WLOG 005: "The Best Doctor in the World"

WLOG 005: "The Best Doctor in the World"

My dear friend,

One day I will write to you as the best neurologist in the world, but for now on I am writing from Austria's closed camp. I hope you are good. I hope you are always good. I miss you and often think of you.

I remember when we were joking how many times I will get an award for the best neurologist in the world.

"Five times", I said and laughed.

I thought you will say "In your dreams, girl!" or "how can you be the best, you are just a refugee".

Instead, you said "Eight times at least!", and we both laughed.

That night I went back to Krnjaca AC and it was the first time ever I imagine myself going to the award ceremony. I always smile when I remember it. Things are so much different in Afghanistan. If you are girl, you feel like this world is not for you. If you are a girl who wants to study and work you feel like this world is against you.

I was born like this. I always wanted to study, to become a doctor and save people's lives, but how can I do that when I am a girl. Life for girls is like prison. House and children. Nothing else. You cannot wish for more.

I always wanted to go to school. I love school. But when I was 15 there was a Taliban attack on my school and they were throwing acid on all girls at school. It burned my arms and stomach. It also burned a part of my face. After that I saw what will happen if girls want something other than prison. I was so scared that I stopped dreaming. No more dreams of becoming a doctor.

I was so scared when we ran away from Afghanistan. I was so scared from smugglers and from the police, from boats and the sea. I was so scared of people.
I was so scared of the camps and prisons. I was so scared of everything.

I started taking classes at Info Park. I was scared about that too. I was thinking that people will tell me to go back to Afghanistan or that they will make fun of me because I dress like an old lady or that they will think that I am stupid because my English is not great.

But when I went to the first class nobody told me that. They said "WELCOME". Nobody said anything bad to me.

I liked the classes and I liked the teachers and the people at Info Park who always said "WELCOME". I met other students and some friends. Therefore, I started to dream again.

I will never forget your support. You never laughed at my dreams. When I told you that I wanted to travel the world, you asked me what my favorite country is. When I told you I wanted to become a doctor, you asked me what kind of doctor. When I told you I wanted to become a famous neurologist, you told me to give you my authogram. You never laughed at me but we laughed together so much, and I was happy.

And I will achieve these goals one day, I promise you. I believe it and I know I can do it!

Much love... This blog is based on everyday-life stories of women refugees and migrants who are currently residing in Serbia. The blog was written by an author whose name has been changed to protect her privacy and was produced by Info Park with support of UN Women in Serbia with an aim of shedding light on the situation of women refugees and migrants. The views and analysis contained in the blog are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of UN Women, the United Nations or any of its affiliated organizations.