Rik Makes Methodology City Circles Athens 2016
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Introduction Entrance Letter R e s e a r c h To p i c I & 2
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D a y 5 : M e e t i n g a n d Wo r k i n g D a y Wa n d e r i n g A r o u n d Explaining Myself First Box I n Tr a f f i c Musa Help Thea Break
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Day 8: A working Day Other Bridges/ Gatherers Wo r k i n g w i t h M u s a What is Happening Car specifications Pa p e r S t a c k i n g C o n s t r u c t i o n I n Tr a f f i c Rhythm and Break Problem Solution/Repairing Colleague’s On Road E n d Po i n t B r e a k S o r t i n g Pa p e r We i g h t i n g To T h e C a m p The Camp Inside the House The Dinner Camp Help 1 s t Tr a n s l a t i v e Ta l k Musa Routing Leaving Bus to the Camp Arriving at the Camp Back to the house
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Day 15: A day at the Camp Looking for Musa Entering the Camp Entering the House Hollywood Good, Bollywood No Good Acropolis vs House Electrician Philo Afghanistan Malib Iran Family Sudan Man Street Camp Activities Dinner Time
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Day 16: A working Day Looking for Musa Wo r k Ali and the foundings Break Leof.Arhinon Break We Wa l k t o t h e S c r a p y a r d Wa l k i n g O n Pa p e r D u m p S o r t i n g Pa p e r Problem Problem Going Again Camp Musa’s Cousin Singles House Leaving To w a r d s A l i o n O m o n i a S t r e e t Ta l k Through the Circle to Ali Babu the homeless The flat Car Goodbye, see you after Christmas
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Introduction
The story you are about to read comes from me. You will read what I have looked at and how I experienced things that happened. We went to athens, with a group of 16 people, 1 graduate 15 Minor students. The Minor is based on researching a city circle, ( ours was 1km in diameter ) From this research you get inspiration, you document you’re research or method. And afterwards you work on you’re ‘Design’ Project. This research is used as inspiration and not as goal. The research we did was in Metaxourgia a neighbourhood in Athens close to it’s city centre. Athens is build in a different way than other cities, the centre is where the less wealthy inhabitants are living. And outside of the city there is more space nature and wealthy’r people living. Current Situation of Metaxourgia is different to what I am used to in Holland. This is a small recap of what we saw every day, their are some heroine junkies in the street, Chinatown, Little Pakistan, Whorehouses, Restaurants, 2nd hand shops, Modern Architecture, Walls full of graffiti, Packed Parking of cars, Souflaki restaurants, Museums, Parks, Trees and Homeless, Homeless addicts and homeless refugees. What I describe is how I worked with a refugee from Afghanistan. He picks up papers to earn some money. He wants to travel further but is now stuck in Athens. No money, No Passport and No turning back. I enjoyed his view on things, and how we communicated without speaking the same language. This is a story about me and Musa Noori
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Entrance Letter Deze minor wil ik volgen omdat ik als ontwerper voor mensen wil ontwerpen. Het “beter” kunnen maken voor andere mensen. Afgelopen jaar heb ik me voornamelijk gefocust op stijl, communiceren en vormgeven. Aan het einde van het jaar heb ik voor LAB een visie geschreven, omdat ik de mens wou gaan betrekken in mijn werk. Tijdens het schrijven van deze visie ben ik erachter gekomen dat voor mijn ongelijkheid een interessant fenomeen is. Ongelijkheid op verschillende manieren, niet per se materialistisch of op een sociaal vlak (als tijdens een gesprek). In Athene wil ik dan ook onderzoeken wat ik in mijn directe omgeving ga zien van deze ongelijkheid. Ongelijkheid is iets natuurlijks, of iets aards. Iets dat ik sterk van binnen voel en tegelijk verafschuw. Hoe kan ik, een stukje te veel geven aan een stukje te weinig? “Gezonde mensen hebben geen dokter nodig” Ik werk veel met mijn handen, ik ben een verzamelaar van spullen en hou er van om quick and dirty te werken, schetsmatig. Tijdens deze minor wil ik mijn fundament als ontwerper uitbouwen. Door mensen en leefomgeving te onderzoeken. In Athene hoop ik dan ook genoeg aanknopingspunten te vinden om mijn visie en fundament uit te bouwen. Wat voor verschil kan ik maken voor een ander ?
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R e s e a r c h To p i c 1 Learning / Education I have an aversion to existing way of teaching. Humans can not control, having power over others. They make up rules en restrictions. I focused on learning outside of an institution. Informal learning so to speak. By walking and working with Paper gatherers I saw their learning process from the ‘beginning’ on. They don’t speak the language, can not read or write the language. How Can this be thaught to them ? What did they find allready ?
R e s e a r c h To p i c 2 : C h o s e n To p i c The Uniting Job When I looked from the window of the airplane I saw a beautiful piece of land. Hills, forest, blue sea. Than we went for the landing and I saw a big concrete block, and wondered. What is the beauty of a city ? That the atmosphere created by the people. So that lead me towards my chosen topic: Can a city become a family ? In a family you have cousins and uncles, that you did not ask for. It’s the same for living in a city, you did not ask for you’re neighbours or the supermarket owner. You have to deal with them. In a family you take care of each other, in a city this happens less than in a family. A family is bond through it’s shared connection, like the grandmother. Everybody has a father and a mother, and brothers and sisters share the same mother. Family events happen around this shared connection. In a city, you also share. Parks, supermarket, pavement etc.
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Legend Objective Description Practical Description Positive Musa Negative Musa Positive Society Negative Society Musa Talks Rik Talks Learning English Learning Farshi
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Day 5: Friday the 7th of October Meeting and working Day
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Wa n d e r i n g A r o u n d I wandered around in the circle and walked into Musa. I met him at the front of the supermarket where he was taking cardboard boxes apart. And gathering them on his car. There was a lot of cardboard here. He found it pretty strange that I was helping him with the cardboard.
The first minutes felt awkward. he looked a bit weird to me from the corners of his eyes. I was helping him because I wanted him to trust me. I didn’t took my camera out of my pocked. And because I was warned by Pantaliss I only took things with me that fitted in my pocket. These things we’re not really precious to me so I could also wonder around safely.
Explaining myself
I stepped towards Musa and shaked his hand. He gave me his wrist instead. I took out a pair of working gloves and pointed from my gloves towards the cardboard boxes to his car. He nodded his head and I started helping him with the cardboard boxes. I said , /not knowing his level of english/. “Study. “ A / fter 2 or 3 minutes without words Musa came to me made a gesture of
what are you doing ?\ /And made the gesture of a pen writing in my hand. Than he did the gesture again and I said; design, product. I pointed at the garbage bins, the car, the gloves, the street, the houses. And I thought this must not make any sense. So I tried telling him about the bridge he is, the bridge in between communities. So I made circle gestures, closed circles. than I pointed at the last one, and raised my middle finger towards the other circle gestures. and I said, you/pointed at Musa and made the gesture of going in between all these/kindoff snake gesture. Musa nodded his head and we went on. \
I saw Musa looking at me afterwards like ????
First Box I had a cardboard box that I wanted to take apart. So I looked for the place where the box is pasted. And Musa came to me, na , na , na and showed a little knife he carried. He cut open the tape and putted the box flat next to his car. After we did that for all the boxes. He checked if I did not forget any in the garbage. I stacked the cardboard we had next to his car and he started to stack them on his car.
From this moment on I felt like a team, and not awkward any more at all.
Musa says 2 baby’s and show 2 stretched fingers. He points at himself and then makes a gesture around his ring-finger and says Ganoe. He has a wife and 2 kids’ I think.
I n Tr a f f i c
Car Specifications -He stacked the big pieces of cardboard first on top he has a sand bag for the loose material. -His car is about 2 meters long -Has 2 steering wheels, 2 tightened wheels -Hangs a bag on his car with all the tools he need to tie the cardboard together -Musa gathers all papers - magazines to cardboard to multi-maps.
So we go around the corner where there is more traffic on the Meg Alexandrou street. Here Musa looks for gaps between the streams of cars before he walks. Nice way of taking a active break I thought. As soon there is a gap Musa walks fast towards the que of traffic thats waiting for the traffic lights. After 20 meters there are cars coming from behind and Musa puts his car in between parked cars
so the traffic can pass.
Then a bus passes and Musa looks inside the bus.
We get a thumbs up from an asian passenger. Musa smiles at me and also puts his thumb up.
