I miss my house in Syria.
It was nice. I painted the walls of my room in blue and light blue, and I had a big chair and a table that I designed. I did not stay there too often, but sometimes I would not leave my house for weeks.

.
I was raised in a community that indoctrinated me into fear and hate towards whoever is not like us,
whoever who is not Muslim, not Arab.
When I started reading, I started shaping my personality myself.

I live in a huge four-room apartment in Istanbul.
My girlfriend and I share it with our beloved cat.

I live in Ramla, a mixed town of Jews and Arabs in the center of Israel.
It is a nice place to live and everyone knows everyone. But Ramla also has a dangerous side: crime, mafias, and street gangs. When I was eleven, my father was shot and injured. No one in my family talks of this incident so I, too, leave it be.

My favorite place in Tel Aviv is the minibus station, because I can catch a ride to any other city.
My heart is in Jerusalem, where I was born.

The view from my house in Yalova.

I cry often in movies and at the theatre, but recently I found myself crying while watching the trailer of the movie “Selma”.

My neighborhood in the Old City of Jerusalem.

I live in Tel Aviv, near the beach.

The best place in the world!

This is the sweetest way to make tea in Gaza.

The meaning of happiness for me is to sleep peacefully, and to know that I’m doing my best.

My living room, Yalova.

I have five best friends. They are close to me because they always support me. Every time I have to travel far from home, they take care of my family. I will never forget that.

Many times in high school they got caught smoking and we were all punished, even though I was the only one who didn’t smoke.

The feeling of being in love has made me more spiritual and mature.

I share my room with my younger brother.

I have realized that there is a difference between living in a country – always being afraid, always hiding from everyone and sneaking around – and finally being able to SETTLE DOWN,walk the streets feeling secure and creating a real home.

My house

7.

On the third day, I knocked on the door of a house to fill water. The residents saw my condition and invited me in for lunch. I ate with them, slept for the entire afternoon, and took a shower. The people who welcomed me didn’t have much but they were happy. They even invited me to stay the night, but I had to go. A car picked me up and drove me for about 60 km.

Then, I walked for a few hours and found this huge tree with big shadows and decided to sleep there. This was the fifth day of walking.

I moved to Cairo to get away from my family. I wouldn’t exaggerate if I said that they ostracized me.

Living on my own is very difficult, but it was harder for me to live with them.

I went to the international program at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
I think it was a big challenge and a joy for the teachers to have me in the classroom.

Happiness for me is night time, wrapped in a blanket and having evening tea with all my siblings, my mom, and my best friend, Mohamed.

My father, Hussein, is a civil engineer and he has his own company.
My mother, Soror, which means “someone who is happy,” was the branch manager of a bank in Tehran.

My house, Tehran.

I was a Miami Heat fan. Now, it’s Cleveland.
Unfortunately, I can’t watch the games live because the Internet is so slow here.

I love Cairo, Egypt and the Egyptian people. They are very kind and accepting people.

I don’t think I can share pictures of my home or room with you because they’re always so messy.

View from my window, Tehran.