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f course I cannot find a house like I could find in my homeland, but I want a flat where I can enjoy the tranquility of its space. If the flat is not suitable then you don't feel comfortable inside. I have been to the social security office several times, but every time I see that the old people or those with psychological issues are given priority. I have been told that I should be patient, as I am young and don’t have any specific problems. But for how long? How do you think people get psychological issues? Of course a high level of stress causes psychological issues. But here they just accept psychological issues, if you could bring a confirmation letter from a doctor in which the doctor mentions that you have psychological problems. Then you can get a flat faster. But doesn't everyone who is living in these refugee homes have psychological issues? People has trouble in their homeland and now they are far from their homelands, their families, their houses, and also their jobs. They ended up in these camps to live in such a bad condition. This is all stressful and can cause many psychological problems. During the night I cry until my pillow is wet. Since I arrived here, what can I say.... I have had so much stress that I 164
have headache from dusk till dawn. At night I cry my eyes out and then I cannot breathe anymore, so I open the window and try to breathe. In the first year that I was here, I couldn't stand the light, I couldn't stand the television’s sound, I didn’t like people, parks, going out... anything. Now I think I’ve got used to it, but back then I couldn't stand anything. Can't you say that such situations cause psychological issues? These are problems that everyone seeking asylum faces. In Afghanistan, I was a women’s rights activist and a political activist with a good job, a good life and a good salary. But this work got me into trouble and I had to leave everything behind me and escape to Germany with nothing. I lost everything I had. I had to start everything from the beginning – like a newborn baby. I had to learn the language; I had to find a job and a flat... start everything over again. When you think deep inside yourself, I lost everything; I have to live in this camp now. I am away from my family, from my country, and from everything I had. If someone is thinking and worrying and crying and getting stressed, this is a psychological issue. When it is named as such, they will send you to the hospital