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Musa Help Musa is a bit taller than me and says;
Musa afghanistan. he points at me?, and I say holland. We walk on and hear a whistle after walking 20 meters. Its a greek guy that needs Musa. We step in this building that is only a facade. There his dad from 60+ and 2 kids are around as well. His dad is sittingguy andthat smoking a cigaret. The asks our help makes the money sine and points to the shed. In the shed 20 meters behind the facade is an engine block. He points at the engine block and We get a wheelbarrow. Musa puts the makes the money gesture again. engine block in the wheel barrow and a lot of black oil is coming out of the engine. It’s un liftable but Musa clears the way and walks with the wheel barrow outside. Outside Musa gets his car to put the engine on. The guy wants us to put it in his truck. Musa is done with it already and walks to his car. The guy whistles again and makes the I am still in the idea of getting money for it. But Musa makes a gesture with his hand from his wrists. As if he smacks a musceeto ? as like fuck them, lets go/ Or waving away the situation. I ask if he did get something.
money sine. We put it in his pick-up. And Musa walks angry away
“You” /pointing\, “money” /money gesture\. He makes the gesture again and walks on. We Musa; “No.” are exactly in a gap of traffic so we can actual-
ly walk. We walk on to the next garbage bin, to prove myself I get boxes out of it. A scooter honks to Musa, while we are all waiting for the red light. But Musa makes space for him and shrugs with a smile. Musa smiles and says some FARSHID language to me while he points at me. I laugh as well because I feel that he says that I’m crazy.
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Thea Break We standing on the corner of Thermopillon and Germanikou and facing the free food supply. Musa see’s the que and walks away again, and shugs.
Musa asks: “Chai ? Afghanistan ? “
I say; “ja”, /and nod my head. \
He takes his Thermos and a plastic cup. He gives me some.
He says; “You English, Good ?” I nod my head. “Ja” I say. He says, “English” and points to an apartment block. So I say. “ Apartment Block.” He practices and says it quite well. “Apart-
ment BoLLock. “
/He makes gesture of a circle on his wrist.\
So I say; “ C l o c k . ” Musa says “Clock.” Pretty good to my ears.
Musa draws the cliche of a house on a paper and says; “Farshid; Attika.” He says. “I attika, Leonas” and /points in a direction.\ “Metro eLeonas. You ?” and points at me. I say “Victoria, Apartment Block” We’re standing in the shade of a tree. He smiles.
/He takes out a strip of paracetamol tablets.\ He says , “I problem” and /points at his shoulder./ “I shoulder problem. I” /gesture of 2 fingers stretched, points at medicine\ and speaks Farshid. “No problem. I no money, no doctor. Problem”, he adds.
He adds to this; / Opening his hands, acting problematic and bended forwards (begging)\ “No good”. “ I Musa /Farshid word\ Carragi - Money. Good.” He says’ “Germany /supress gesture with both hands and farshid word\ “No good,” he adds. “Alleman Sweden good “/ Thumbs up\, “I” / points at himself/ Farshid word, with flying gesture from one hand/Farshid word.\ “I“/walk gesture with 2 fingers\ “No. Baby, Problem.” I nod my head.
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He asks; “You” /Farshid word\ “Carragi “ (what work?) He says; “Good Good Farshid: Dakchnar.”
I say; “Student”, and make the
/gesture of writing in book\
/He points at me and makes a gesture of eating.\ He says “Ganoe” /Gesture around ringfinger\ “baby you.” /food gesture\ I get his address and a time. 10.00, B25, eLeonas metro.
He adds “Dada, mama you good ?” He ; “Holland ?” He “ Good.”
I say “yes, Good.” “Yes holland.”
He points at himself and says; “Dada /Taliban.”
/Gesture of cutting a throat\
He says ; “Iran Teheran.” He; “Yes Good.”
I feel shocked I ask, “mama ?” “Mama Good ?”
He says �Berrechi� and gives me a kiss on the cheek We shake hands and he walks away. The conversation took about 14 minutes. The moment I come home I feel equally dirty as the days before.
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Legend Objective Description Practical Description Positive Musa Negative Musa Positive Society Negative Society Musa Talksa Rik Talks Learning English Learning Farshi
Day 8: Monday the 10th of October A working Day
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Other Bridges/ Gatherers After an unsuccessful meeting for dinner with Musa and his family. I went in to the circle again. Looking for Musa first of all. But I ran into other gatherers. For instance a man from bangladesh who was gathering scrap metal in a shopping car.
He was willing to share his lunch with me, but I may not helped him. He was pretty afraid for me, in a sense. Later I was sitting on the corner of a street when I started to walk after an other Metal scrap gatherer. He was gathering his material as well as the bangladesh guy in a shopping car. I followed him for over an kilometre. I saw how he cutted of a corner to avoid police and how unhandy the shopping car
was. After a while he needed to cross a pavement on the middle of P. Tsaldari which is a 2 times 2 way street. Busy, crowded and fast moving.
He was a white man, 35 yo, tall and had a lot of metal, that did not fit on the car. I saw him moving into a small street again where he faced bigger gaps in the asphalt. The car almost stumbled over and 2 meters further again. He was walking quite fast and I had problems with keeping up with him, unless he was stuck in such gaps. Than 2 corners further I heard a whistle. I let it for what it was, and heard all of a sudden running foot steps behind me. So I looked back and saw a hat I recognised and 1 second later I got a hugg. From Musa.
Wo r k i n g W i t h M u s a Man what was I glad to see him. We talked about I couldn’t getting in contact with him. Not knowing his address and unreachable Phone. He: “Rik, apartment block, I Camp.” I was like, oooohh off course; he lives in a refugee. camp He; “Rik , Musa” /Eating gesture\ “Baby, Ganoe, Nafas.” I was really happy to get invited immediately towards his house.
Car specifications He had a different car this time. It was a Praxis car that can open up. With a lashing he secured the construction of a panel, for if the weight would get to heavy on the joints. After waiting for 30 minutes Musa has his car loaded and packed and we are ready to role. It was around 2 that He ran into me, he was as happy and enthusiastic to see me.
What is Happening ? Musa was standing there near a garbage bin. While people we’re throwing away their administration in a box standing on the street, 2 floors down. For Musa.
So I asked: “Musa, this” /pointing at the throwing\ “how ?” /gesture of shagging with open hands.\ He: “Musa” /2 fingers pointing at his eyes, pointing at the garbage bin\
“Whisstle, Musa come.”
Paper Stacking Construction Musa packs his car. He tightens the load with 2 knotted ropes. He hangs on the rope to tighten is as tight as he can. He buds his construction as the following: Loose multi-maps with on top the boxes which on top, some cardboard cylinders of 1.5 meter. It takes Musa 15 minutes to rebuild his complete car with the load. Musa does the trick, I watch.
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I n Tr a f f i c Than we walk on to the road. It’s a double lane road again where cars go about 30 - 50 km/h. We wait with the other traffic for the traffic light. The crossway is the 4-6 lane road Iera Odos .
Rhythm And Break
We walk along the road for about 1.5 hours an With the first break, we are sittin
When the light goes green we walk and push as fast as we can, straight over the crossroad,
traffic comes by on our right side, after 30 seconds we come at the most left lane of Iera Odos which we need to follow.
The traffic behind us waits for a couple of seconds until we arrived on the right side of the road. Im happy and excited I am still alive.
We walk on. Than a car honks behind us, so I look over my shoulder and see a pack of the cardboard cylinders lying on the ground. I scream Musa’s name who was stopping already. I run back to the cardboard and give it to Musa. He looks at the traffic and than walks on to the 2nd lane, in order to fit the cardboard cylinders in between the boxes that were already stacked on the car. He pushes it in as fast as he can, but it still takes about 5 minutes in total, the traffic doesn’t slow in speed when they drive along us.
The cars are driving 40 - 50 to 60 km/h less than 2 meters from our side. There are no stripes on the road and we walk there as well with less than 5 km/h.
We walk on and at our second stop, Musa complains about his shoulder. He says ; “This” /pointing at shoulder\ “Problem”. /He shows his paracetamol medicines and points 2 with his fingers.\ Musa Continues ; “I /pointing at himself, 7 fingers\ “Motor Motorcycle wheeuahueaheauh. Crash yes.” /He shows his scars on his lower arm.\ “Problem” he continues, “I doctor, No money, No doctor.” He asks: “You”/ pointing at me\ “Motorcycle ?“ I : “No” /Shake my head\ “License” /Square shape gesture\ “ Money. I no Money”. Musa Nods his head. I : “Car” /gesture of a steering wheel in my hands\” License”/ gesture of square\ I suggest to pull the car so he can Push. He says: “No, No, No, I” /pointing at front\ You /Points back\.
nd take a break every 30 minutes for 10 minutes. ng in front of an empty building.
