One year as a volunteer

There he was standing in front of me. Syrian. I didn’t know his name, neither his age nor his story. For him it might just be another day, but for me it was a totally another world. I guess he was around 27, with his wife and probably 3 years old son. He didn’t know me.
He said to me in trembling English; “will you give me drawing lessons?” his eyes were shining. “Yeah” I answered him. He continued “don’t understand me wrong, but I have two dreams in life, one is to learn English which I’m already doing! And the other to learn to draw.” I looked at him and smiled even though I knew he was nothing but happy, and said “well, today is your lucky day then!” He continued; “only 15 min after the English lesson.” I said; “sure, don’t worry, I’m here for you.” He smiled, at least he smiled. “Thank you very much”, he started. “Nothing! I’ll be waiting you, just call me”.

We were sitting on the gray cement wall in front of the school, and the sun started to go down behind the containers in the refugee camp. I was in my shalvar and a scarf covering my hair, it was hot but necessary. I would wear an outfit for Siberia if I had to, it doesn’t matter to me.  He couldn’t stop thanking me for a work I didn’t even started, he called me “my teacher”. And I interrupted him with a “let’s start”. I knew nothing about him and he knew nothing about me. So excited about learning, shearing & teaching we even forgot to introduce ourselves. He was a Syrian refugee.

“What do you want to learn?” I asked him, just this. “Anything and everything” was the answer I received. So I said “what do you like to draw?” “Faces”. So we started and as I was showing him the techniques he was surprised how logical everything seemed. Showing by examples in my own face, but he didn’t dare to look. He knew I was not Turkish. But after some time middle age, teenager boys started to gather around us, just looking. He was embarrassed, ashamed. I noticed it. I knew it’s not “normal” and maybe not allowed that I woman teaches a man something. He said quickly “let’s stop the lesson here”. Maybe only 15min had passed.

I gave him everything I had the bad chalks and pencils, papers we used. The drawings I drew during the lesson. He needs it, I thought. He turned to me and said; “But please, next time let’s do it inside the school and the classroom, because you know, you are a woman and I’m a man.” I said; “sure anything”. The boys which had been standing around came to me and said “I heard you are an artist, and you are drawing amazing, would you teach me too next week?” sure I said. He was around 13. “Can I show you my caricatures he said?” I answered; “it would be a pleasure.” To be able to share or give anything to these people I realized I’m possible to adapt more than ever. This is important for me.

Seeing the faces of these people when we arrive is indescribable. I’m so happy, next week I will start my drawing lessons. And before I leave I want them to have the same knowledge as me, the same possibilities as me and the same bright hope for the future… …. as me.

That’s all.

Thanks for reading.