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NameMohammed
Gendermale
Country of OriginIraq
Destination CountryEstonia
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Prior to moving to Estonia I was a security adviser for Mercy Corps and worked on projects at UNESCO in Iraq, but my work had taken me to different countries. I fill many hats while in Estonia but in my spare time I help people in need, especially foreigners. The resistance of locals towards foreigners is strong here, like a huge fence. When I first came to Estonia, I quickly saw how systematic people in Estonia are – they go from home to work, from work to home. It is very different from how it is in my home country. In the beginning I felt total isolation, especially in a small town. All of us foreigners have conflicts when we first arrive – how to defend our names, culture, nationality, religion etc. I have learned that theres no point to defend it all. Just represent who you are. When you are accepted, the whole package is accepted with you. A Community is a very important ground for foreigners to do any developments or contributions. When somebody is discriminatory towards me, which happens daily, defending myself will leave the impression of an aggressive Middle Eastern trying to attack an innocent Estonian, so my main protection in Estonia is my command of the Estonian language.  So even though some doors might be closed, there are always open windows. Because of the migration crisis in Europe, it seems the entire Muslim community is considered as refugees. Integration is two-sided. On the one hand, the Arabic community needs to be more integrated, volunteering, finding chances to be within the community. On the other hand, since the education of new comers is different from that of the Estonians, the Estonian community needs to work hard and be patient. I dont regret my experiences so far. I have learned a lot from the Estonian culture – preciseness to the point that one minute of tardiness is something to consider, to be systematic and realistic. I have also experienced another definition of real friendship and how to integrate in a new society.

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