So I point at the abandoned building and ask, “Afghanistan ?” Musa reacts; “No, Y” /pointing\ “good” /thumbs up.\ “Afghanistan BOEM “/ Farshid word and a gesture of flatness\. “Taliban boem.” 29
Solution/Reparing
Problem
Musa got a second car with him. He smiles, I see that it is his other car. Which I saw the first moment I met him. We take off the boxes from the car and put them on the other car. Afterwards Musa lifts up the car. I slide multi maps under the car in order to keep the wheel in the air. Musa got 2 other replica’s of the wheel in his bag. With a set of wrenches and a plier. The broken wheel is on the side of the road. Musa sits down on the 2nd lane of the road in order to change the wheel. In 2 or 3 minutes the old wheel is changed for a new one. The old one is brought to a garbage bin along the road. Different than the first time I met Musa, he is not even looking at the traffic while doing.
On a certain moment I feel way more resistance so I walk to the front. Where Musa is putting the car aside of the road. So I give a last push. The car stand still and Musa points at the wheel. The wheel broke, or actually the wheel slipped off the bearing. The weight became to much for the wheel. Musa gives a gesture with his hand. a full flat hand pushing down. I am going to wait with the car. Musa says Philo, while his pinkies are trapping each other. Carragie, he screams and walks away. While I’m waiting I notice that no one looks at me. No one comes to me and asks why or what I am doing ? I got a banana in my pocket that is burning from desire to eat it. When Musa comes back after 30 - 40 minutes I offered him the banana, but he insisted not to eat the banana. It feels uncomfortable to press it in his hand, so I don’t.
I notice a guy close to me who is mopping the pavement of the gas station with rain water. 31
Collea gue’s We continue our quest to bring the papers away. While changing the wheel 2 more afghanistan people pass by us. It’s a guy of mid 40’s and a kid of 16 who are also gathering cardboard and got their car full. They stop at a busstop where we join them, Musa let me sit in between him, and the old guy, the kid is standing. On first hand they don’t shake a hand after 5 minutes of Musa giving a monologue to them, and some short questions from the mid 40’s guy. I shake hands, with both of them. Musa says I can take a picture of them. Musa tells me: /pointing at them/ and saying the word Camp and afghanistan.
He points at the kid and says: “Dada” /cutting throath\ “Taliban. “ The kid doesn’t look sad at me. The afghanistaners are observing each others foundlings of the day.
They are laughing when I’m pulling one car myself as well. Musa says : Sorry Rik
On Road
We let the 2 of them walk in front and have an extra break of 10 min, in order to give each other some space. After 5 min of walking we see them again, they are drinking chai, on a piece of cardboard. Now that I’m pulling a car myself,
I see the cracks, gaps and bumps in the asphalt the ditches where the wheel should not get stuck. And I feel the cars racing by with more than 50 km/u continuously.
E n d Po i n t B re a k A little later we arrive at the end station, the paper dump. Behind the Parking lot of the Lidl. Musa buys me a beer, and I ask: I : “Muslim Musa ?”
He : nodding, Moesselman, Bier /pointing at the beer/ Good. No problem. /Drinking Gesture, 1 finger\ “No problem.” /1 finger\ “No problem.”
/Drinking, Drinking, Eyes Rolling, Unbalanced.\ “No Good. “ I: “Good, yes”
I: “Kidney.” I: “Pefect, Kidney”
He: “Afghanistan Problem. Bier, Good. Eh.” / Gesture whipping sweat of forehead\ “Good. eh.” /Gesture of stomach pinch, release\ “Problem” / Pointing at beer\ “Good. Eh.”/ Pointing at kidney\ “au au”/ Good. English?” /pointing at kidneys\ Musa: “Kidney” Musa: “Kidney.” He picks up a small stone, and points at my kidneys. Than he points at the beer and says; “Good.”
Sorting Paper Musa takes another zip, and takes 2 samples of paper. One coloured and one White, and walks to the dump. He signs me with a flat hand that I can stay seated. After 10 minutes he comes back. He gets 11,5 ct for white paper and 8 ct for the cardboard and coloured paper. So we put all the maps on the ground, the 2 boxes we have are being emptied. In order to put the types of paper inside. One box coloured paper, yellow, pink, blue, green, grey etc. And one box of white paper. Musa rips the multi maps apart like an animal. I don’t have equal strength so I open up every metal clip in order to get the papers out. It’s around 3 that we arrive at the Paper Dump and it’s half an hour later when we got the paper sorted out 33 and ready to weight the paper.
We i g h t i n g : We drive our 2 cars on the weight plate, Musa walks to the ticket window where 3 other man are standing. After 2 minutes we can take the cars off again. We empty the coloured paper and cardboard + some small metal. Abdul helps us with this. Abdul works for the paper dump he is african and speaks english he is from a place I don’t know, or can repeat. He came to greece for work and works now from 7 until 6. He screams a lot to his colleagues to give instructions. There is another African guy who speaks english, and doesn’t drink beer anymore. And a guy who looks arabic in a paper dump outfit. This arabic guy and Abdul are constantly screening towards each other in greek. Abdul is Chief and the arabic guy needs to listen to him, but has problems with that. Anyway abdul is very calm and relaxed and helps us out with emptying the boxes. After 10 minutes we are done with this. I ask Musa if abdul is Good ? Musa replies; yes yes, abdull good. So after emptying the coloured paper box and cardboard, we weight the cars again. After 10 seconds the cars can come off again. Musa knows where to put the white paper. Completely in the back. So he empty’s the box, outside of abdull’s line of sight. And is back within 1 minute, no quality control. The cars are being put on the weight counter again. And 1 minute later we take them off. Musa looks inside the ticket box. I get a small glimpse in between 2 other man and Musa. I see a lady sitting in a dark dark space. She is around 30 and is typing on a calculator, behind a computer. She is from the administration and does the calculations about money etc. We put the 2 cars away again outside of the paper dump, in order to let others have more space to work. I stay with the 2 cars, and Musa walks back in. After 2 minutes he is back with €25.- in his hands. I say; it’s yours /gesture of calmth with a flat hand moving slowly towards Musa/ Musa: Good Musa puts it in his pocket. Musa: You /pointing at me/ eh. I /pointing at himself/ Ganoe /gesture around his ring finger / Baby / Food gesture/ Camp he adds. I: nod my head
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To t h e C a m p First time I understand the word Camp. And we’re off we walk up the hill in order to get to Iera Odos. After 200 or 300 meters we go right into a side road. A lot of sand and dust is lying and flying around.
One second of fear comes over me. Am I going to get jacked here ? Than my mind recovers and says, give them everything you have. Nothing value is in you’re pockets.
Nothing happens off course and at the end of the road we turn left. Here, more flying dust is around and I look around me. I see torn down pieces of asphalt, a old warehouse kasco on my left hand side. On my right hand side I see a fence as long as I can look. It surrounds an piece of land, with sand it’s flat and a lot of dust or sand is flying around. After 100 meters we cross a road. The cars are driving
I have a sight of 3 or 4 meters. It feels as if I am in a completely different country all of a sudden. 20 km/h. The road is made of sand and. All the cars are making the sand fly up and we both squees our eyes in order to get as less sand in our eyes. The cars gently stop for us to let us pass through. After passing the crossroad and pulling the cars through the slightly soft sand, I see 2 trucks coming with a swarm of sand behind them. We walk on and look to the other side, there I see a lot of trash lying on the ground. The trash lies against a wall. A white wall that is still standing. It has on top some metal wire so people can not climb over it. A garbage bin appears, it’s piling out and a lot of trash is lying around it. The two trucks have passed by and the sand is getting less in the air. I got a seight of 100 meters again. But around this one you still see people walking and working.
I see on my left hand side, old corrugated sheets building. A metal scrapyard and work floor people having a break. Old factory’s, abandoned. Empty factory’s. Trucks in lines as on a parking lot around an abandoned factory. On my right hand I see a building that is being build. Next to it a building that has never been finished.
A little further there is a huge huge terrain, that looks like a bunker. Completely flat, a building half in the ground. And sometimes around 50 to 100 meters a triangle shape with windows. It looks completely abandoned. Musa keeps walking on and on. All of a sudden we turn right, I see a long road and a small river of 5 to 10 cm deep and 50 cm wide. Than I’m being shocked of all the trash that is lying around. Only plastic, it’s lying above the small river, which is 4 or 5 meters lower than where we are standing. Everywhere I look the ground is completely covered with plastic. Musa puts his car aside to the fence that is standing there, I put my car against it and Musa locks them together. We walk away again, a long a facade behind it I see container houses.
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Musa says: “Camp Pakistan” /And points at the camp\ He says; “Camp Bangladesh, Africa” /And points behind the camp, or over the camp.\ We walk on and Musa says; “Camp Afghanistan.”
