Muhib from Afghanistan

My name is Muhib and I come from Kunar, in Afghanistan. I am 23 or 24 years old, even if I am not sure because I was born at home. I left Afghanistan around five/six years ago, I reached Turkey by crossing through Iran. I lived and worked there until last year – life in Turkey was not bad, the only problem was that I didn’t have the papers to work there, as many other people: because of this, salaries are often very low, some employers can exploit you because of your irregular status in the country. 

This is why I decided to leave: I crossed Bulgaria and Serbia to then arrive in Bosnia, I have been here for about two weeks. The camp is good: we receive food and shelter, plus people here seem very nice, so overall it is okay. Today is my first time in the Social Cafè, I haven’t taken part in any activities yet but I like the atmosphere, and this caj. 

I crossed on foot the entire route: the hardest border was between Turkey and Bulgaria, I was pushed back six times and deported to Turkey before I succeeded. My destination in Europe is Germany, where I already have some friends: my goal is to find a job there and start a new life. 

I left Afghanistan because life there is simply impossible. For as long as I’ve lived there, it was never normal and now it’s even worse because of the Talibans. I had to leave, the economy is really bad, there are no jobs and no opportunities. I left my mother, my father and all my siblings (three sisters and seven brothers): some of them are still in Afghanistan, others live in Pakistan while one brother has passed through Bosnia before me, he is now in Europe. If I think of Afghanistan, what I miss the most is my family, that I haven’t seen since I left years ago, and my girlfriend – even though, in the meantime, unfortunately she married someone else.  

My biggest dream is to arrive in Germany, get the papers and finally be able to travel back to Afghanistan with my passport to see my family again.