- Hi, son. - Hi, how are you?
- Everything's fine. - Okay.
Do you know that we ran out of gas?
- I can't hear you. What are you saying? - I said, do you know that we ran out of gas?
Please, girls, be quiet. I can't hear my son.
- What? - Do you know that we ran out of gas?
- Really? - Yes.
I didn't know.
I'm going now to find a gas bottle.
Have you got money?
Yes, I do. Do you need anything?
- Nothing, I just hope you're okay. - Same to you. See you later.
- Hello. - May peace be with you.
And with you, son. Have your mother and sister already left?
Yes, they have left.
And how are the boys?
They're all fine. We have a match this afternoon.
Okay.
Is Zeid sleeping?
Yes.
Yesterday he sent me a video talking in Spanish and I asked him to teach me.
Hey, dad! How's our visa going?
- Well, we're working on it. - Isn't it taking too long?
Yes, they're slow! The procedure can sometimes be a bit slow here.
Okay. Do you need anything?
- That you're okay, son. - Greetings, dad.
- Bye. - Bye.
Before the war, I used to play for The Youth club in Deir ez-Zor, Syria.
My father was a first division coach, and I started playing when I was very young.
At the age of 15, I went to the burial of a doctor in my city
who had died as a result of the war.
There were many of us. In the procession, people started to shout slogans against the regime.
Al-Assad's security forces showed up.
I started running, I didn't want them to arrest me,
and then there was the first shot, which made a hole in my leg.
It was an explosive bullet.
I was in hospital for a short period, only to get surgery on my leg.
I left it soon, because when there were demonstrations in the city,
Al-Assad's forces searched the hospitals,
looking for those wounded by a bullet. They questioned them and arrested them.
That's how I spent the following 6-7 months, in bed, without moving and hidden.
I didn't want anybody to know about me.
We left Syria. When we arrived in Turkey. I started training again.
Some Turkish coaches saw me and were interested in the way I played.
But the problem is that you have to pay a sum of money to get a card which is called "licence".
It's compulsory if you want to play with them.
For me it's something impossible.
That's why I can't play in Turkey.
Later I met other Syrian players who were in the same situation.
So my father and I had the idea of creating a Syrian team.
We went back to the level we had when we played in Syrian clubs,
we went back to those days and we got a little hope back.
Our aim was modest: to get a licence from the Turkish government
to be able play in the Turkish league.
But the answer of the Turkish federation was negative.
We weren't allowed to play professionally.
The whole team got discouraged.
Soon after that,
those players who could afford to go to Europe left.
My father was one of them.
Ali, have you finished?
Come and train here with me.
Look! He acts like he's the coach.
Are you laughing at me?
Come here.
Are we going to play a match?
- We need to find more players. - Lift your legs. Don't waste efforts.
Let it not be in vain!
We've been here for two hours!
- Stand up, it's time to do sit-ups. - What sit-ups?
Shall I hold your legs?
I don't want you to do it.
Otherwise, you won't be able to do them.
- Where? - Here.
Come and sit down.
One,
two,
three,
four,
five,
six,
seven,
eight,
nine,
ten...
Hi, Youssef.
- Hi, Moatassam. - You're late, boss!
Hello.
Why are you so late?
I had to fix the car and I've just finished working.
- How's the shop going? - Fine.
Where shall I do the sit-ups?
In these ones here.
Come, next to me.
Come on up!
Here?
Come on, let's go!
I can't make it.
Go on until the end. Work the muscles.
Nour also lived on the outskirts of Damascus.
Her father asked for asylum in another place at the beginning of the events
and he could take them out of there.
Back then,
we didn't find the time to say goodbye.
But I tried to see her no matter how, talk to her.
We only had five minutes. She had to leave immediately,
since there was an imminent order to close the road.
If she didn't leave on time, it'd be too late.
She was crying. It was difficult for her.
She was leaving me, her country, her family, her relatives.
Leaving the country and travelling.
It was difficult, for her and for me.
I didn't know what to say or how to talk to her.
I don't remember having talked too much.
We just stared at each other.