The Camp We arrive at the camp, there is a reception. Musa makes a gesture of me stopping and having some distant. He walks into the camp, and back towards me. So I walk along side the locket which is a container “reception”. Same way the houses are build. I see houses on each side, they’re containers with a triangular roof. I see 10 in a row, there is 1 or 2 meters in between each house in the row. And the houses across are about 5 to 7 meters away. In the end of the ‘road’ I see a big white tent. We walk along 2 ‘roads’ further down towards the pakistanic camp. There we walk into the street’ here the distant in between the houses is equal but the distant from the houses across is smaller its about 3 to 4 meters. I see kids playing. Still 10 houses in a row. The pavement is loose stones. Everything looks clean and well organised. Every ‘house’ got 2 windows that can slide open. 1 out 10 houses got something hanging outside. From clothes to plants.
I spotted 10 or 20 kid bikes around the camp. And everyone got shoes in the front of the door. For me still unnoticed at this moment. We arrive to Musa’s house. He welcomes me in, by raising his hand towards the door which is open. So I step inside the house.
Inside the House 1 second later
I’m raising my hand to shake it with his wife. She is afraid of my hand and her body language is immediately closed. Musa laughs and calls my name. “Rik come,” So I step outside again and Musa points at my shoes. Oh Shit, I think. I am really happy Musa can laugh about it. So once more I step in to the house. Musa shows me the sink where I can wash myself. I clean my face and hands. It feels good to have the water coming over me. Musa gives me a towel. And starts to move his hand towards the carpet. The room I’m standing in is 3 x 4 meters. There is a bunk bed, with Musa on it. Musa is Musa ’s 2nd baby, a boy of 1 year old. There is a sink in the middle against the wall in the middle. Next to it there is the bunk bed. The complete ground is covered with carpets. In the corner diagonal from the bunk bed there is a fridge tv and a cabinet. In front of the cabinet a piece of cloth is hanging. And on top of the cabinet there is the satellite transmitter. There are 2 “big” speakers standing around the tv. this is all in front of the window that is facing the west side. There is a small transparent curtain in front of the window. In the upper corner above the cabinet there is an airco hanging that can also blow warm Air. Rosa is running around, and very shy of me. She is Musa’s First baby, and 2 years old by now. Nafas whom is Musa’s wife looks older than Musa himself. The whole time I’m there the TV is on. It’s on BBC Farshid. The news about the bombings in and around afghanistan.
Every news item is being watched and I need to be quiet during. Sorry Rik Musa Adds.
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The Dinner Musa raises his open hand towards the corner calls my name with a Farshid word. He looks very serious, there is no smile on his face. So I go and sit, Musa takes a transparent table cover with white flowers on it. He puts it on the floor. My back is against the wall and my ass in sitting on the carpet. It’s a small cozy corner behind or in front of the bunk bed. it’s 1.5 by 2. Musa puts 2 black plastic ‘boxs’. On the table cover. They’re filled with beans and steaming hot. Nafas puts a plate with rice next to it. We start to eat and get some Nana bread with it. We have a spoon. Rosa (2), Musa’s daughter is standing shy in the corner. Musa: /Points at the beans\ and says “Camp.” I: “Good, English; Beans.” Musa: “Beans,” and nods his hands. I: “Beans yes.” Musa; “Beans. Good ?” I: “Yes Good, Good.” Musa: “Na na, No Good.” He laughs at me, “No Good.” I: /pointing at myself\ “Cook” /having a spatula in my hand and turning rounds with it\ “No Good. This” /pointing at the beans\ “Good.” Musa laughs; “Mama”/Farshid word with the cooking gesture of turning a spatula rounds\ “Good?” Musa Laughs; and points: “This, No Good.” Nafas laughs as well. I; “Mwah, yeah, good.” Musa: Farshid Word/pointing his finger and circling rounds of 1 m in diameter, Gesture of eating Food with the Farshid word\ “Camp. Nafas, Market” /Points at the food again, And makes a gesture of spooning it in his food on his plate.\ Musa gets some peppers from Nafas. And wants to give me one. I thank him and say; “No, I” / point at myself, open my mouth, point at the pepper, and gestures as if the pepper is going down my throat , My hands lift up from my stomach, And I make a sounds of the steam engine, while the hands are gesturing something is coming out of my ears.\ Musa laughs: “I” /point at pepper\ “No.” He holds the pepper in his hand and his finger is splitting half of it. “This Good,” He says. “Pakistan”: /5 fingers\ After eating Musa Asks; “Chai ?” And I node my head and laugh; I say; “Afghanistan ?” Musa smiles and laughs. “Yes” he replies. We get Chai from Nafas while we’re still seated on the ground, there is a nut in my thea, I try to avoid it but it ends up in my mouth.
Camp Help
They give Nafas 3 buckets and 3 mops. Musa yells Bravo, and claps in his hands.
Musa says: Doctor Camp. Goed, Gele Goebie. eh. English, Farshid, Arabic, French, German, Bangladesh. Good Good
1 s t T r a n s l a t i v e Ta l k Later a pakistanic guy comes and sit with us. He was standing outside and got invited in by Musa to help us talking. So he comes and sit with us. We shake hands and
I see that there are 8 fingers cut off. It happened a time ago already because the skin is fully recovered. He tells his name but I forgot. He is the Neighbour of Musa and lives across the street 4 meters away of Musa. He lives in a single house. Where they are with 4 persons, only man lying in the same space as Musa has with his family. He looks 37 years old. Dark straight hair and a straight mustache, just how the average pakistanic guy looks like out of cliches. His skin collor is 2 tints darker than Musa. He speaks 4 languages within India, He learned Farshid in the Camp, because everybody speaks it in his surrounding/camp. Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton are on TV. I say; No Good, No No Good. Musa points at Trump and says; No Good. I say; He, No Good. She, No Good. Amerika , No Good. They both, node there head. I asylum he continues, 2 time. Rejected. 1 time asylum, Rejected. 1 more time asylum rejected. Understand ? Yes I understand. In order to communicate numbers with Musa he writes them with his finger on the ground. For Musa upside down. If Musa doesn’t get it he writes them upside down for himself. Musa tells the man, he bought his household at the bazaar. Which is every saturday on the camp. 35 for the fridge. 25 for the TV. Sometimes the Pakistani guy doesn’t understand my english. Than I draw. For instance I drew a teacher. They immediately got that. There is this universal language made through movies ? I try to tell them I got class today.
41
Musa Musa Talks about his dada: “Dada, No Dada. Taliban,” /cutting throat\ He grabs his samsung smart phone and opens up pictures. I get to see the whole family. His brother in Paris. His brother in Germany. His younger brother in Iran. His mother with the younger brother in Iran. He shows a picture of the soccer team from the camp. 1 guy has been sent back to Afghanistan.
After repeating and transforming the
Musa says; “Taliban eh; Musa, no Afghanistan. Musa afghanistan;” /cutting throat.\ There are 3 of the soccer team that went to germany all the others are still in the Camp. Musa(1) Musa’s other Baby, wakes up. He is getting lifted out of bed. His big brown eyes are looking at all of us. He keeps on staring towards me and I take a piece of hair in my hand. I say: “This , Musa ?” “No , No” , no problem they both say. “You 1st time here.” Musa can set a few steps. So he walks in between all of us. Than the pakistanic guy takes the pen that I was drawing with and starts to draw on musa’s face. He gets a Mustach with a red pen. Musa and Musa are fine with everything. The pakistanic guy tells me why Musa does the work he does. He gets 1 cup of milk a day for the 2 baby’s, from the camp. That’s not enough to grow them. So he buys the milk powder. which costs €16.next to that he also needs pampers, which are pretty expensive. So every week he spends over €20.- on this equipment. He worked for the television, the cabinet and other products he has in his home. He buys them at the bazar. Musa is 27 years old. /10 fingers/ bounce / 10 fingers / bounce / 7 fingers. Pointing at himself. Musa He married Nafas when she was 16 and he was 18 his mother didn’t like her. But now that they are having baby’s Musa’s mother like Nafas.
He used to be a painter, like his father and brothers.
Routing I ask the pakistan guy if Musa has a fixed route he follows?
e question, I got him to understand. Musa walks everyday towards Omonia, to find his papers.
