Final Reflection from the South of Europe

by Sara Bonk
Photo taken in front of the Ayuntamiento de Madrid (Townhall of Madrid)

I wish my brain would think in words, and not pictures and diagrams. It's been about a week now since the end of my experience in Munich, and to be quite honest, my brain has still yet to process everything that I have learned. My time with buntkicktgut has created an amazing experience for me with the children that they serve; it helped me to see how much light a child's spirit has especially when it comes to the game of soccer. These kids push aside their cultural differences, their language barriers and the problems that they might be facing and come together to create a community within the city of Munich that is solely focused on them, the kids. It was beautiful to see and I wish words would form themselves for me to describe what I saw and felt in that NGO.
As I am currently in the country of my previous study abroad experiences, I have to remember that Germany is not the only European country that is welcoming refugees as of now. Spain has had a history of immigration as well.
Spain is in the perfect position for many refugees from Africa to come into the continent. Many have made it via boat, and of course this leads to many lives lost at sea. I remember going to a museum exhibition in 2014 in Barcelona that detailed the lives of those who had made the perilous journey across the Strait of Gibraltar in search of a better life. Of course, for those who wish to make the journey can also find themselves stuck in the two Spanish enclaves on the African peninsula - Melilla and Ceuta. This article by the Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/may/10/melilla-refugees-spain-africa-gateway-europe)tells of how one of the small cities struggles with the surplus of African refugees that comes to its borders everyday. I highly recommend reading it as it gives light to what these boys go through to get to Europe.
The bright side of this situation is that Spain remains open to immigrants. Just recently, there were protests in Barcelona and the region of Catalunya which demanded that the local government take in more refugees (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/18/protesters-in-barcelona-urge-spain-to-take-in-more-refugees). Not only are the citizens demanding this, but so are some heads of local government who see the influx of refugees the perfect chance to boost the economy.
This full circle of a path that I have made with immigration here in Europe would not have been possible if it were not the exposure of what life is like on the borderland in New Mexico. As I come to further digest my experiences both in Germany and Spain, I find it interesting how the parallels are there and also how each area has its differences and struggles.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

An Experience I will never forget....

Image
By Crystal Rawls Since arriving back in the states, I have had quite a bit of time to reflect on the time that I spent in Germany. Our study abroad trip to Germany has taught me so much about the current refugee crisis and what refugees and asylum seekers have to go through each day just to survive. To meet and talk to a lot of these asylum seekers and to learn and hear their stories gave me a greater appreciation of my own life and a deeper understanding of how these individuals are feeling about their current situation. It was also insightful to shadow the social workers who have to encounter the refugee crisis every day as apart of their profession. I believe that the best part of the trip was learning from my fellow peers and taking the time to hear different opinions and views about the current situation that is taking place. Overall, this trip has been once in a lifetime. I learned so much not only about Germany, but also about myself and this is an experience that I wil...
Read more

What is Heimat anyway?

Image
Pictured: artwork of a boy near Bellevue di Monaco. A bicycle is leaning against it. By Lisa Valleroy-Djang München--jeden Tag verlaufen, niemals verloren. Munich--every day lost (Eva can confirm my inability to orient myself in space), but never irretrievably lost. That is the Munich that I love and know. But I came to Germany of my own free will, with the knowledge that if I didn't like it (or if Meagan kicked me out of the hotel room for snoring too loud) I could always go back home. For so many, this is not an option. "Heimat"--an old German word that doesn't exactly have an English equivalent. It offers a positive sense of home, where there is intimacy and comfort. Although the Nazis appropriated this term in order to spur xenophobia, I think the meaning of "Heimat" can overcome fascist propaganda.  The feeling of Heimat comes from community, not from nationalism. The NGO I was so lucky to spend time with, Bellevue di Monaco , may not be ...
Read more

Navigation Challenges

Image
Never having been to Germany I found myself confused and often times lost, even though I had my phone with navigation. Even equip with directions, navigating through the cities and towns of Germany was a challenge for myself and others in the program. Now imagine people coming into Germany, without previous counsel and without reliable phone service. Some people may even come without a device to provide such directions. Getting to and from different locations in Germany is hard as it is, but can prove to be much more challenging for migrants coming into the country.  To get from my hotel to the migrant facility just outside of Fürstenfeldbruck I had to find the main train station (Hauptbahnhof), ride the train about 45 minutes out of central Munich, get off and immediately look for the bus station to ride for another 15 or so minutes. All the while, making sure to not miss the correct train or bus stop. After staying for two weeks the navigation system began to feel much more manag...
Read more