen about her. One cannot not notice her sense of humour. I think a business woman is growing wings inside her. It’s not long before she’s flying out on her own. She has an aneurysm in the brain and other ailments but does not seem to suffer it. All my love to you, dear Saleha.
Banin, an endearing soul, calm and contained. 34 years old. 3 children. Highly capable and diligent. Very mature and grounded. Exudes contentment. Again an uprooted family, a refugee from Afghanistan.
(To be continued)
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