Leaving Musa walks with me outside of the Camp. Together we walk along the road where the abandoned factory’s are. Some churches in between these buildings and the bus station. During the conversation Musa asks: “You Money ?” I:” No Money, Mama, money”/money gesture\, shoes /pointing at my shoes\. “I money ? No, I money School” /writing in my hand with a fictive pen gesture.\ Musa: “No Good. Rik No Good.” I; “No problem. Holland money School” /writing in my hand with a fictive pen gesture.\ Musa: “I Aleman, Germany , Sweden.” /injecting heroine in the arm gesture\ “No Good. Me” /pointing at himself\ “No Problem. Baby. Problem. Germany Sweden Good Good.” We walk further where it’s exactly the place where I met Musa Today. Musa writes the number of the bus in my hand. He says; “Autobus, Camp.” /and points at the bus coming by.\ I say; “Nafas” /body language of being shocked\ “I” /reaching out my hand.\ Musa Laughs. He says; “Afghanistan,” /reaching out the hand\ “Problem, Problem. Moeselman. This” /reaching out with the hand\ “No. You” / pointing at me\ “Musa” /pointing at himself. Bodylanguage hugging, kissing on the cheek.\ “No Problem. Nafas, Ganoe. Problem”. He shuggs and there is a fictive question mark above his hand. “Musa No Problem” he adds. We hugg and I walk on towards Class of Pantelis.
43
Bus to the Camp Later that evening I come back. Musa invited me for dinner at 10.00. I haven’t been home, or capable of changing my clothes. I step into the auto bus 831, and walk over to the chauffeur. He looks very very grumpy to me. So I sit down without buying a ticket. I get the same looks from everyone as I usually do, here in Athens. Especcialy because I’m not wearing my hat. When we arrive at the busstop I and 12 others step out of the bus. the last 100 meters we have to walk. I feel save and respected.
Arriving at the Camp When I arrive at the camp, I get asked for who I’m coming. So I say Musa. He points me towards an other box where a woman is working behind a computer. She help you he adds. So I walk over,
2 kids of 10 years or younger are asking me questions in proper english. Like why
are you here ? They are getting smarties of the woman. She is very kind and asks me what I’m coming for. I explain the story and she says leave you’re pass at the counter and she points me back to where Im coming from. So I leave my pass there and I can stay for 1 hour. I walk over to Musa’s house. Where Musa is just coming out of the house opposite where the pakistanic guy lives. I get a Hug and a welcome inside.
This time I take my shoes off in advance.
Back to the house There is a Ganoe /Ring around the finger\ of a Philo /finger tips touching eachother.\ She is wearing a panther print shirt and has her eyebrows made up very thick. Her name is Zara, and she stares at me as if I’m a Alien. She is very kind and laughs later on but doesn’t speak any english. It’s the words that I learned during the day, that I can apply. like Taschokar, which means thank you. Later in the evening I understand that Taschokar is only when you greet someone. Zara brought 2 kids with her. Mohammed an Armos, Also them 2 are staring at me as if i am an Alien. They’re under the 10 years old. BBC Farshid is up on the television again, and the volume goes up for the same news items. Later on the evening the station is being switched to a cartoon sender. Cartoon is the same in Farshid as in English. They are eating Popcorn, so I point at it and say, English ; Popcorn. Pop Pop Pop. they laugh. I am having Musa on my lap when
Musa offers me a place to sleep, on his carpet.
Musa starts to talk: “Boeloek” / circling with his finger in a diameter of 1 meter\ “Family , Philo Philo, Good Philo” /fingertips touching.\ “You Philo” /pointing at himself.\ Musa is very tired he didn’t sleep even though he was planning to. Musa kept him out of it.
I learn Musa some english, the alphabet. Musa writes with every letter the farshid sound. learning Musa english words from our direct surroundings. Musa learns me the same words in Farshid. This helps us with our conversations, because when I forgot about a word in Farshid Musa remembers in Englsih and vice versa. After 1 o’clock I’m tired and I go to home. Musa walks with me towards the busstop and there is no more bus going. So I decide to walk. Musa: “No no NO, Philo, cycle you.” I : “No No No thank you. “ /I look to the sky and smile, I raise my hand up and say \“good good.” Musa is not convinced and keeps telling me to go by bike. I refuse and thank him for the evening. He gives me a hug and I’m off.
45
Legend Objective Description Practical Description Positive Musa Negative Musa Positive Society Negative Society Musa Talksa Rik Talks Learning English Learning Farshi
Day 15:Monday 17th October A day at the Camp
47
Looking for Musa
Entering the house
I was walking through the streets in side the circle. I didn’t found Musa. I saw a couple of tuck tucks. My brain prefers to walk the street where I’ve been with Musa or where I met him. The garbage bin’s are still packed with cardboard. So I’m sure Musa hasn’t been here yet. I walked on to Musa starting point. There I sat down for 30 minutes, I see a white guy passing who is gathering metal, in the back box of his bike. It looks handy and comfortable.
I arrive back at the house and nock on the wall, the music is very loud. Immediately Nafas opens the slide door of the neighbours and comes out. She walks over to their side and gets the cloth that is hanging there away. First I see Rosa standing. Than I see Musa who is having his arms open and smiles. He says; Rik. He gives me a hug and a kiss. I take of my shoes and step inside. The interior is different than the last time. The carpets are stacked on each other in the corner where we ate. Musa points at the linoleum where the carpet used to lie and says; Problem. There is still some water left on the ground. I shut and say how. He shows me the crane of the sink. It’s loose. He talks farshid but I can not make sense out of it. I see that the nut is not tightent. Which gives this looseness and the un-waterproofness.
Entering the camp After the waiting I walked on towards the camp. First I checked out if Musas car was still there. And it actually was. So I walk in to the camp. At the camp there are 3 busses waiting and I see 7 volunteers of UNHCR. Young people mostly, in between 20 to 30. This time I don’t have to let a pass behind. I here a lot of children voices. The big white tent that you face first, when you walk up the camp is completely filled with children. So I enter the camp, and walk towards Musa’s house. In the street I hear, very loud music. And I hear myself think, who is this un-social being that doesn’t think about his neighbours. I walk further and the music gets louder and louder. And when I’m standing in front of the last house, which is Musa’s I notice that the music is not only coming out of his house, but also from his side of the house. I laugh, and feel awkward to step in the house. So I walk on to the white tent. The tent is filled with children. The wall that stands within the tent is painted with children like paintings of trees and bright colours. There are numbers from 1 to 5 on the wall and the kids are perfectly lined behind each other. I notice Zara in the crowd, so I walk over to her and ask for Musa she smiles and points at his home. Her 2 kids are standing around her. I walk over to Musas house where I ran into the pakistanic man, we have a brief talk about the children going to school.
Musa asks; “Caffé?”
I reply with “Yes.” It gives me a weird sense in my stomach that Nafas is preparing and making everything for us. But I let that feeling slide away. Musa : “No carragie, Problem. “ He points at his knee and Spawn. “Problem Problem, Doctor ? No Doctor. No Money No Doctor. Mama Problem he continues.” /his hand kneads at the height of his stomach.\ “Problem, No money, No doctor. Musa carriage mama,” he continues. “Doctor. Iran Good.” I: “Problem?” /hand at the height of stomach and lifting up to my mouth height, than I open my hand and mouth towards the ground diagonal in front of me\ Musa: “Yes, Problem , Medicine, No Medicine.” He shows me a picture of his mother. Iran he says. She is completely covered in white clothes. She doesn’t wear anything around her hair. She looks modern and ‘normal’ for me at least. She looks vital 45 years old or something. Musa looks tired. He continues, “Paris No Good. Germany sweden alleman, Holland Good.”
There are a lot of silences today we are watching MTV Iran. because BBC Farshid starts at 3. I see the same music clips as on TMF. Though guys, girls washing cars with almost no clothes. Not strictly muslimic as far as my knowledge goes about that. Money, cars, shiny stuff, clothes etc. Classic horrible song auto tune songs.
MTV Iran Not the typical Iran stories that are shown. Musa: “I class English, No. You “/points at me\ “class Musa.” I : “Good yes Class.” A day later I understand it. Because he uses the word he needs to use in his surroundings or in his work. The others are hard to keep with him. except Apartment BoLLock. We are getting our coffee, it’s white. pretty sweet, and nice. Doesn’t taste like coffee. I say “Good Gele Goebie,” Musa & Nafas laugh it’s great I really like the coffee. The day before we had a chat via Facebook, I told Musa to download the translator app for his phone. He gots it, and gives me the phone. I don’t understand a thing because everything is in Persian language/Farshid. He sees me wonder, and takes the phone. He changes the language of the phone to english. In order to let me use the translator app. After 10 minutes we got there, and I start up the translator app again. No wi-fi it says. All the effort for nothing. Musa Laughs and starts up the Facebook app, messenger. And says; “Rik Farshid hahaha.” He shows me a movie of Rosa when she was 1 she is laughing for 5 ongoing. He keeps the phone in the air. Im used to people showing it like that but I felt Musa wanted me to hold the phone, so after 1 or 2 minutes he lets the phone drop…
Today I find out, that Nafas brother is in Paris, Married with a woman Ganoe from Paris. Musa brother is also in paris, “No good he adds.” And that Musa doesn’t have a brother in germany but a sister Gahor. He doesn’t have a picture of her to show. Only his brother and the brother of Nafas. I sended Musa a English class in his own language via Youtube. We start it up and Musa listens to it. After hearing the startup of the video twice He gives me the phone back again and says. 49 “No Good, No Good. “
H o l l y Wo o d G o o d , Bollywood No Good We are looking at a movie, Mummy. Musa says, “you understand, I understand.” The movie is spoken in english, and subtitles in persian. Musa asks; “Ghorror ?” I: ? Musa: “Bwaaaahhh bwoeh.” I: “No Good, No No” Musa: “Laughter. Nafas, horror No good, hahaha..” Nafas smiles. Musa; “sigaretto, baby, no good.” He lights up a cigaret after that in the room. Rosa takes it out his mouth, and puts it in her mouth.
