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I originally come from Damascus, the
capital of Syria, where I was born and
raised. I came to Germany in 2014 to do
a master’s degree, and I already had
plans to continue studying abroad.
Germany especially has been very
advanced in computer science recently.
But of course, the war situation was the
main motivation to leave the country.
You underwent many difficult things
and had very strong experiences. It
must be very difficult being a young
woman in a war zone, dreaming of
going away?
You’re always feeling uncertain about
everything. Whatever plan you come up
with, you are always uncertain whether
it will happen or not. In other places
that are not a war zone, you can build
dreams without much worrying about
the basic things. But in the war zone,
for example the electricity is unstable or
the water station is unstable. So you are
more focused on the basic life needs
instead of focusing on your dreams.
Were you also worried about food?
In Damascus, especially in the city
center, it was a bit better than in other
places. But in the rural areas, it was
sometimes under siege, and it was
always hard for the people to get food.
Did these experiences make you
stronger or weaker?
I think it made me stronger. Because I
now know that as a human we are
surprisingly adaptive to any situation. At
the beginning, you will have a lot of fear
and concern about even going out of
your house. But then you grow a
resistance and you are stronger to face
these fears and just be able to continue
your life. And I think I am now much
stronger, because I know how to face
my fears.
What is the latest challenge you had to
overcome?
When I applied here, I wasn’t sure if I
would get the Visa or not, because of
my Syrian passport. And even though I
got the Visa, I was worried all the way
here until I passed the borders, because
I was unsure whether they would let
me through.
I think that CVPR 2017 would have lost
a lot if you wouldn’t have had this Visa.
Tuesday21
Nour Karessli
“
In other places that are not a
war zone, you can build dreams
without much worrying
about the basic things
”
“
I am now much stronger, because
I know how to face my fears
”