If I had tried to talk, I would have started crying, and I was embarrassed by that.
She was crying, and I couldn't see her crying any more,
so we exchanged the presents, and I let her go.
Later I phoned her, I said goodbye to her.
And at that moment we got engaged. We promised each other
that, whatever happens, we'll be together and we'll go on together.
Nothing will be able to separate us.
I've called you many times, but you didn't answer.
I've also tried with your mother, because your phone is stoned and it fails quite often.
Yes, she phoned me and told me.
- Are you alone? - Can you hear me?
What?
Yes, I'm alone.
Have you phoned my mother and my sister Maria lately?
I called them on Friday.
Thursday or Friday.
- So, two days ago. - Yes.
Me too, and since then I haven't been able to find them.
I think there's no connections. Do you know anything?
Yes, I think they went to Daraa.
Have they gone to Daraa?
- Yes. - And why didn't my mother tell me?
I don't know.
Maybe they preferred not to mention it.
Why? Does she want to make me suffer?
Calm down, she's your mother. Don't get mad at her.
I love you, angry boy.
May God take care of my crazy girlfriend.
Stop calling me crazy. I'm not crazy, and you keep on accusing me.
When will you come to find me and take me with you?
Get ready, I'm coming right now.
Shall I get ready, get dressed and wait for you?
I hope we can make it.
Every day I try not to get depressed, and not to forget hope.
We're already depressed. We've been like this for five years.
I hope we can make it.
What do your parents say about our situation?
Have you heard anything?
My friend's mother-in-law asked my parents if you are still in Turkey.
Just that. They didn't say anything else.
- Really? - Forget it. For God's sake, it's true.
What happened?
She didn't say anything. She just asked if you are still in Turkey, and she said yes.
That we don't know when you'll be able to come,
and that she doesn't want me to go on like this, not knowing how long this situation will last.
Who said that?
My mother. The woman asked: "When will he be able to come?"
And my mother answered: "We don't know,
and I don't want my daughter to go on like this."
They just said that.
Now that woman, just what I needed!
She just creates problems!
Just what we needed! We don't even know how to deal with this matter.
I understand you get angry. But don't think about it right now.
Our moment will come, sooner or later.
- I love you. - I love you too.
- Bye. - Bye.
- Muhannad. - Yes?
- Muhannad, I'm going to work. - Okay.
- See you. - Bye.
Has Duaa already left?
Mum!
- Has Duaa already left? - Yes, son.
- Okay. - See you.
Finish early your job at the market and join us, come on!
- How are you, dad? - I miss you. How are you?
How's our visa? Any news, interviews...?
I try to follow the case every day.
I talk to the lawyer regularly and I check the immigration documents.
The problem is things here go really slow.
This situation is lasting so much.
Isn't there a lawyer who can speed up the process?
It's not a question of going faster.
It's a law, and they have to send the documents from one department to the other...
so they make the decision and inform us.
How long do you think it will take them?
I don't know, that's the problem.
Let's hope this finishes soon and we can all be together,
not each of us in a different place.
If only! I'm tired of this situation, really.
It's taking us too long.
It's very hard with your younger brother, too. He complains a lot, he asks me where mum is.
He asks me when we will get the visa, and he wants to take me to the airport.
- For God's sake. - Poor him.
We're in the hands of God.
Let's trust. I hope they call us in the next days.
And you, how are you doing?
There's nothing new.
Duaa misses you a lot. I'll tell her to call you when she comes back.
Okay. As I said, take care, you're the man of the family until we get out of this situation.
And I'll go to immigration regularly.
Keep me updated of any news, dad, please.
Of course, son.
Take care, son. See you.
Goal!
Did you do your homework?
Dad, today we have a day off.
- But there's school on Monday. - Yes.
- Why don't you do it? - I want to play.
Zeid!
Which one have you got? Only English?
Do you want to do it with me?
Why not?
- Not now. - When?
I won't be able to help you later.
- Go and find it, come on. - Dad, stop, no.
Every time I tell you to do something, you refuse.
Enough, leave me. I want to talk to mum.
