I only came to Denmark two years ago. Everything is still so new to
me, but as I learn the language, I feel less foreign.
To me life is very black and white. It is not that I interpret it as
contrasts and contradictions, but because I love the two colours and
observe my life through them. I associate Afghanistan, where I am
from, with something black. With grief, oppression of women, lack
of freedom – like a prison. If you are a woman, you must wear black,
and you are trapped in your own home. Nonetheless, the women
of Afghanistan are strong, and strength is also black. The colour
black masks the flaws. It is tough to be a woman in Afghanistan, and
dangerous to be a human being, but despite this I love Afghanistan
It is my homeland and where I am from.
But then on the other hand, I see the colour white as the good thing in
life itself. The pure and beautiful, hope, light, happiness and freedom.
Freedom is very important to me. I want
to be free to go to school, ride the bike,
play volleyball and go for walks. Good
fortune is also white, and I am lucky
to be here in Denmark and be free.
Finally, there is the silence. To me it is white, even though it is
important to speak to tell the truth. I have just started at VUC in
Aalborg, because I aspire to become a journalist. I will show and tell
the truth. In Afghanistan there are journalists, but they don’t write
about corruption or the challenges faced by the people living there.
In Afghanistan, there are bombs, they are black. Here there is safety,
here it is white.

Roya Sadaat / 21 / female / single / student / Aalborg / from Afghanistan /
came to Denmark in 2016 / residence permit 2017