Letters of Hope.

 What I’ve Learned Here

How to live with family again, and learn to wear the right coat.

How to learn not to use an umbrella even if it’s raining, and pass the time when the light of day lasts a very little or very long time.

Where to buy good food and cheap clothes and find your place so you don’t feel alone, or see the most beautiful flowers in the city, then you can paint them.

Where to find similar beaches to the ones of my country.

When to wash clothes to dry them quickly and go outside to walk the dog.

When to laugh and when to keep quiet to try to understand what a Scottish person is saying,

and when to make the best decision to stay home

due to bad weather.

I’ll never forget all the good things that Scotland has allowed me.

- Venezuela

 I Come From

I come from warmth and busyness

I come from lemon and berries

I come from spicy food

I come from noise and calm

I come from banging doors

I come from rain and sun

I come from a home you would call ‘scattered’

I come from quiet

I come from a fear of death

I come from a love of my kids

I come from the happiness of them

I come from a dream to be educated

I come from my studies at college

to be a carer

-Nigeria

 I Come From

I come from chili, biryani, and carrots

boiled with sugar.

I come from beautiful breakfast tea

and chapati with the smell of butter.

I come from roses

and rosemary.

I come from watching TV, soft songs,

and voices from the Mosque.

I come from things that make me relaxed and happy,

TV series and cartoons.

I come from a decent education

and a brilliant father.

I come from the kindness and love

of my grandmother.

I come from many fears and difficulties and loneliness.

I come from a fear of snakes and burning.

I come from a beautiful family.

I come from a wish for more studies,

and for a beautiful future.

-Pakistan

 I Come From

I come from sugar cane, salt, and honey.

I come from perfume, sunflowers, and sandalwood.

I come from rihan, oregano, rosemary, and mint.

I come from the sounds of the radio and TV,

The dog and the car, the phone,

The door when it opens and the door when it closes.

I come from a wooden table, chairs, plates, and cups,

A big house with guest rooms and a cow in the back.

I come from my mum.

I come from my dad.

I come from a fear of the hyena.

I come from a joy of seeing the parks in Scotland.

I come from the hot drizzle of rain.

I come from war.

I come from a dictatorship.

I have come to the convenience of a lift.

I have come to a 17-storey flat.

I have come to a button that says ‘call door,’

I have come to bad weather.

I have come to learn everything I can,

And to be an artist one day.

-Eritrea

 I Come From

I come from palm oil, fried plantain, and roasted yam.

I come from locust beans, fish, and mangoes.

I come from drumming, birds singing,

and running water.

I come from the guara and pawpaw trees,

from the photos of my parents.

I come from a clean house,

with the windows and doors secured

and the garden tidy.

I have come to a city of paintings,

microwaves, and washing machines.

I have come to a city of ethnic diversity,

litter, and buses.

I have come with a dream of good health,

a dream for my children to bury me,

a dream of happiness.

-Nigeria

To Glasgow

I love that you are a safe place, with the security of laws.

I love the unpredictable weather, it affects everyone.

I love the kindness of your people.

To Those Who Have Just Arrived

Don’t be shy, there is no manual to the system.

If you don’t ask, you will not find the network of your community.

Don’t feel lonely, the world is a beautiful place.

Integrate, eat what they eat, practise what they do,

go to festivals, participate in women’s groups.

To the People of Scotland

Be compassionate to us, don’t tell us to go back,

Be patient to know us. We are one.

Let me show you how empathetic I am.

I have a lot to offer.

Let me show you how to make jollof rice,

How to do the cultural dances of my country’s holidays and festivals,

How to mill palm oil on a farm.

- Nigeria

To Glasgow

I love the opportunities here that have opened up like a big ocean to me.

I love the warm clothes that keep me warm like my mum did.

I love the freedom to walk down the street and not feel that someone is chasing me or is going to do something bad to me.

To Those Who Have Just Arrived

Take advantage of the chance to have arrived in a free country, where you can have rights.

If you came here, it is because it will be a safe place to develop in the area you choose .

To the People of Scotland

I would tell you how grateful I am to you for opening the doors for me.

I would tell you that this beautiful country with so many resources could be cleaner.

And I would show you pictures of mine of places that are as beautiful as this.

But with sadness I tell you how my people suffer so,

that with each new day you can be thankful for belonging here.

-Venezuela

To Glasgow

I love the cosy pubs in winter,

jokes by the fire, a Guardian crossword,

I love the wide skies

meeting the weather

with its earthy, crackling smell

I love the nosy kindness

of neighbours.

Watching comings and goings

ready to water your plants

when you’re on holiday.

To Those Who Have Just Arrived

Don’t be scared of the gruff

faces and humour.

Ask people to slow down

ask them again…

Find someone to take you

to a Scottish island

Look for selkies.

To the People of Scotland

Let us break bread together

Share injera, pakora, haggis and groundnut stew

Let us have a party and play trains

in the garden with our kids

Let them show you the realities of Lidl

on £40 and 85 pence

Let me tell you I am glad you came

I hope you are happy here.

-Glasgow

 I Came From

I came from the smell of traditional bread, coffee, and okra.

I came from fried falafel, basil, and jasmine.

I came from where you could hear the sounds of children playing, the sounds of the prayer call and birds.

I came from where the palm tree, honey, and my cat belong.

I came from where my father, my mother, my brothers, and sisters are.

I came from where my grandmother lives.

I came from where my family belongs.

I came to rain, mild weather, and cold.

I came here by plane and car.

I came to meet my loved ones.

I came to the garden of the house, the stairs, and the farms.

