Roja, 13, from Herat, Afghanistan

There was not much time for playing in Afghanistan. Every day I had to do my homework from school and then help my mother with the work in the house. When there was a time I enjoyed sewing. My special skill is crafting flowers from fabric. I already went to school for six years in Afghanistan, but in Germany I don't go to school yet. I am lucky that I can be here with my entire family. In my free time we sometimes go to the local park with the other girls from the camp.

 

Learn more about my hometown Herat in Afghanistan by clicking on the marker in the map. This will transfer you to Google Maps where you find photos and information about my city.

Dimen, 8, from Al Hasakah, Syria

I'm so sad that I had to leave my mum, my sisters and brothers back in Syria. I hope they are all well despite the war. I fled with my dad from Syria to Iraq. There I could go to school for only one year. Since I'm here I have made some friends. Some of them already have a bicycle - I don't. My dream is to get a bike, too.

 

To learn more about my hometown Al Hasakah in Syria, click on the marker in the map. You will be transferred to Google Maps where you find photos and information about my city.

Armin & Faromars, 10, from Afghanistan

Armin, 10

I never had a chance to go to school. So I hope I can go to school here soon! My family actually comes from Afghanistan but I was born in Iran, so I have never seen my family's home country. A couple of days ago people gave me a bicycle and I learned to ride it. I'm so proud of myself! Since I am here with my Mom and Dad in the camp in Stuttgart I have already made a lot of friends.There are so many children of my age here.

 

I'm from Lugar, Afghanistan. To learn more about my hometown click on the marker in the map to be transferred to Google Maps. There you find photos and information about my place.

Faromars, 10

I want to make my parents proud of me and become a doctor when I'm grown up. Listen, what I already learned in German in the camp since I arrived here three months ago with my entire family: "Eins zwei, drei, vier, fünf." I'm fortunate that I could go to school back in Afghanistan every day. English was my favorite subject there. 

 

I'm from Farah, Afghanistan. To learn more about my hometown click on the marker in the map to be transferred to Google Maps. There you find photos and information about my place.

Sheila, 13, from Herat, Afghanistan

I want to become an engineer and design beautiful buildings. The buildings here are so different from the ones we have in Afghanistan. It is very, very nice!

I went to school for four years in Afghanistan. Mathematics and Farsi, my native language, were my favorite subjects there. After school there was always a lot of homework and when that was done, I helped my mother with her work in the house for the family. I'm here with my entire family - one more sister and two brothers. We really like it here - don't send us back to Afghanistan, please! We love Germany!

 

To learn more about Sheila's hometown of Herat, click on the marker in the map and you'll be transferred to Google Maps where you can find photos of her city.

Yousef, 17, from Latakia, Syria

I fled with my cousin from Syria to Germany because of the war and it is safe here. I had to leave my family and my sister in Syria. My journey took 10 days and I took a boat from Turkey. Now I am in Germany since two months but I haven't found friends yet. My hobbies are swimming and I am a big soccer fan. The best time of my life so far was when I was with my family in Syria when there was peace and no war. I am not sure yet if I will ever go back to Syria. My biggest dream is that my family can come here and then to find a job. For now I first warnt to learn German and go to school. Everything else will come later. 

 

To learn more about Yousef's hometown, click on the marker in the map to be transferred to Google Maps where you can find photos from his hometown.

Yousef, 16, from Al Hasaka, Syria

My big dream is to become a professional football player to make enough money to bring my entire family here. In Syria I was already playing in a football team, but our national team is not so good. In Syria we were all together in one family. I miss this very much. I'm here since one month now and I really like it here - everything is so well done, the streets are beautiful and the whole city. It is very different from Syria. Since two days I can now go to school here - it makes me happy that I can finish school here. It's a bit early to make friends, but I hope this will come soon.

 

To learn more about Yousef's hometown, click on the marker in the map to be transfered to Google Maps where you can find photos of his hometown.

Tahany, 27, from Damascus, Syria

Read my story here soon.

 

To learn more about Tahany's hometown, click on the marker in the map to be transfered to Google Maps where you can find photos her hometown.

Sami, 15, from Damascus, Syria

Back in Syria I was a graffiti-artist and liked to go boxing in my free time. I am a big sporstman. But in the end I want to become an engineer and hope to be able to go to school here soon. My brothers and sisters are also here but had to leave our mum back in Syria. Hopfefully we can be reunited soon and have a good future here in Germany.

 

To learn more about Sami's hometown, click on the marker in the map to be transferred to Google Maps where you can find photos of his city.

Osama, 17, from Damascus, Syria

"Ich heiße Osama". I could already pick up some German since I arrived here three months ago. I hope I can learn more soon, like "Ich liebe dich". My big hobby is playing football. I played a lot in school in Syria. Maybe I can help Stuttgart here, as they seem to need some good players in their team (loughing).

Together with the other boys we hang out in the city often so I have seen a lot of the city already. It is very special - we don't have an underground metro in Syria.

My big dream is to become a businessman therefore I'm glad that I can go to school now and prepare for life in Germany.

I have two brothers and two sisters. I miss my family very much, because only one of my brothers fled with me to Germany. From Syria we first fled to Lebanon, then we took a boat.It took us six days.

 

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Mahmoud, 4, from Damascus, Syria

I am only four years old and came here with my grandmother. All the other members of my family are still in Syria.

 

To learn more about Mohammad's hometown, click on the marker in the map to be transferred to Google Maps where you can find photos of his hometown.