You've talked enough with her.
- What are you going to tell her? - I want to phone now.
- Who? - Mum.
- Is that what you want? - Yes.
- Why don't you tell me? - I want to talk to her.
- And what are you telling her? - Secrets.
Are you in a hurry to see your mum? Don't worry, the moment will come.
- It's not your problem. - What?
I'm in a hurry to go back with her.
Brush here.
Above.
Enough.
Don't move any more.
Good night.
Let me cover you.
Is that okay?
Don't move, love.
Come on, it's ready!
You drink it.
- What? - I don't want to.
Come and drink it!
Drink your milk.
I don't want, dad.
Don't you want any more, love?
- I don't want any more. - Give me your foot.
Give me your foot.
Come on, stand up, put on your trainers.
Okay.
Very well.
Stop, love.
Do you want to call mum?
I don't want to go to school.
- Enough, son. - I don't want to go to school, dad.
I really can't do it, please.
Shall I leave you alone?
- Can you stay alone at home? - No.
So, where shall I take you?
To work?
I can't do it, son.
Darling. Zeid...
- I don't want to. - Stand up.
I don't want to. I don't want to.
Rest for a while.
After knowing that the laws of the Turkish Federation
didn't allow us to play officially,
I felt that was it, there was no hope, there was no future in Mersin.
I talked to my wife and told her: "There are two options,
either we go back to Syria, or I go to Europe, and I bring you from there".
I asked her what she thought about taking Zeid with me, to speed up the family reunification.
"How are you going to take the youngest?", she asked me.
I didn't have an answer for that, frankly.
The smugglers left us.
They told one of the passengers:
"Move the motor and follow this direction and you'll get to Greece".
How could they imagine somebody could drive a dinghy without having done it before?
For God's sake, I wished we went back from the very first moment.
We walked for twelve days.
We walked through Greece, Macedonia and Serbia.
When we got to the Hungarian border, there were thousands of people waiting.
I tried, but Zeid started to shout: "Dad, I'm suffocating with so many people!".
The situation became chaotic, soldiers couldn't contain the crowd any more.
About five hundred people gathered and broke the barrier.
And soon after that, Zeid was on the ground and I was over him.
Later I understood
the journalist had tripped me up and made me fall to the ground.
Without looking at anyone, I grabbed him and I started running.
He shouted and cried for hours, due to fear.
I felt his temperature had risen, that he had become ill.
Cars were passing next to us, we tried to stop them,
explain them, ask them to take us elsewhere.
"Syrians, go home!", some of them said.
Then we found a police check.
They told us: "Don't worry, we're going to take care of you".
But they took us to the worst camp I've ever seen.
Where had we got in?
Where are we?
We got scared. It looked like a prison.
It was a prison.
Zeid was still ill and throwing up.
I couldn't ask for a doctor.
We were not allowed to speak.
Why did they treat us like that?
What had we done?
After that incident,
I lost my motivation, I hated to have to follow the path to Europe.
When we got to Austria,
from prisoners of war we became people who were treated with respect.
They gave us everything we needed.
They took Zeid to a doctor that examined him, and told him he would get well.
Then some journalists appeared. When they saw me, they recognized me.
They came closer, running, calling me: "Ossamah! Ossamah!". How did they know my name?
A journalist told me: "Everybody knows you,
the whole world saw it when you were kicked".
They lent me a cell phone to call my wife.
When I called, my wife couldn't believe it, she started crying.
"I want to talk to Zeid! How is it possible nothing happened to him?"
And she repeated:
"Didn't I tell you specifically, Ossamah, to take care of Zeid?".
When we got to Munich, my other son, Mohammed, was waiting for us.
When I saw him, I exploded with joy.
We got many calls, among them one from the school of coaches in Spain.
They knew I was a first division coach in Syria and they offered me a house and a job.
The first thing I thought was that somebody was playing a joke on me.
Good!
- Hello. - Hi.
- How are you? - Fine, thanks.
I'm looking for a job, have you got anything?
- Can you sew or iron? - No, but I can learn.
I can't teach you. I need someone with experience.
