We Refugees Archive

Now, I can’t remember how my life was back in Aleppo as a student or as living there in the city. I can’t.

All I remember is the street that I live here now, and the road to the work that I use in metro. My workplace in Fatih, and the balcony that I used to smoke. When we go to shopping, the mall that we frequented here. When I go to the Sea, the beach that we go to every year. So Istanbul grow on me. So it’s like, all my memories is from here and I cannot recall memories from Aleppo.

[…]

I feel myself as Istanbullu (Istanbuliot).

In the street that I live, the people know me, all the neighbors know me. They’re so good. The house owner… He is such a good man. He treats me like his nephew. For any problem with his bank card or anything, when he has problem in everything advanced that he can’t like deal with, he asked my help. I tried to help him when they have a wedding in the street, a Turkish wedding, they invite us as well. They send us an invitation card.

In the streets that I live as well. When I am walking on the street, I feel like I belong to the street.

Paydar H. is a Kurd from Aleppo in Syria. After the bombing of the city in 2013, he fled with his brother to Turkey via Afrin in Syria at the age of 24 and reached Istanbul on May 15, 2013. After successfully finding an apartment in Istanbul, his parents and sister joined him. He got married in 2015, has two children and works in an international organization as an interpreter.

In this interview passage, he reflects on how Istanbul has become his home and the only place of his memories.

This interview was conducted in English by Elif Yenigun for the We Refugees Archive in March 2021 via Zoom.

Translation from English into German © Minor.