I was afraid to go out on the street alone

I’m 26 years old. My life in my country was a normal life, I lived with my family, I was pleased. I worked in my country as a teacher of the Persian language, I taught adults and young people. I come from the capital, from Kabul. I loved my life there but I felt insecure every time I went out. I always wanted to go home quickly, I always felt restless. I had many problems with the people there, especially with the men. As a woman you couldn’t just run free, you were approached every time, or aroused. Women were taken and raped. I, too, was once almost kidnapped by men who were sent by a man who could not marry me because he was already married. If the securities hadn’t been there, the men would have dragged me into the car.

I was with my friend, I was very scared and told my friend we had to get out of here quickly. I was afraid to go out on the street alone, especially in the evening. In the evening, in my country no women walk on the streets. It bothered me so much that I often didn’t want to go to work. I didn’t tell my family about it so that they wouldn’t get sad. I loved my work, I worked there for a year. My students loved me and I loved them too. My life was difficult for me, I did not want to stay there. The insecurity there as a woman, I could not stand it any longer. Of course there are also polite men. But the majority did not allow us as women to live safely in Afghanistan. My life was full of fear.

I left my homeland because I did not have a safe life there. I couldn’t stand it there anymore, life there was like a prison. My life in Germany is simply wonderful, beautiful and fantastic. Although I still have no stay, I have applied for asylum, but it has not yet been granted. I attend a language course and work as a nurse for the elderly. My wish is to become a policewoman. I wish to be a good person.

Storyteller’s name:  Anonymous
Interviewer’s name: Sarah El Desoke
Country of origin: Afghanistan
Sex: f
Age: 26

Dublin Core: Language: de Subject: refugees, asylum, a million stories, afghanistan, germany