Omar fled from Syria to the Netherlands in 2015: "Success begins with loss, and wanting is better than being able to."
Share on social media:
In 2015, the war forced Omar to leave his homeland of Syria. He was in his final year of studying mechanical engineering at Damascus University. Initially, it was very tough in the Netherlands. But ten years later, Omar looks back with pride: "It was not an easy road, but I achieved a lot."
A new start in the Netherlands
"I was in an ASC. I left behind everything I had built up in Syria: my fiancée, my studies and my dreams," Omar says. "Loss was part of my life and frustration dominated everything. I did not know where to start or how to find my way. I dreamed of a little stability, away from the war. I wanted a house, to learn the Dutch language and finish my studies."
Omar stands on the banks of the River Maas in Rotterdam, where he now lives. He looks back on his first years in the Netherlands and says, "I have no talent for languages. I am much better at maths and design. Learning Dutch was therefore tough, but I persevered and got my language diploma. Then I was able to move on and started looking for a place to continue my studies. I love mechanical engineering, this is really my passion."
"Sometimes things do not go the way you want them to, but there is always hope."
Further study was not easy for Omar. He sent his diplomas to The Hague University of Applied Sciences, hoping to continue his studies in mechanical engineering there. But the school said he had to start all over again, in the first year. "I was shocked," Omar says. "That meant I would have lost five years of study."
When a conversation with the tutor also yielded nothing, Omar decided to make another plan. He would become a teacher. He was good at maths. After 3 years of study, he could become a teacher: "I put aside my passions and dreams for a while and looked at reality."
Just before starting his new studies, Omar suddenly received an e-mail from The Hague University of Applied Sciences. His diplomas had been reviewed and he was allowed to continue his studies after all. And he only had to do another 2.5 years, not all over again. "I was very happy that day and could not sleep," Omar says with a smile.
You need help in a new country
Building a new life is not easy. Especially not in a country where everything is different and many rules apply. Omar found that he needed help at every step: "During my first year, I studied full-time," Omar says. "During my second year, I had to intern at a company. My school supervisor advised me to study and work at the same time."
This turned out to be a good tip: "It took a lot of effort, but it made studying more fun. I was immediately able to apply what I learned in class in my work."
Challenges increase when you are given more tasks
When Omar started working, he found that the challenges only increased, "I had learned the language in general, but during my studies and work it became much more difficult. I had to learn technical words and jargon."
For Omar, his tutor played an important role during his studies. "When I was tired or frustrated, I always thought of his words. He encouraged me. I did not want to disappoint him, I wanted him to be proud of me."
Omar also received support at his new job. "My manager was always patient," Omar says. "He said: you are smart and you love your work. I see your passion for learning and developing. You want to get ahead, and wanting is better than being able."
These words gave Omar strength. "They really touched me. They motivated me to learn even harder. My manager always answered my questions and never withheld information. This allowed me to combine my studies and work well."
After two and a half years of studying and working, Omar was able to graduate. "I graduated and got a permanent contract," he says proudly. "It was not an easy road, but I achieved a lot. After my contract, I was finally able to bring my fiancée to the Netherlands. She had been waiting for five years."
"Achieving goals is not the end of the journey."
After working for a year, Omar decided it was time for the next step: starting his own business. "The job was good, but my ambitions were bigger." He did extensive research, made a plan and looked carefully at the needs of the job market. "In the beginning it was tough, but slowly my name became better known in my field."
For Omar, graduation and working independently did not mean the end. "The world is always changing and evolving, so you have to keep learning and developing yourself," he explains. That is why he took another course and completed several training courses.
"Networking and finding assignments is difficult because I am new to this country and have few contacts yet," says Omar. "But I try my best and persevere. My dream is to have my own consulting firm in engineering. This will require a lot of work and planning, but I know it will work out because I love my profession. With hard work and patience, I have already accomplished a lot, and I am moving forward to achieve even more goals."