Profile: Girl to Germany with her big family

Songül has curly brown hair, is small, clever, and has a warm personality. Her motto: “with family and solidarity, everything is possible.

In 1989 Songül’s father decided that her mother, her other eight children, and her father’s brother would immigrate to Germany. Her father had already come to Germany three years prior and wanted the family to follow him.

Songül’s father sent money to her mother so they could migrate to Germany. It was “a journey into an uncertain future”, says Songül

They were abandoned by the people who were supposed to take them to Germany, leaving all of Songül’s family to fend for themselves.

Her father arranged for other people to safely bring them to Germany. Songül and her family were then picked up by vehicles, some of which were carrying other people who also wanted to go to Germany.

At times, they traveled by trucks, buses, boats, but the most time even on foot. The entire trip required much courage.

“Courage opens new doors,” Songül says of their long journey.

At the border of Bulgaria, they were taken by the police, because they didn’t have papers. They had to spend a night in Bulgaria and were allowed to leave the next day.

They traveled for several days in different vehicles, and when they finally arrived, exhausted in Germany, her father picked up the whole family.

“We arrived with hope, but also fear, coming into a new country”, Songül recalls.

Upon arrival, her father took them all to close friends, where they finally had a warm meal and a proper shower. After a long travel, they slept all day. Their trip and adjustment wasn’t over though.

They had to go to the Central Foreigners’ Office to register and were accommodated in a shelter, where they spent 1-2 years.

In the shelter’s, there were many different people from different countries. Songül says, they even made friends there. They were treated very well by the social organizations too. Every year, there were gifts for the children on Christmas, and events for the children were often held.

They received everything from the people there, including food and clothes, so they were very well received.

After these 1-2 years, Songül and her family were able to move into their own apartment.

Now she is 40 years old and lives in Bielefeld with her own three children.