An electrician comes and knocks on the door. Th guage towards each other. The boiler stopped w minutes he fixed the problem and
Musa looks with very big eyes at them, and is rea telling towards him. The only problem is that he doesn’t have a clue a
Acropolis vs House After an other Silence, I ask if Musa has seen the Acropolis. I: “You, Musa, /two fingers pointing towards my eyes\ Acropolis ?” Musa: ? I; “Wait” /hold it gesture\ I draw the Acropolis, and ask “you?” /two fingers pointing towards my eyes\ ? Musa: “No, No money. “ I see he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. After 2 or 3 times trying,
Musa reacts; No money and draws a satellite on top of the Acropolis…
Musa laughs and says, “No No No Rosa, No Good. Haha”
Electrician
hey let him in, and speak both they’re own lanworking, thats where he is coming for. After 10 Musa yells, “Bravo” and claps his hands. He shakes his hands and says “thank you thank you.” A Little later someone for the crane comes, he tightens the nut, and also that problem is fixed. Musa thanks them, and comes back seated again.
ady to respond to every task and word they are
about what they are saying or doing.
Philo Afghanistan An other guy comes at the front of the container house. They talk Persian together, Later Musa adds; “Philo Afghanistan.” A little later he comes back again, they have quite a conversation, and he is being invited to come inside.
He refuses, but after 5 minutes he is being obliged to come in the house. So he sits next to me and gets a full glass of chai. The conversation continues, Musa adds, “Sorry Rik”.I say “no problem man. “ They continue and within a couple of minutes we are moving over to his house. His house is at the other side of an other white big tent. There are 5 kids playing soccer in it. The sky is clouded. There is a slatted against his house. Musa took a device from his house. and climbs up the house where he is aiming the satellite. It are small changes he is making in the direction. The friend is downstairs. They are talking in Persian So I got all the time to observe my surrounding
51
Malib Thats when I meet Malib, He lives in the same street as Musa. He lives in a singles room because he and his wife divorced. She went to holland together with their 2 sons. She lives now in Nieuw-Vennep. Malib helps with the satellite, looking at the cable if everything is connected. He is around 40 years old and almost bald. He shaves his beard except a small piece on the middle of his chin. He looks well-maintained. Musa is going inside his house to get a jacket. Malib goes to his home to get a jacket for me. Even when I refuse to let him do that. He comes back with a nice warm jacket. Malib himself wears flip-flops and short pants. It’s the first day which is completely clouded and windy.
I r an Fam i ly Than a window goes open there are 2 guys from mid 30’s hanging out of the window. They speak a bit of english so we have a small conversation. Where do you come from ?
Holland, they laugh and say Flowers.
His wife stands up and says come, come she walks outside and shows me her small, vegetable garden. It’s build on a bunk bed. There are 5 boxes filled with soil, and there is 1 small plant coming out of one. It’s a tomato plant. All the others are still nothing visible. She says; This; she makes a very small gap between her thumb and pointing finger. Than she points at the ground. I understand and say yes yes, Seed. Yes she replies. We walk back to their house. And have a small talk through the window with the guys. During the conversation I get invited for Chai about 3 times. The guy that speaks english has an upskir on both sides of his head. He has 4 small tattoo’s as far as I could see. He is very kind and wears a christian cross around his neck. He is touches it now and than and hangs it over his clothes when it’s covered.
He tells me that he is going to london. He got a job there as a designer.
Interior and Exterior. I’m excited and ask if he made products, but he makes CAD drawings for mostly the interior. It’s nice, he can bring his complete family with him.
None of them have a Passport.
They laugh when I thank them in Persian. I have a small vocabulair by now, and Murcy is one of my favourites because it means thank you.
Sudan Man A little later I meet a guy from Sudan he is looking at Musa and giving tips to him. In English, Musa doesn’t understand, I can see it on his face. They’re happy with his help and standing at the house with the 3 of them together making a lot of noise. Only Musa is on the Roof. The Sudan Man looks at me and asks, how are you ? I’m fine I reply and ask for his name. We shake hands and I ask where he is coming from.
He is from Sudan and has flee’d because of the Genocide from the government.
He stands there telling me this with dry eyes,
no emotion just the reality. Very uncomfortable to see.
We talk a bit about Sudan because I know that it has been split from north and south. He says yes, and now North wants to divide in 2 pieces again. East and West.
Street A little further a boy is cutting the hair of an other boy, I would say they’re both the same age. About 16 - 18, He is sitting on a plastic Blokker chair. The TV is still not working, and the friend of Musa is now bringing his TV outside, Right on the moment he is standing with his
TV in his hand, pointing it towards Musa, It starts to rain. Malib I and the Su-
dan man are starting to laugh. We split up, Me and Malib are going to the big white tent 10 meters behind us. And the Sudan man towards his home. In the street. The homes in this street are all Green, while Musa’s house is white.
53
Camp activities We walk in to the tent where our pakistanic friend is walking around. The boys are still playing soccer but 2 volunteers of the camp have joined them. We are sitting down on a picknick bench that stands in the Tent. Malib talks about his Ganoe, and is going to get some papers. I see Nafas having fun with her neighbour. Rosa is helping her cleaning the carpets. They are laughing and scattering of fun. Rosa puts some washing powder on the carpet afterwards she cleans it with water from the water tube. Malib comes back and shows me the 2 papers he has. 1 was the baptism of his wife in an Athenian church. And one we’re papers of her being in turkey with 5 hand signs. She didn’t had any passport and flew away to holland. This story doesn’t make sense to me because for traveling you need to have a passport or identification something, how can I be here with Malib, while she was flying ?. The friend of Musa has get some transparent plastic that he has put over his television. It’s lying on top of an shopping car, and Musa is still aiming the satellite with tiny corrections. After 20 minutes it stops raining, me and Malib are going to have a look. They stop trying and Musa and me are going to his home. We meet the guy that we met the other day, who was also bringing his cardboard to the paper dump, with the kid. We are going home where Nafas Cooked.
She made Rice with a salad of cucumber and tomato w from a cow I believe. I ask; “this, Rice” /pointing at rice\ “Taste” /pointing with 5 fingers that are narrowing down towards my mout\ “Good” /shagging\ ? Musa: “Nafas, Haspos” /pointing at rice, cooking steering, putting the rice out of the pan, putting the rice back in the pan, letting it rest, two flat hands calming it down, putting pan upside down on a plate gesture, 1 finger points up\ Musa looks at me. “Roha”/ gesture of poring sauce over it.\ It tastes amazing, this time the whole family eats with us, Nafas, Musa and Rosaia. Every 10 minutes Nafas points at the meat and than points at my plate. I find it funny and I node with my head and make the /calm down gesture\. Nafas made this drink, which is wite a couple of tiny herb leaves on it. it tastes really weird. So I point at it and say “Que ?” Nafas shows me the bowl, she had a bowl with some left over yoghurt. She wiped it with water. It’s nice but it has a weird un expected twist to the flavour.
Dinner Time
with onions. There is flesh that tastes like steam flesh. It’s
The kids are very hyped up and the parents are having a full mind with it. Musa takes out the smartphone again and shows me an picture of Ice floating in the water, a nice cliche wallpaper. He points at the Ice and says, “Barf.” He points at the water and says “Up. English ?” I point at the Ice and say “Ice.” I point at the water and say “water.” Musa performed swimming while seated, with his two arms. And asks, “Understand?” “yes I understand” and /I make a breaststroke gesture.\ We laugh and Musa says “Dariah, English?” “Swimming. “ We drink some chai and set the time and place where we meet tomorrow. After the Chai I go home, I give Musa a hug when we are standing outside of the terrain. Anasa, the african culture centre for Refugee help, is unfortunately closed.