I see.
I could do other things, as an assistant, loading, moving things,
whatever is necessary, that's not a problem.
Okay, but we don't need that here.
- Hi. - Hi.
- How are you? - Fine. Are there any news?
Everything's fine.
- I'm looking for a job. - Okay.
I've been looking for some time and it seems there's nothing in Mersin.
You're right. There aren't many offers. In Syria I had a factory, and I hired workers.
But here I do all the work by myself.
Excuse me...
There'll be Turkish too.
Yes.
What type of test will it be?
I don't know exactly, but there'll probably be a match.
And you must be careful, be attentive. Calm.
If you want to pass, do it. If you want to shoot, shoot...
We'll see, let's try.
If it happens, it happens.
The important thing is you can get to play,
and not to go on like this, having nothing.
That way you could be an example for others.
If that door opens, maybe in all of Turkey
people will know there are players like you in Mersin.
- If only! - Are you working now?
Yes, I work in a shop.
And I'm expecting a son.
Really? Congratulations.
- Did you get married? - Yes, ten months ago.
So you just got married, congratulations.
I hope his life will be better,
and his future will be better than ours.
If only!
I wish those born here in Turkey obtain the citizenship.
Yes, that's right.
But they say they can't ask for it until they're eighteen.
Let's hope no to stay here until he's eighteen.
I hope the war ends, and we can go back to Syria.
The boy is nineteen...
You start running fast, one after the other.
Let me do it.
I'll place one, and you start fast from there.
From here or there?
Here. We accelerate, zigzag, and go on until there.
Okay!
Have you understood? You start from there.
We run fast, we zigzag, and we run again.
- Put the cones closer. - No, no. Leave it as it is.
Come on, go!
- Who's first, me or you? - Let's do it individually.
- Shall we start together? - You start, you know how. You're first.
The one who's closer should start.
Come on, get to the red one.
- Come on, try. - To the red one.
Faster!
No, no, the return...
You have to come back backwards, and standing on your tiptoes.
Like this.
Start, go back on your tiptoes, Muhannad.
You're covering me with dust.
Why didn't Youssef come?
We're only five. If he had come, we'd be six
and we'd have been able to play a game three versus three.
He played very well the last day.
Youssef is still as good as he was.
He's a great player.
It's screwed up here. In Syria at least they give importance to football.
Our situation was different.
At least when Muhannad's father was here and we trained,
the first month we improved a hundred per cent.
Just like that.
The team got stronger and active after five or six trainings.
I became faster. Do you remember how well Ali defended?
We need someone to take care of our team.
We had a future, a hope... And look at us now.
Yes.
My mates are in very different countries now.
One in the USA, another one in the Netherlands,
- and another one in Norway. - Mine too.
It took them four years to show they were good, but now they play in clubs.
We just need someone to take care of us.
You know, Ishra, in Aleppo there wasn't a day that he didn't play.
He was playing always, always. I'm sad and disappointed for him.
I know.
Stop doing that.
A Turkish-Lebanese
took me to a test for a Turkish team.
The test went well, but they don't want to pay my licence.
I've taken two tests, and they don't want to pay my licence.
- What's up? - I was telling him about the test.
12,000 Turkish liras.
They want 12,000 liras or more for the licence.
- Aren't they paying it? - They don't want to pay it.
Is it because you're Syrian?
Yes, the players need a licence to be able to play professionally.
But they don't want to pay it to me, I don't know.
Although they loved the way I play.
Wouldn't it be useful to show you played for Al-Ittihad?
There've seen videos, they already know.
They don't care.
They want the professional player licence.
What can you do?
I don't know. I can't play if they don't pay it.
God is generous. You must be patient.
They told me I was a good player,
and that I had to play in a club, that I played well.
It was the school period.
I told my parents
I wanted to play in the club.
They refused: "Finish school."
When you finish, we'll take you to sign up for the club".
School finished, and I went to sign up for the club.
In theory, it was only for the three months of summer,
and later I'd go back to school.
But I grew fond of the club, too much,
I liked the coach, and he also liked me.