I came to where you hear the sounds of dogs and observe the rubbish and trees.

I came to learn the language, unite with my family, and help my children achieve their dreams.

-Sudan

 I came from

I came from hot fresh bread and the scent of basil.

I came from where you could enjoy Arab food, okra, and grilled fish on Fridays.

I came from where you could hear the sound of the prayer call in mosques, the singing birds over the trees, and the sounds of children playing football.

I came from where I enjoyed the refreshing air from the air conditioner, the falling leaves of buckthorn, and the sound of rainwater.

I came from where my mother flooded me with her love.

I came from where I lost my father.

I came from where the fear of loss and alienation hunted me.

I came from where the boundless joy of meeting my children gave me hope.

I came from heat, humidity, and intense winds.

I came from aromatic herbs, especially rosemary with its distinctive aroma.

I came to Scotland by car, crossing the lands, surfing the waves, and flying in the air.

I came to sit at the dining table and the bench next to my family members.

I came to see vegetables in fertile lands, the rain, the pleasant weather, and to see the smiling people.

I came here to enjoy the perpetual rain, the fabulous architecture, and to see my relatives happily ever after.

-Kuwait

 I Came From

I came from Arabic milk cream, lamb, and grape leaves.

I came from where you can smell the scent of the earth after rain, traditional bread, and the smell of cooking.

I came from my bedroom with its ceiling fan and old lamp.

I came from where my family, my daughter, and my loved ones belong.

I came from where my kind, loving mother was.

I came from where my fear of death begins and my fear of losing my children and family persists.

I came from where I saw the joy of my children, my family, and my loved ones.

I came from where the spring, summer, and autumn fully manifest.

I came here by car and plane.

I came to find green trees, birds, kind and smiling people and good manners.

I came to find health, wellness, and peace of mind, to a place where I can acquire language education, and meet my children, happy and well.

-Syria

 I Came From

I came from grape leaves, the smell of my mother's bread and the yeast.

I came from the smell of the earth after rain and the smell of hot fresh bread.

I came from where you enjoy grape trees and soybeans.

I came from where the weather is bitter cold in winter, hot in summer, and mild in autumn.

I came here to meet my family.

I came here by plane and by car.

I came to where plants are everywhere and to sit at a dining table.

I came to where I can watch and contemplate the birds, the dogs, and the people on the streets.

I came here to feel safe, to master the language, and to always feel a longing to go back to my country.

-Morocco

I Came From

I came from where you could enjoy lambs and dessert.

I came from where you could smell natural perfumes.

I came from where you could hear the sounds of the call to prayer, people praying, and the sound of roosters.

I came from Quran recitations and the variety of products at the market.

I came from absence, bereavement, and deprivation.

I came from where the weather could be hot, cold, or mild.

I came here by plane and car.

I came to a comfortable bed and good kitchen items.

I came to where you can hear the good sounds of nature and dogs barking, and where you see the rubbish bins.

I came to meet my family, to prepare for Hajj, and to fluently learn how to speak English.

-Somalia

 I Came From

I came from injera, zaghni and mofu.

I came from the smells of incenses, coffee, and flowers.

I came from where you could hear the sounds of birds, the prose poetry, and the hope of laughter.

I came from playing with cats and reading the Holy Quran and other books.

I came from where I could enjoy the sound of my mother's voice.

I came from hearing my grandmother's stories growing up.

I came from a fear of separation and a joy stemming from my children’s successes.

I came from where rain, humidity, and heat coexist.

I came here by boat, car, and plane.

I came here, where I have a computer in my house, a dining table, and a bookshelf.

I came here to see buses, dogs, and peoples’ smiles every day.

I came here with my dream of becoming a nurse, helping my children on their way to success, and eventually going to Hajj.

-Ethiopia

To Glasgow

I love the Scots, an affectionate and friendly people.

I love the freedom and security which I was prevented from having in my country.

I love the beautiful nature here in the spring and summer.

To Those Who Have Just Arrived

Do not be afraid and try to integrate into the society and learn the language.

Do not consider yourself as a stranger and think about this place as your own country.

Try as much as possible to go out and make new friends.

Try to practise your hobbies and communicate with your family and loved ones through the Internet.

To the People of Scotland

I would like to tell you that you are truly kind and helpful people.

I would like to tell you, as well, that I came to a wonderful country with charitable and tolerant people.

I would like to tell you how difficult life was for me, but it has become easier with your help and compassion.

I want to show you how beautiful the sea in my country is and how good and wonderful its people are.

I would like to show you, as well, the customs and traditions of my beautiful country.

-Eritrea

What I’ve Learned Here

I’ve learned how to work in a takeaway shop—

it was when I first came to Scotland,

and I was studying English at the time.

I’ve learned to watch TV

and talk with my neighbours

and to start studying English immediately

when I first arrived from Indonesia.

I’ve also learned how to take a bus,

go shopping, buy clothes,

where to go to spend time

on a computer in a cafe,

how to go out,

how to buy food for my kids.

Since arriving in the UK, I’ve been happier.

-Indonesia

 A Letter

I remember eating at a restaurant

Their pandan cake was very delicious

My home smelled like lots of

trash and filth

My home could be heard

from the mosque in relation to

the things in there

The people from my home

I lived with as a family

The people aren’t here anymore, my husband

has passed away

And my biggest fear is wild

ghosts

And yours, my cousin?

The sound from my home

can be heard from the rain

when I left

I left my parents

Now my stuff is in my home in Scotland

I live at home

I cook everyday in order for my family to eat

I hope you’re doing well

and can find a job quickly

-Indonesia