The effects of war

25 Maart 2014 | Nederland, Millingen aan de Rijn

Spending this day with this Turkish student opened my eyes to some aspects of Turkish society. A society which is marked by the large amount of refugees from Syria living in this part of the world. The feelings about them are mixed and Syrians try in all possible ways to gain access to other European countries. I am the only International Lecturer together with an American Lecturer who lives in San Diego. A most likeable person who was a classmate of Obama, whose grandfather was Billy Wilder the famous maker of the just so famous movie of Marylin Monroe. As I he has trouble with sleeping, with all the noise and the impressions and we joke about the fact that the bags under our eyes increase by the day. In the meantime I have come to know my other co-lecturers better and hear stories about how difficult it is to have to live jobless in a country which is not really welcoming. Together with 2 of those professors we spent an afternoon at the zoo and shared stories about academic life in Syria which is totally controlled and functions under the close supervision of the Assad regime. More and more I understand the determination of the people to fight for freedom.

27 Maart 2014 - 09:27

Manuela Maiguashca:

Hi Saskia!
Am following your blog! Your words make me feel a very deep processing.
I know that experience of being really tired but also really awake at the same time.
Thanks for sharing your process...hug manux

27 Maart 2014 - 11:07

Julia Harkema-Boomgaard:

Lieve Saskia, Omdat ik jou niet kan bereiken per e-mail, ben ik zo blij dat ik jou wel kan volgen. HET is zo indrukwekkend wat je allemaal mee maakt en ik ben heel blij dat je het kunt delen met de Amerikaan uit San Diego. Dan zijn jullie toch een beetje samen. Nog een paar dagen en dan ben je weer een ervaring rijker, maar het afscheid zal wel moeilijk zijn. Heel veel liefs en lots of love!!