So he talked to my parents, he told them I had to go on, and that I had a future.
I started preferring football to studying.
I preferred football. I went there, went on, I didn't leave football.
When we were training, we started hearing planes,
the sound of gunfire, shots... and we were scared.
Later...
the situation got worse in Aleppo
and the bombings intensified,
and sometimes even bullets fell on the pitch.
In the last period, even a shell fell near the football pitch.
My coach was captain Talal, I think of him as my brother.
He always gave me hope that I would become a good player.
So I was very angry when I had to leave, and...
I even cried when I said goodbye to him.
I hadn't seen him for almost four years until two weeks ago.
He's going to travel to another country, maybe Germany.
I don't know how he's going to do it.
He's leaving from the sea, in an illegal way.
So he came to see me, and say hello.
I was delighted by his visit.
He stayed for a day and he left. I also got angry when he left.
Zeid, what are you doing?
Nothing.
I have a surprise.
A package has arrived.
It's from mum.
What is it?
Pistachios.
- Will you give some to your brother? - No.
Chocolate.
For God's sake, it's chocolate!
Mum!
Oh, Zeid!
Darling, how are you?
Very well, mum.
- My love. - Mum...
- Yes? - Thanks for the present you sent,
the food...
- Oh! Did you get it? - Yes.
Did you like the Kinder?
The Kinder is delicious!
Oh, my love!
Enjoy it a lot, son.
Thanks, mum.
Zeid, love, don't eat everything at once, a bit every day.
Okay.
Dad wants to talk to you seriously.
Okay, darling.
Tell me about Duaa. Are there any news?
She's fine, getting better. The medication is showing results.
The doctor saw her yesterday and he was very satisfied with her foot.
Thank God. Do you need anything?
No, we don't need anything, thank God.
Thank God.
Can you pass the phone to Duaa so I talk to her?
Okay.
- Duaa! - What?
Come, daughter.
- Hello. - Hi.
Hi, dad.
Daughter, why don't you use the protective clothing on your foot every day?
Dad, I'm wearing it.
But you must always wear it, all the time.
Take it off only when you sleep.
But yesterday I wore it, I didn't take it off for a single moment.
Please, daughter, you must be constant. It requires perseverance, okay?
Does it itch?
- Okay. - Does it itch?
I want to talk too!
- I miss you. - Me too, darling.
When are you coming to Getafe? I'll show you my cell phone.
Then help me with the visa so I can go to "Gitafe", I'm still waiting.
"Ge", not "Gi".
Getafe?
- Getafe. - Getafe. Like that?
Yes.
Talk to the people so they accelerate the process.
For the visa?
Yes. But they are fond of you, aren't they?
I don't know how to ask that.
Don't you miss mum's breakfasts?
Yes, I miss her meals.
Do you want to sit down with her and have a cup a tea?
Yes.
Well, talk to them, so they get the visa ready,
and we can all be together.
Greetings.
Hi, welcome.
I want some Laughing Cow cheese, please.
The big one.
- Yes, it's got 24 portions. - Yes.
Here it is.
- Okay? - Yes.
- How much is it? - 6,50.
Ok. Have you got cheese?
I have a kilo of cheese left.
I'll take half a kilo.
- Where does this olive oil come from? - Syria.
The one in the bottle, above.
Which one?
This one on the shelf.
- This one, this one. - It's made in the "Kheir wa Elbaraka" factory.
Is it made here?
Yes, it's Turkish.
When will you have sugar?
The supplier is coming this afternoon.
- Okay, have a nice day. - Bye.
This morning the air force has bombed with rockets
the districts of Al Ferdaus, Bustan al Asr and Bab al Nyrab.
There are civilians here in Al Ferdaus under the rubble...
My mother called me: "Go back home. Your father can't come today because the road has been cut."
There are problems on the freeway, and he can't go back".
I said: "Okay".
They phoned me at 7 in the morning, saying:
"Your uncle has been found murdered,"
lying on the street.
They've tortured him a lot, killed him and left him on the street.
And your father is missing,
and we're still looking for him...
