One day I’m going to be the world’s first female Syrian refugee pilot
NewsColony
“SAYING ‘Captain Maya Ghazal’ to air-traffic control for the very first time, I got goosebumps. Next to me was a teddy bear I’d brought with me from Syria, and as I looked down at the world below, I felt so proud.
Growing up in Damascus with my mum Rimah, now 40, dad Ayman, 56, and my brothers Jamal, 15, and Abd Al Latif, 10, I liked hanging out at the mall, watching movies and doing maths and physics at school.
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But when I was 11, in March 2011, violence broke out after peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations against President Bashar al-Assad. The country descended into war as rebels fought government forces.
By 2013, it was no longer safe to walk to school in case we got caught up in the bombing. I moved schools three times to avoid the fighting, and some days I wouldn’t go at all if we heard explosions and helicopters.
It was terrifying, and I’d always say goodbye to friends and family as if it might be the last time.
After my father’s clothing business was attacked, he went to work in Turkey, then travelled to the UK where in March 2014 he was granted asylum.
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We missed him so much, until in February 2015, my mum, brothers and I were granted visas to join him.
Packing our bags and leaving our home behind was heartbreaking, and we had to say goodbye to loved ones not knowing if we’d ever see them again.
On March 17, 2015, my uncle drove us to Beirut, then we got a flight to Turkey. From there, we boarded another flight to Birmingham.
Arriving in the UK, I was in tears as I saw my dad again for the first time in over a year. When we arrived at our flat in Birmingham, it wasn’t the England I’d seen in films like Harry Potter.
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It felt very grey and confusing. My first day was horrible – I’d learned basic English at school, but couldn’t understand the Birmingham accent, and I felt dizzy and jet-lagged.
As we waited to register with the council, it began to kick in how negative the word ‘refugee’ was. I just wanted to blend in, but the looks we were getting were far from friendly.
A week later, I started applying for sixth-form, but I was rejected three times as they didn’t acknowledge my Syrian secondary-education certificates, even though I’d got good grades.
While I stayed at home applying for schools, I started to feel lonely, so my uncle – who’d also come to the UK – suggested I volunteer at The Children’s Society, which works with vulnerable young people in Britain.
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I began attending events and answering people’s questions about being a refugee. It was lovely to interact with British people, who were so keen to hear my story.
I was finally accepted on a two-year BTEC engineering national diploma, and on my first day in September as I chatted to my peers in broken English, most were accepting and my confidence grew.
On November 13, 2016, my mum and I visited London for the weekend, staying at a hotel near Heathrow, where we watched planes taking off for hours. That was when I decided that one day I’d fly a plane myself.
I continued my work with The Children’s Society, and in May 2017 I was invited to St James’ Palace, where Princes Harry and William presented me with The Diana Award for my volunteer work and speaking up for the rights of young refugees.
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That summer, I was awarded a distinction in my BTEC and accepted a place at London’s Brunel University to study aviation engineering with pilot studies.
My parents were thrilled, and when I started in September 2017 my English was so much better, I made friends easily.
The next year, the United Nation’s High Commissioner for Refugees invited me to do a TEDx talk about why education is as important as food for refugees.
As 900 people gave me a standing ovation, I knew I’d come a long way from that terrified girl I was when I arrived in the UK.
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I took my first flying lesson in September 2018, and I flew solo for the first time last November. It was the best feeling in the world!
I’ve since flown 35 hours, but to become a commercial pilot I need to complete thousands of hours and it’s so expensive, I’m looking for a scholarship. One day I’d love to fly for British Airways!
Today, Britain is my home and I’ll be applying for citizenship. This is my chance to challenge people’s assumptions – I’m a woman, a Muslim and a refugee, but one day I want to say I’m the world’s first female Syrian refugee pilot.”
BTW
- 5.6million Syrians have fled the country, and another 6.2 million have been displaced since civil war broke out on March 15, 2011, according to UNHCR.
- Only 5 per cent of all UK pilots are female, but the figure is on the rise.
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Source: The Sun UK
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