VOICES From Migrations | Kimia Atalahi's story

"VOICES From Migrations” is a project co-funded by the European Union exploring untold migration. Kimia is 21 years old and moved from Tehran, Iran, to Thessaloniki in 2012. This is her history: 

“I was living in Tehran when I was very young. To me, life was normal: I had friends and lived a normal childhood. One day, back when I was eight, my parents suddenly decided to send me to Greece with some members of my family. Since I was very young, I didn’t understand why at first. I can barely remember the journey, but all I recall is that it was sudden and very chaotic. We first took a bus, then a car, and so on, but I couldn't understand what was going on.

When I arrived in Greece, I was immediately struck by the warmth and kindness of the people here. Their support made me feel truly welcomed, and that sense of belonging played a significant role in my decision to stay. Until that moment, I had been living my life with others making choices for me, leaving me feeling somewhat lost. I felt lucky in Greece; I had a good education and healthcare. As I connected with the community, I realized how important it was for me to take control of my own future. Today, I am currently studying marketing, and I have a side job working on a farm. 

When I was young, I never thought about my belonging to one society or another. Now I realized that it’s not where you belong anymore: I’m a human being, I’m on planet Earth, and that’s what matters. At the end of the day, we all bleed in the same way. I try to embrace both cultures and to find the balance between the two. I feel proud of my home country, but I am also proud of the country I am living in right now. 

For my life and future here, I just want to be healthy, to love myself, and to find stability in my life. My message to everyone who deals with similar challenges: you are not alone, and everyone has problems and difficulties in life. Be positive in your life, help others, and others will help you.”

Interview by: Ally Zlatar, Hilal Taha, Ilaria Bianca Roșu, Péter Lemnyi, and Bjant Çami

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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.