We stayed for two or three hours. People were looking in the streets,
until they found him dead, lying on the floor.
My friend came to find me with his car.
When we got to the freeway, they didn't allow us to go on.
They said: "It's forbidden to go on".
There were combats and weapons, and we couldn't go on.
I said: "They've killed my father and he's lying on the street."
Nobody can take him out, we have nobody in the area".
There was a war, it was difficult. They didn't let us pass.
After four or five hours,
they called us and told us they had removed my father
from the street, and buried him.
Who were they?
How? I don't know.
Nothing. And I still don't know now.
I only wish I had seen him before he died.
I would have liked to see him, that's all I wanted.
That's all I wanted.
Approximately ten months or a year later, I left Syria.
I was forced to leave the country.
Hi, son, how are you?
I miss you a lot.
How are all of you?
We're all fine, they say hello.
We miss you, we miss seeing you.
Are you okay? Your voice sounds tired.
It's just that I miss you. I miss seeing you.
Calm me down, I want to know you're okay.
I'm okay, didn't I tell you already?
I'm fine, everything's okay, I'm happy and calm.
- Thank God. - I hope you're always fine.
I hope it's always that way.
What else do you say? Are you still training?
Yes, a little.
We still train.
May God bring us together and we meet again.
- Amen. - May God bring us together,
and we meet in better circumstances.
Mum, are you going on like this?
I'll get emotional, and won't be able to talk.
Let me talk.
Okay, talk.
Stop, mum.
Laugh, calm down.
I told you God takes care of me, I'm okay.
I'm happy, calm.
A thousand people would like to be in my place.
I've got the best food, the best life, I come and go, I'm calm.
- I don't need anything. - Thank God.
Tell me about the situation. Are there bombings yet?
Yes. There are bombings.
Don't worry so much, son. We got used to it.
- Oh, God! - The worst thing is power cuts.
Life is different without electricity.
We only have water once a week.
Mum, I want to bring you here, but I can't achieve it.
- It's difficult... - It's all right, son.
Besides, I can't leave the others.
I want to bring you all, I can't bring one and leave the others.
How could I only bring one?
Hello?
Damn it.
- Hello. - Hello.
Hi, mum.
- Ishra? - Hi, Youssef.
What are you doing?
You'll see.
Oh, now I understand!
- Do you understand? - Yes.
- Do you like it? - Yes.
Thanks for everything, dad.
Thanks, dad. Thanks a lot for everything.
You're welcome, Zeid.
Shall I help you?
Yes, help me. Give it to me when I said so.
Give me one.
The red one with the red one.
This red one.
Yes, in the middle.
Yes.
Zeid, your mother wants to talk to you.
Happy birthday, my love!
You all say the same.
My love.
- How are you, darling? - I'm fine.
I miss you.
Listen, listen.
Mum, who's the one saying "cha cha cha"?
It's very funny.
She's a neighbour.
I wish your next birthday you're into my arms, love.
If only!
Mum...
My love.
I miss you, mum.
I want to see you.
I want a kiss.
I want a very, very big kiss.
Do you like the cake?
- Yes! - What does it say?
Zeid...
What else?
"Hi-ppe"...
- "Hi-ppe"... - "Happiness"...
"Happiness".
Cream!
Each of you have a portion, and the rest is for me.
Because last year you had your birthday on the way.
- Did you bring two cakes? - You were tired, fed up...
Are there two cakes, one for Greece and another for here?
That's right, this one's for Greece and this one for here.
Great! What a cake!
Here?
Yes.
I'll blow.
You and Abdel-Rahman.
Come on, stand up.
Marwan plays well.
- What's his number? - Eight.
From the beginning he took the decision to shoot, but it hasn't worked for him.
And he hasn't been able to reconsider it.
Time flies... When did you play for the juniors? 2008?
2011.
2011?
In 2011 I was already with the adults.
We're from very different generations!
In 2011-12 I played in the Juniors league.
Me too.
That's his problem...
Come on, cut it!
Mark your identity number.
Approved, approved, approved!
Mum, the visa has arrived, I swear!
