I am 21 years old and I come from Egypt. I have been in Greece for four years. I have no papers. I am a refugee, but my asylum has expired. I couldn’t renew it because I needed to go to Athens, and I didn’t.
I work in the construction field. It is difficult to find a job since there are not many opportunities. The most difficult thing is the language. A friend of mine taught me how to look for jobs. I can only work in construction. Maybe in hotels and tourist units doing cleaning, but only if I have a VAT number and Social Security Number. I don’t have those. Even when my papers were in order, I didn’t issue a Social Security or a VAT number because I had to go to Athens first, and I didn’t.
When I work, I can earn my own money and be independent. There were times when I didn’t get paid. It wasn’t a matter of construction; it happens in general—there are always good and bad employers. Now, I do not have access to unemployment rights. The biggest problem in jobs is the treatment and attitude of employers towards me—the insults and the feeling of injustice. But it is not a widespread problem.
Since I do not have papers, I cannot have a health booklet and therefore no right to medical care. If I need to go to the hospital, I go using a friend’s name and papers. I am not aware of any NGO or government agency that provides me with assistance—either to settle my documents or to help me with health care, housing, education, or work. I can only contact a lawyer. When I went to a health center, the treatment was very good—I have no complaints. For translation and better communication with doctors, I always had someone I know to help me and translate for me. There was no specialist appointed by the hospital. I have no complaints about the health system.
I completed high school, but I didn’t receive my baccalaureate. To attend school in Greece, I had to be under 18, and there was no help from any institution with the language. If I had a high school diploma, it would be recognized. If I knew there was a language training program or some technical skills training, I would definitely go. I wish there were training programs for any type of manual work. I don’t know exactly how the education system works in Greece.
I never got help from an institution to find housing. I found a house through friends. We live three people together, and through them, I learned how to maintain a home. The biggest problem is finding housing in the first place. Also, it is very difficult to live alone—rents are expensive—so I live with two other people.
The Greek state should help people find housing, and no one should be homeless. They should provide us with legal documents, work opportunities, and language skills. There is freedom of religious belief, and there is a place of worship in Chania. However, many times, when I am asked about religion and Islam, I feel targeted in the conversation.
It would be good if there were social and political rights for all immigrants to participate and integrate into society, and if there was an organization that helped with such needs and made our voices heard. Personally, I can only contribute to society through work. I don’t have any knowledge to participate in other activities, social or political, and I feel that this is all I can offer.
