The Bigger Picture #1
Abtin from Iran ‘I can say what I want here’
Door Cristian Apostol
By Cristian Apostol
Cristian Apostol
He remembers a feeling of relief washing over him.
When Iranian student Abtin came to the Netherlands, for the first time, he didn’t have to be concerned about what he said, or who might hear him. He didn’t have to worry about what could happen to him or his family if his opinions reached the wrong ears. Here, he could practise his religion and not be judged or persecuted.
‘If you speak against the Iranian government, there is always a chance you’ll be jailed or, in the worst cases, even killed. They are looking to make an example of people who stand out’, he says.
Abtin is one of the many students in Groningen who have left behind a country where freedom, safety and stability aren’t a given like they are in the Netherlands. Even though he loves it here, it has been much harder than he imagined adapting to living in a place that is a far cry from Iran.
Odd one out
It’s not that he is not welcome, because he knows he is. Or that he wants to go home, because he doesn’t. But the culture here is still very different and all too often he feels like the odd one out.
‘Of course, I arrived in the middle of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis’, he says, ‘which meant that meeting new people was more problematic because of the strict quarantine rules.’
We were living paycheck to paycheck
‘But I also quickly realised that Dutch culture was a lot more different from what I had expected.’ Due to his religious beliefs, Abtin does not drink alcohol or do drugs, which often made him feel disconnected from his peers who often relied on these things to socialise.
Abtin remembers his family struggling financially ever since he was a kid. Iran didn’t offer many opportunities and a large part of its population lived – and still lives – in poverty. His father decided they needed to move to another country to ensure a decent living for his family. ‘There was no prospect for the future. Everything just seemed to be declining, the economy, the access to the outside world, and the overall quality of life. We were living paycheck to paycheck.’
No escape
It means that Abtin has been an immigrant for the biggest part of his life. And while his father had work in this new country – which he doesn’t want to name for safety reasons – freedom was still far away and he felt systematically persecuted and marginalised.
‘Iranian immigrants often faced tough sanctions, such as having their bank accounts closed or being deported back to Iran for small infractions’, he says. It was a constant reminder that Iranians can’t escape their government, even when they live abroad. ‘It gave me a really short-term view on life.’
Complaining about little things seems silly at times
Then, he came to the Netherlands and the contrast couldn’t have been bigger, he says. Here, people didn’t judge him for the simple fact that he was Iranian, or for his religious beliefs. He enjoys having conversations with his peers in which he can openly talk about his political views. ‘I can say pretty much whatever I want, but back home I have to choose my words very carefully, even when I talk on my phone. Everything is monitored there.’
He also loves the openness and approachability of the Dutch people. ‘One day, as I was walking in the Noorderplantsoen, I noticed that people were ice skating on the lake. I felt tempted to try it myself, so I asked a man there if he would be willing to lend me his ice skates in exchange for a hot chocolate. He accepted the offer. I really appreciated that interaction.’
Privilege
From Abtin’s point of view, living in the Netherlands is a privilege, since not a lot of Iranians have the means to come and study here. ‘I consider myself really lucky to be here.’
He’s noticed, though, that his fellow students don’t realise what they’ve got. The quality of education, for example, is absolutely impressive, Abtin says. ‘I so like the dedication and knowledgeability of the university professors, but I think the students around me are taking these things for granted.’
Dutch people, he noticed, are quite good at complaining about little things, like trains being late, or dealing with tax authorities. ‘At times, you know, it feels kind of silly’, he says.
Yet he also feels that complaints like these shouldn’t be belittled. It says something about attention to detail, about seeing what can be improved. ‘These are things that need to be fixed. I like this about the culture here. I think it is important to be able to voice your concerns freely.’
Out of place
There are times he feels out of place here. ‘Like when people in my student association would celebrate with drinks after an event, getting absolutely hammered, and I just sat in a corner by myself.’
Or when he discovered how hard it is to get a job in Groningen. As a non-EU student he often doesn’t even get a response when he applies somewhere. And when he does, he is turned down as soon as the company discovers he is not an EU citizen.
The Iranian government defames my religion and that hurts
It is also hard for him to hear about the ongoing protests back home, about the young people being executed for their opinions. ‘I don’t think the Iranian government represents Islam or my values. They represent fascists, and then they just defame my religion and that hurts. I do not want people to assume that we all stand by the actions of the Iranian authorities. I support the protests. The only thing I don’t agree with is violence, even from the protester side. I believe that if you want to change things, be the oppressed one and let the actions of your oppressors speak for themselves.’
Citizenship
Abtin knows he will probably never go back to Iran. He hopes to be able to get Dutch citizenship, so he can have more opportunities in Europe, but also in order to avoid the heavy sanctions which he was facing before. But getting European citizenship would also mean he could be seen as a traitor in Iran and be severely punished for it.
He does, however, dream of building a school in his native Iranian province. ‘I’m from a community that really cares about one another. We help each other all the time, and because of that I consider them to be my brothers and sisters. That’s why I would like to give back and contribute to the community. ’
The school was his father’s dream first, but Abtin likes it a lot. ‘I would like to offer people back home the opportunity to gain some valuable knowledge that could help them develop themselves further.’
The name Abtin is an alias.