An unexpected encounter
I had a bizarre experience this afternoon while out walking when I found myself talking to people in Afghanistan, Austria and America at the same time – all live streaming on mobile phones.
How come? I pass a car parked at a popular viewpoint.
Thinking they are tourists I smile. They wind down their car window, eager to talk. It’s a family of Afghan refugees: father , mother and son.
Soon, despite limited English, we have a conversation going ( well a lot of waving and smiling) with relatives including children in Afghanistan and on another phone more young men.
Who are they?
“My brothers,” says the young man
“Where are they? “thinking they are in Stirling.
“America and Austria”.
That’s when I realise we have four conversations going, albeit in broken English, on mobile phones in four different countries.
By this time M has joined us. Yes they are happy to be photographed ( except the mother for religious reasons).That event too is live streamed to Afghanistan America and Austria.
The father, a former officer in the Afghan army, was among those guaranteed a safe exist after America pulled out and the Taliban took over.
Today they live in Stirling , attend English classes with the Stirling School of English, where M is a volunteer, and the Job centre looking for work.
But their limited English makes the chance of work virtually impossible.
Yet they remain cheerful and optimistic even though they have lost everything
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