55
Legend Objective Description Practical Description Positive Musa Negative Musa Positive Society Negative Society Musa Talksa Rik Talks Learning English Learning Farshi
D a y 1 6 : Tu e s d a y 1 8 t h O c t o b e r A working Day
57
Looking for Musa Yesterday we decided on a place and time. So between 9 - 10 at Omonia square. Im there a quarter to 10 under the palm tree. After waiting for 30 minutes I can not sit still any longer, So I decide to walk around the neighbourhood. I see cardboard in all the garbage bins. So I’m like Musa is still at the camp. I walk in the circle towards the busstop that’s going to bring me to the camp. When I arrive at the camp I don’t have to give a card to the reception. I walk over to Musa’s house and meet Nafas there. I ask “Musa biejah ?(here) ?” “Na, Musa carragie. Omonia.” She calls Musa for me. We say both “Omonia” again. I look behind me and there the pakistanic man is again. He is walking with Musa on his arm around the camp. I step in to the bus and it brings me exactly towards Omonia square. There I sit for 30 minutes facing the street that goes towards the camp. P.tsaldari road. After the 30 minutes I see a fluorescend Red jacket coming by with the hat that I recognise. He is facing the same road as I am, and doesn’t see me either. It is him. He and Floor shake hands and I’m going with him towards his carragie.
There is a guy comi ding next to. He giv it in the garbage bin house and 5 minute
Wo r k His car is around the corner towards Victoria square. There is a Philo of Musa, called Babu he gathers cardboard for them. There is a massive pack of cardboard underneath the overhang of the building. Musa says thank you to Babu and we start walking Musa has the car in his hand. I point at Musa’s shoes. He is wearing FlipFlops. I say English: “Flip Flop.” He says; while pointing at my shoes. “Problem.”
He stop at a garbage bin, Musa takes out some M We walk up on 18th september street where we walk against the direction of the traffic. I didn’t felt in danger at all. There is traffic standing for the traffic light, we are crossing them on the crossroad while the traffic light is still red for the walkers. We make it till the other side when the traffic behind us starts to drive towards us. There is a truck standing still with some cars waiting for the next traffic light. Musa walks around all these cars and trucks. And the motors are driving right behind him, Musa is more mobile and can make the corners easily. We walk up the hill where we meet Ali, the Philo that is helping Musa.
ing out of the basement of a house, we are stanves Ali a cardboard box with papers. Ali empty’s n. And gives back the box. He gets back in the es later comes out again with more paper.
Ali and the foundlings He looks mid 30’s and is taller than me. He doesn’t speak english and he reminds me of daze from style wars. He has 2 kids 1 of 5 and 1 of 7 years old. He has and hyperactive wife and is happy to help Ali has the other car of Musa. With the 2 cars we are standing for 10 or 20 % on the road. The 2 Musa. sand bags are full. 1 With multi-maps and 1 with receipts that are still on a roll. There is a base of cardboard on the car.
Magazines and spots sport shoes. It’s size 48 and look pretty new. I sniff them, it doesn’t smell to great. Musa looks at me wondering. He sniffs them as well and doesn’t give an opinion about it. He puts them in a bag on his car. And we walk on.
Ali takes out the paper of the garbage bin. Receipts and such and put them in the sand bag. Musa and Ali discussed for 20 minutes while doing these small handlings. They decide to take off the multi maps from the car and put them all in the sand bag. There are 3 sandbag in total today. 1 filled with receipts and 1 filled wilt multomaps. We fill the empty one with multi maps and put them on Musa’s Flat car. We put the other sandbag filled with paper and multi maps on the car as well and stack it with the boxes of paper. We fill an other box with paper and put some boxes on top of the bags. Musa changes shoes to his new ones. They’re a bit big / boezoen/ but he can walk on them. Severall cockroaches walking around the paper, the car etc. The bags are being tightent as the times before, 59 with some rope that pulls it all together.
Break During the small break Musa takes out a small bottle of a Greek drink. It’s 40% and it gives Musa energy. Musa: /walking with his shoulders down, a body language of tiredness. takes a ‘sip’ and he straightens his back. And stands straight. \ He takes very little there has been taken 5% out of the bottle of 30 cl and I haven’t seen him drink more, after the break. Beer is the same word in Persian as in Dutch so that’s easy for me, Musa talks about beer.
Musa: “Biera, Biest (20) Ghoiro (€) Iran.”
I: “Amazed face/ Wow. Boezoen Money.” Musa: “Yes In-jah no bierra. No Alghol Iran.” Taliban; /cutting throat gesture.\ I offer him a sip of Coca Cola, he refuses. When I offer him a sip of water he happily takes it. Musa: “You holland ? /flying gesture with flat hand facing downwards/ tomorrow ?” I: “Yes tomorrow.” Musa: “Passport ?” I: “Yes Passport.” Musa: “Good, Dada, Mama, Brother, Fa-
mily, Good”
Leof.Arhinon We walk further, after 5 - 10 minutes we are walking along the big road Leof.Athinon where there is a lot of traffic. The street is way more busy than Iera Odos. which we walked the last time. Busses cars, Trucks Motors. It’s all there and going fast. BeAll of a sudden cause it’s so “packed” It’s becoming even less safe for us to pass by a parked car. Trucks that are supplying stocks, taxi’s and busses. Because of the packedness we don’t really get a space on the road.
I hear Musa screaming “RICK!” I come forward to the car. Musa points at the palm tree’s that are standing in the middle of the 2 directions, the road goes. “Very Good” he adds. “This No afghanistan. Afghanistan” /flat hand making a straight horizontal line in the air, belly height.\ 61
Break Musa: “No good,” /and points at all the traffic that is coming by.\ Musa: “Ganoe, Omonia ?” I: “Yes, Yes. Flower” Musa: “Flower, Goebie, haha.,” Afghanistan; “four” /five fingers\ “Ganoe” I: /fourfingers\ “Four” /Five Fingers\ “Five.” Musa: “Five ganoe, Ganoe” /boxing\ I ; “Na na No” Musa; “Yes No good, problem problem. One” /1finger\ “Ganoe, No Problem”/2 fingers\ “Ganoe, Problem.” /He hits his 2 finger tips against each other\ I try to explain that in holland you only have 1 ganoe. And that it is forbidden to have 2 ganoe. Musa: “1 Ganoe, Nafas.” /7 fingers\ “X-aho I can’t explain it, and wave it away. (years) No problem. I”/boxing\ “No, No No. I” /slapping gesture with back of flat hand\ “Nafas, No No No.” /1 finger\ No. “Mama, Nafas” /touching finger tips\ “No No. Nafas , Rosaia, Mama, + Nafas Good. Ja,” Musa laughs. “Mama, problem.” /He holds his hand on the height of his stomach and makes a fist and than opens his hand again\ “Problem. Mama, No money, Musa, No money, No Doctor. “ Musa stares to the street. Attina problem, No money,” /gesture of junkies shooting needles\. “Me no Problem, Baby, Problem. Alleman, Sweden, Germany, Holland. Good. Dachnak” /opening a book with 2 hands\ “afghanistan No good. Dachnak, Euhrop, Good. English Good. Alpha Omega, No Good. English…. Good. English; eh, Germany , aleman, biejah, greece, English. Good.”
Musa: “Attina Good. I carragie, eh , Money. Lafas” /holding his clothes in his handpalm\ “lafas. Lafas, musa , Lafas, Rosaia, Lafas, Nafas, Lafas, Musa. Good. Supermarkt, Good. I money” /money gesture\ “ supermarket, Food Ghordan” /Food eating with hand gesture\. “Good Attina Good. 63
We Wa l k t o t h e s c r a p y a r d We’re walking further again, there is still a lot of traffic around.We walk on an go left into a side street. It’s dusty and there is traffic every minute in stead of constant. After 5 minutes we stop. There is a scrap yard on our left hand side. Musa draws a wheel in the air. We are going to have a look. There is an old guy who tells me, that we should go left, the second left, he says. Here, no.
I’ve no idea what he talks about. Musa takes a look to the wheels that are on the products that are standing there. There are a lot of bikes, at least 20 bikes, from kid bikes to adolescent bikes. Musa shows me some wheels and adds “no good. Bierrok,” he says. /He points at the middle of the wheel.\ “No bierrok” he adds. “English ? “ I say: “Bearring.” Musa says: “No bearing, problem.” /He makes his hand go from a vertical to diagonal\ “Esjekat,” I say. Musa, “Yes.No good”. We didn’t find anything, useful.
Wa l k i n g o n We walk on and go through this side street which is a 2 way street. There is dust and 50% of the vehicles are trucks.
