The guy was Kurdish. He asked me where I was from, and I sincerely told him from Greece. He then started talking to me in Greek by saying Greek words and phrases. "Hi, how are you? All good?" (Γεια σου. Τι κάνεις; Καλά;). Common phrases that nonnatives may know after a vacation trip to Greece. Well, few moments later I would understand he wasn't another person knowing Greek phrases...
The driver, let's call him John, was living in Athina (Athens) for six months. He was an illegal immigrant... It was the first time I came across such a person, and I couldn't miss the chance of talking to him. I started listening to his story and asking him questions...
From Iraq to Greece
He used to live in Athens back in 2000. He came to Greece because as he stated: "One of my family friends, that lived in Turkey, contacted the Turkish mafia and told them he wanted me to be in Greece in 24 hours, and he paid for my travel. Just 2.000$..." And there he was in Greece in 24 hours.
With a small boat from Istanbul, he and 72 more people, crossed the borders risking their lives, to pass to Greece for a better life. The journey lasted 24 hours. He went to Athens and stayed there for 2-3 days. A guy found him in the street and asked him if he knew any English to do some work for him. He said yes, the man took him in the car, and they were driving for an hour and a half. They reached a building trade, and the guy asked John to bring him some water. But John didn't know any English. In the end, he told me that they managed to communicate and that instead of 8.000 drachmas he was supposed to get, he was paid 12.000 drachmas. He ended up working for this man for four months.
The escape
The story went on; he told me about the first time he tried to escape Greece. It was cancelled. His uncle, living in the UK at the time, had sent him money, and he needed to withdraw it. He was about to leave Greece in an hour through Albania and from there with a ferry to Ancona. He never made it. The police officers caught him, and he was sent to prison for 15-20 days. Strangely enough, only good things did he remember from his life in jail and was grateful for being caught. I would understand why seconds later.. Six or seven of his friends that did manage to make the trip to Albania, died when crossing the borders as Albanian mafia took over, dropped them in the river and drowned them.
A few days later, he was released from prison and headed towards Patra. That was the place he finally escaped from Greece. He sneaked inside a lorry, with his friend's help, without the driver knowing. He hid on top of the boxes feeling he was going to melt down. He took the knife he always had with him and tore the ceiling of the lorry to get some air once he was inside the ferry. He was standing there for 18 hours. When the boat arrived in Ancona, the truck continued driving, but the guy jumped out of the lorry hurting himself everywhere. A train to Rome and a ticket to Calais was what he needed to enter the UK a few days later and become a British citizen after a few years.
Life back in Iraq
But why did he leave in the first place, that was the question I kept thinking. Was it the general situation or something specific that forced him to leave? The answer came without any hesitation; "I was in the army against Sadam Hussein back in time." I touched his forehead, where a bullet is stuck under his bone... He was in prison in Iraq, and he was almost killed there as well, but he was lucky to go back to life. This man is so lucky in his life!
Which was, though, his most terrifying period of life? Coming to the UK or what he has been through all these years back in time? "Coming to the UK", he said. He nearly died twice, firstly when he was walking for 18 days in the snow till they reach Turkey and then when Turkish police were shooting at him, and he managed to escape...
The Greeks
He didn't stop mentioning how grateful he was to Greek people, and how well they treated him. And I caught myself being surprised by the kindness he encountered. Would it be the same today? With Golden Dawn making its presence so predominant?
He stopped the taximeter 5 minutes before reaching the destination; because I was Greek, and he was always helping Greeks because they helped him a lot in the past. He gave me his card for anything I may need in the future...
That's why I love London... Because you learn about other cultures, and sometimes you learn things about your country as well... Certainly the most exciting taxi ride I have ever had so far...!
The driver, let's call him John, was living in Athina (Athens) for six months. He was an illegal immigrant... It was the first time I came across such a person, and I couldn't miss the chance of talking to him. I started listening to his story and asking him questions...
From Iraq to Greece
He used to live in Athens back in 2000. He came to Greece because as he stated: "One of my family friends, that lived in Turkey, contacted the Turkish mafia and told them he wanted me to be in Greece in 24 hours, and he paid for my travel. Just 2.000$..." And there he was in Greece in 24 hours.
With a small boat from Istanbul, he and 72 more people, crossed the borders risking their lives, to pass to Greece for a better life. The journey lasted 24 hours. He went to Athens and stayed there for 2-3 days. A guy found him in the street and asked him if he knew any English to do some work for him. He said yes, the man took him in the car, and they were driving for an hour and a half. They reached a building trade, and the guy asked John to bring him some water. But John didn't know any English. In the end, he told me that they managed to communicate and that instead of 8.000 drachmas he was supposed to get, he was paid 12.000 drachmas. He ended up working for this man for four months.
The escape
The story went on; he told me about the first time he tried to escape Greece. It was cancelled. His uncle, living in the UK at the time, had sent him money, and he needed to withdraw it. He was about to leave Greece in an hour through Albania and from there with a ferry to Ancona. He never made it. The police officers caught him, and he was sent to prison for 15-20 days. Strangely enough, only good things did he remember from his life in jail and was grateful for being caught. I would understand why seconds later.. Six or seven of his friends that did manage to make the trip to Albania, died when crossing the borders as Albanian mafia took over, dropped them in the river and drowned them.
A few days later, he was released from prison and headed towards Patra. That was the place he finally escaped from Greece. He sneaked inside a lorry, with his friend's help, without the driver knowing. He hid on top of the boxes feeling he was going to melt down. He took the knife he always had with him and tore the ceiling of the lorry to get some air once he was inside the ferry. He was standing there for 18 hours. When the boat arrived in Ancona, the truck continued driving, but the guy jumped out of the lorry hurting himself everywhere. A train to Rome and a ticket to Calais was what he needed to enter the UK a few days later and become a British citizen after a few years.
Life back in Iraq
But why did he leave in the first place, that was the question I kept thinking. Was it the general situation or something specific that forced him to leave? The answer came without any hesitation; "I was in the army against Sadam Hussein back in time." I touched his forehead, where a bullet is stuck under his bone... He was in prison in Iraq, and he was almost killed there as well, but he was lucky to go back to life. This man is so lucky in his life!
Which was, though, his most terrifying period of life? Coming to the UK or what he has been through all these years back in time? "Coming to the UK", he said. He nearly died twice, firstly when he was walking for 18 days in the snow till they reach Turkey and then when Turkish police were shooting at him, and he managed to escape...
The Greeks
He didn't stop mentioning how grateful he was to Greek people, and how well they treated him. And I caught myself being surprised by the kindness he encountered. Would it be the same today? With Golden Dawn making its presence so predominant?
He stopped the taximeter 5 minutes before reaching the destination; because I was Greek, and he was always helping Greeks because they helped him a lot in the past. He gave me his card for anything I may need in the future...
That's why I love London... Because you learn about other cultures, and sometimes you learn things about your country as well... Certainly the most exciting taxi ride I have ever had so far...!
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