Hi.
- Hi. - Is everything okay?
What happens to your voice?
It's hoarse.
I'm coughing, the weather has changed.
You sound angry or something like that.
I can't hear you.
Have you got any news?
- Hello? - Hello.
I was asking you, what news?
Nothing, everything's the same in my family.
What happened?
The same, we have until December.
If by then you haven't come, we won't be allowed to keep on being together.
I see...
What do you mean, until December?
Hello?
Yes, I hear you.
What does it mean, until December? What shall we do?
When you talked to my mother,
didn't she tell you we had until the end of the year?
Yes.
Isn't there any chance to convince them?
We haven't been able to solve it yet, why do they pressure us so much?
I don't know. Talk to them and let's see what...
But you already talked to my mother...
And what did you get?
I miss you.
My love, me too, son.
How's school going?
It's fine. You haven't called me for a long time!
Darling, I'm so sorry. Forgive me.
You don't call me because of dad?
Of course not!
It's because I had lots of lessons, love.
- When are you coming here, mum? - How are your friends?
- Fine. - I'm glad to hear that.
Who's that boy you're always telling me about?
Ayman.
Ayman. Is he Syrian?
No.
His mother is Arab, but they speak Spanish.
Do you want...
Do you want to come to Spain?
Or do you want to stay in Turkey?
Darling, don't worry, we'll talk about that further on.
- Okay, mum. - Don't worry about that now.
- Okay. Bye, mum. - Bye, my love.
Zeid, the meal is ready.
- How are things with your girlfriend? - Fine.
You're taking a long time to get married.
The wait is being long, right?
What can I do?
You must try to find a solution, find something...
I've tried it all.
I can't go there legally or illegally. It's hard. I can't get in England.
The good thing is she's still waiting for you.
What else can we do? We can't throw away our love after twelve years.
We can't imagine ourselves separated.
Yes, of course, but you must find a solution. The situation is taking too long.
Two years already, and now the third...
She'll finish her studies soon, she'll get a university degree...
You must find a solution. There's no alternative.
We can't do anything, neither me nor her.
Her family has tried to help me, but it's difficult.
Even if she came here and we got married,
she'd leave again and we wouldn't be able to get the papers so I could go with her.
You can't go there, and she can't come here...
Exactly. If she came here,
I'd obviously give her everything,
but I'd never could give her what she's got there.
The situation here doesn't allow me to bring my family,
my Damascus family,
it doesn't allow me to bring my girlfriend,
and it doesn't allow me to have a future myself either.
So I don't know. I feel I only work and eat. I've lost two years.
I try to think about the future, but nothing comes clear.
Sometimes I even think of going back to Syria, but how can I go back?
- Going back to Syria is a problem. - We can't go to Europe either.
If we think too much, we'll explode.
Nobody can stand what we've been through.
We're out of our country, our life has changed.
From happiness...
to being unlucky.
We must try to forget, and adapt to the new situation.
None of us ever imagined ending up like this.
When we were young, we thought about doing this and that.
- Did you ever imagine getting married in Turkey and having children? -No way!
We'll give some advice to the next generation:
don't bring children to the world.
Seriously.
If the war doesn't end...
there's no hope.
Really, why have children...?
Shall I take these trousers and the tracksuit?
Okay. Don't you want to take these jackets too?
- I don't know... - Yes, take them.
- What else? Or is that enough? - Yes, that's enough.
Take the leather jacket.
Shall I also take a small bag?
Yes.
Honestly, I'm not brave enough to travel.
Why?
There are many reasons.
For example,
I'm scared of this trip...
We've been here in Turkey for three years already.
And the culture here is like the one in Syria.
We've got used to the country and the people.
And my job and my lessons...
And Duaa's school.
Besides,
I feel in Spain I'll have to start a new life,
and maybe that's not the life I want.
I don't know if psychologically I'd feel as good as here in Turkey.
So, am I leaving alone after all?
Yes, son.
Now I'm explaining my reasons and we can talk about it.
But you must definitely go.
You have a future, your sport, which I hope goes well, your university...