We are standing in que’s for traffic lights. We are the slowest of all. So it’s a lot of waiting, we heared one person Honking. If it was for us, I don’t know. We walked over the parking lot. And avoided the road a bit. Then we come on the place where the metro station Eleonas is. We turn right. After 10 to 20 minutes we see the Lidl sign. We walk on to the terrain and
I get a beer for Musa.
Paper Dump It’s very busy at the paper dump. There are 3 cars and 4 gatherers in front of us. The one tuk-tuk there is, is standing next to us. It’s blue and looks like new. I and Musa are looking at it. and frown. Also the engine looks like new. I spot a problem, and point at the fuel deposit. That is outside of the car. One car needs to hit it, and it’s off of the car, and leaking on the street. Musa, “No good.” /And point at a place where it should be. Under the car.\ I ask the driver, how much it costed. €800.- he replies. Musa gets a Wow face. He doesn’t have wipers on his glass in front, and /Musa points at it, and says;\ “Problem.” It takes us to long, so we walk off of the terrain again. In between a Truck and us, is only 1 meter. A big threshold is in our way, we pull it over it, and our car falls to the righ hand side against the truck. Musa Starts to make a lot
of sound and the truck driver stops.
Immediately 5 other guys are helping us out to get the car back on it’s wheels again, with all the paper Sorting Paper We start to sort out the paper again, around the corner. Musa rips the maps apart. I make sure the white paper gets into Musa’s direction. All the maps and everything is scavenged over the ground. I’ve seen 7 cockroaches coming out and everywhere. They looked for the lowest point, and kept hidden under the paper.
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Problem A guy from the paper dump, that look arabic comes out of the paper dump. He walks by and starts to make a lot of sound and points at the trash on the ground. He makes a lot lot of noise. Musa doesn’t really bother and asks, “English or arabic ?” The guy walks away. Musa says to me: “Problem and points at the multi maps on the ground.” We lift the 2 bags on each other we are having already. And Musa walks away with them, on the car to the dump.
The guy comes back and starts to make a lot of sound to me again. I let him and try to shove all the multi maps together.
Problem After 30 minutes Musa is back and there is an
African guy coming by, we are sipping our beers. And he says; for me no bierra. Only coca cola. I and M at the maps on the ground. On the terrain he says. I say “sorry man. We will clean everything.” It’s fine and he walks over to the supermarket.
In 30 minutes I have seen 7 o They are all looking at our paper, but no one tries to steal or take anything from us. One guy asks where Musa found it. Musa: “Omonia.”
Going again We put the maps in the bags and walk on to the terrain again. We leave all the cockroaches on the street. It’s way more quiet inside now. It’s 1 truck and 2 pakistanic guys in front of us. within half an hour we are gone again.
Musa: makes a circle with his finger, and says an persian word. I: “Pt-ok, chicken”
.
Musa: “Laugh, ja. Camp” There is an pakistanic guy in front of us, walking towards the camp. /I point at him and ask,\ “Philo ?” Musa: “Na, No.” /and makes a gesture of grabbing with his right hand, a shady movement because he does the movement out of his wrist clockwise\.
Musa are laughing. He says, “This No good”; and points
other pickers, and 2 cars. Camp We arrive to the camp, where there is a police man standing. He asks for the papers of Musa. He shows them and it’s fine. I tell him we are going to eat an egg. And it’s fine, I can come with Musa. When we arrive at Musa’s place, we see a guy hanging out of the window in the house across Musa’s.
Musa’s Cousin It appears to be Musa’s cousin and he speaks english. He looks 23 and is a bit alternative by wearing a big black and white blocked, skater scarf. He has lived in Pakistan for 9 years, where he had class in english. He also speaks bangladeshish and India.
No Passport.
And arrived 2 months ago He asks me When do you go back ? I; “Tommorow,” Malib is coming in, and the cousin tells him. Musa is inside his house and we are standing on the ‘street’. Malib asks if I could take some clothes with me for his ex wive. I’m like yes, If you give me something small. So he is getting the stuff. And comes back with a backpack. I say; “Its to big, he is going back inside to make the bag smaller.” I’m happy with the cousin as a translator.
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Singles House We go in to the singles house of the cousin, where
I get water, and dinner. A pasta, with chicken and other things. It’s not to spicy and I can eat it.
I ask him if it’s rude to not finish you’re plate.
He says; No no problem. Pakistan, it’s a problem. But Afghanistan, it’s no problem. Malib comes back in again, with the exact same backpack. I’m like that’ won’t fit. But I’ll take it. He offers me a sigaret, and I say “Murcy”
Leaving I give everyone a handshake , a “murcy and a nice to meet you.” We walk over to Musa’s house where nafas and the neighbour are standing in the door. I say to Musa. “Hand ?” /and stretch my hand out\ Musa: “No No.” Nafas laughs. I: /Hug gesture?\ Musa: “No, No ,No (Gadaffe)” I: “Gadaffe”, and wave Nafas: “Gadave Rik. Thank you. Mama,
dada, gadave”
The guys that are hanging outside of their window are having a lot of fun.
I: “Thank you, Murcy Nafas.” And make a small bow for her.
I wave at everybody and I walk away with Musa.
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To w a r d s A l i o n O m o n i a It’s getting dark, and Musa puts up a song on his phone. It’s afghanistanic and it’s quite rapid. Musa: “Europe, Amerika, Musiek ?” I: “Yes music” Musa: “Musiek europe, amerika”. /calm hand movement with almost flat hand\ “Afghanistan” /fast movement with the hand, a repetition in circles.\ Musa: “Europe Amerika, Doctor, supermarket Dachnak, good” /calm hand gesture\ “Afghanistan; no supermarket no money,” / fast movement again with the hand.\ As if they got more to express or to let go than us, which makes sense in my eyes.
S t r e e t Ta l k
We walk past the bus station where a dog is lying on the street, when we pass by he gets up and starts to barf at Musa. A little further down the street, Musa turns his jacket inside out. He is very proud, on his jacket and says; “Bazar one” /1 finger\ “gEuhro.” Now he has a army green jacket all of a sudden. A little further He tells me “Tommorow; Shassheí” and takes his hat off. I: /scissor movement/\ Musa: “ja; English ?” I: “Hairdresser., Hair” /taking hair in my hand\ “Musa hair good ?” Musa: “ja good. Carragie , this” /pointing at his hair again\ “Afghanistan No Good.” He winks at me, and smiles.
Outside the camp, a dog starts to barf at Musa, the whole day dogs have been barving I realise.
Musa: ?
And I say: “Musa, dogs” /pointing at the dog\ “1” / 1 finger\ “color”/pointing at eye\ “ Zorg (red)”
I: ”Dog”/pointing to the dog\ “One” / 1 finger\ Musa: Nodding his head. I: “1 colour” / pointing at the eye\ , “Habbie, No. Sia, No, Seffiet, No. Zorg, yes.” “1” /one finger, pointing at the eye.\
Musa: “ooooh, yes yes, I understand.” Musa is wearing a red jacket through out the day.
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We walk straight through the circle, In the junki acts to it. A little further we walk on the pedest
Babu the homeless At least 100 kg, probably 50 years and smells and talks like alcohol.
He sleeps in an Planter with some cardboard on top. He lives there for 7 years by now. In the winter and in the rain on the cardboard that is lying under an overhang. He says; Good guys; €5.- €10.- €1.- €2.- some money. yes. Friends.
Through the Circle to Ali
ie street. Musa looks at them and shakes his head. He says something to them but no one retrians road. It’s the first time we do, and it’s not so handy, because the pavement is very small. We walk further until we meet Ali again, he is sitting next to the cardboard the homeless, Babu, had gathered for them. We shake hands and than Babu, comes. Musa and Ali start to talk Persian. And Babu the homeless starts to talk to me. He talks with a triple double tong, but it’s very easy to understand. I feel my brain relaxing because I can make sense out of what he is saying. Because it’s english.
The Flat Car Ali Found 2 wheels, and he and Musa are immediately trying it out. The flat car is being tilted to it’s side. I now see that the car is an frame of 1.5 to 2 meters and that there is an door on top of it. With a metal plate on top of that again. The wheels have a bearing and look ideal for the car. Unfortunately the wheels are a little to big and don’t fit on the car. The car is being tilted back again. Musa tells me he has spend €5.- for the car.
Good bye, see you after Christmas I tell them I’m going Home.
Musa says; “Good, Mama, dada, brother, family good. Christamas, you family. You Attina Katop”/opens his flat hands from each other like a book\
“I Biejah, Carragie”
We hug, I give Ali a hand, Musa a kiss and I’m off.
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Rik Makes Methodology City Circles Athens 2016
Thank you for reading my research. If you are interested in more, please take a look at my website, or keep an eye to the upcoming Design Academy Eindhoven / Ketterenco / citycircles website.
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