Under the Stars I Felt at Home

Although the war in Afghanistan had already broken out when Ilia was born, he led a happy life there. His family was wealthy, and he enjoyed the warm atmosphere and watching the stars when he slept on the roof with his sister. There’s nothing left of that good life now that Ilia is living in an asylum center in Amersfoort in the Netherlands. He is sharing a room no bigger than a closet with his sick mother. “Everything is difficult here,” explains this fashion-conscious 14-year-old. He makes a simple sketch to illustrate the family situation since the Taliban murdered his grandfather and brother, and the family had to flee to the Netherlands. His sister and other brother are elsewhere, and his father is staying illegally in The Hague, in a church that is about to close. Ilia uses his phone to film telling details of the bleak asylum center. In his own words, he explains that what he wants the most is Wi-Fi so he can arrange to meet up with his Dutch friends. He'd also like his own room, and of course he wants to be reunited with his family. He is overjoyed when there are positive developments with respect to the latter – although this change also stokes up a major fear.