Akil Aljaysh

“We have a really wonderful childhood especially in wintertime. Like those days we have we go out and play and we getting wet and we see all the pigeons coming out.”

“Old friends, and everybody there. And I remember we go and we buy — we call it over there — is just like a bagels. We build a small fire and just heat them up and eat them while it's raining outside. It's a really great memory.”

““I spent all my life studying medicine to help people but not to kill people.” He said: “I know what you're doing, but I know my job and I cannot do that.” And he left the room.”

“Next day they come into the hospital and took him, and we don't know that, like, for about six months, we don't know what's going on… “Come in and take your dog.” And they told him to bring the money for the bullet that they shot him with.”

“Few months after, they took my other brother. They took him and he got killed because…”

“And the end of the third years of college, they came in and they took me from classroom. So, they come and knock the door, say: “Akil Aljaysh.” They took me like that… even… I couldn't take my books and stuff.”

“So, I've been tortured. They used to put us in one meter corner. About 17 people, standing, all the day all the night.”

“Those, um, my two fingers. This one been chopped because this is — I used to be left-handed… so, like, that this metal door — they closed the door for two or three hours — so, this one survive. But this one is being chopped off.”

“After… when they start beating you, you feel it in the beginning and then something is like stone inside you. You don't feel it. I mean you feel it but it's just like you don't. You will think nobody will survive.”

“And because my father he has some influence, so he pay bribe. And after about six months and half I just got out of jail, and he said, “You know what? You're not going to stay here. I don't want to lose you just like I lost your brothers.””

“Son… if you love me, I don't want to see you again. As long as the government here, I don't want to see you. So, wherever you go and you have your freedom, it is your country.”

“And I flee the Iraq without any passport. So I flee Iraq to the north. I went to Syria from Syria I went to Lebanon and from Lebanon I went to Jordan and then I came back to Lebanon… I went from Lebanon without passport to Italy… 'til I apply with the United Nations.”

“It's more than just a plane ride. It's kind of a freedom ride. It's just like the ride that you wait all your life for.”

“So, it's inside me: I need to help people who's coming just like me — refugee. I need to help people. I need to help.”

“And you say: “Welcome home, you… you been arrived and everything OK.” And you see the smile on their face. And they say: “We will never ever forget the first time you say ‘Salaam Alaykum’ in the airport. Oh my God, you coming from heaven!””