It's the start of a new future for you.
I hope it is so.
Here I've got my life, my job, my future. What am I going to do there?
There, neither tradition nor culture are like ours.
After all, I haven't chosen to emigrate.
For better or worse, Turkey is close to Syria.
In one hour I can get to Syrian land, my country.
I don't know, mum...
Have you both decided it, with dad?
God willing.
Eh?
God willing...
Okay.
- God will choose the best for us. - Yes.
This is what I wanted to tell you.
All right.
It won't be easy living without a mother.
Are you like your father, who's always hungry?
Cry, cry.
Come, look at him, he's always sleeping.
Okay, take him away.
We can't take care of children...
Take him away.
He'll soon grow up and nobody will be able to deal with him. Poor Youssef.
It's cold.
We need a cup of tea.
Let's see if she brings it.
- Stop it. She'll come now. - She will.
- Are you leaving alone? Without your family? - Yes, God willing.
- Without your family? - That's right.
- Why? - I think... I don't really know.
- But they'll come further on, I hope. - Yes, it won't be long.
But will they come further on?
Yes, they will.
Zeid, your father and Mohammed are already there. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask.
Zeid must have grown up a lot.
Maybe he's as big as you now. If they need anything, Moatassam and I will help her.
I still remember that plate with food your mother gave me.
I can't forget it.
So, Youssef, what shall we do once he leaves?
You'll go on with your life and you'll wish him well.
Come on, the team is still there.
Don't look at me, I have no idea.
There's no team.
Don't say there's no team.
Love...
- Will you keep me posted? - Of course.
- So I don't worry. - Sure.
- Take care. - You too.
May God take care of you.
My love...
Take care.
I'll try.
We packed and left.
During the trip,
we went through several control points of the regime.
Every time we went through a control point,
I felt that it was the end for us, that something was going to happen to us.
It was a period when the scar on my leg was very visible.
They always searched us. We had suitcases.
So, in every control point we spent an hour and a half,
until the suitcases were searched, and they let us go on.
We finally got to the border between Syria and Turkey,
and we stayed there for almost a whole day.
It was a very annoying day, it was very hot.
We were like vagabonds in the streets, waiting for our turn to go in.
There were a lot of people, big groups stopped in the border, and we were among them.
Our passports were sealed.
And we left.
And while we went through the main gate of the Turkish border,
on the Syrian gate, this sentence was written:
"The nation is not a hotel you leave when the service gets worse". We were really moved by that.
It's very hard for someone to leave his country and go away.
But we were forced to leave.
We didn't have any reason to live there.
Count to ten and he will appear.
My God!
Zeid!
Have you seen the surprise?
I've missed you so much!
Look at you! You've grown up!
Oh, dear, thank God you are well!
My dear...
Dad, it's Mohammed's turn.
- What a surprise! - Surprise?
Look at your hair!
Thank God you arrived well.
Me too, dad.
Muhannad, when is mum coming?
- Mum? - Yes.
It's difficult that she comes.
Then I'll go to visit her.
What if you don't get the visa?
I'll go and visit her.
How?
I don't know.
Will they let us get into Turkey?
Not right now.
Why?
You need...
A passport.
- Not a passport. - What is it?
You need a paper.
- A visa. - A visa, yes.
But they don't give visas.
Dad didn't get it.
How many times have you asked for it but you didn't get it?
We're not getting it.
- Pardon? - We're not getting it.
- What do you mean? - You won't be able to visit her.
- Really? - You won't be able to see her.
Okay, okay.
Come closer.
- It's taking such a long time... - You must be patient.
Put the eiderdown.
- Do you want to cover yourself up? - Yes.
Do you want to sleep?
- I love you. - Me too.
WE'RE PRAYING WE'LL BE BACK SOON
ONE YEAR LATER
Youssef continues to work in the family business and has stopped training.
Moatassam is still alone, surviving in Mersin.
Muhannad has received a scholarship at a university in Barcelona and has joined a soccer team.
Ossamah is looking for a job and plans to return to Turkey. Meanwhile, he continues to live with Zeid in Getafe.