LostInTheWoods

A serious post right here. In my Swedish class we learnt a new word “rädd”, which means “afraid”. Then we started talking about what we are afraid of, and I was expecting a light hearted discussion about the usual, you know; spiders, high places, the dark, but in an instant a woman from Kosovo said “krig” (war).

The teacher did a tally, and we realised the only people in the class who had not directly experienced war was herself, and me. This really struck me. Now Britain has been at war a lot, but we haven't had conflict on home soil for a long time, nor has Sweden who is a neutral country, and hasn't been in a war for nearly 200 years.

But me personally, I have been shielded from something that I hope I never have to experience. There are wars raging all the time, but it is always presented as something happening “over there”, to “other people”. Sitting in a classroom with people who had experienced war first hand really hit me hard. I have never had to flee a war zone, be shot at, or be captured for just being from where I am from.

Terrorism is different, I was living in London in the early 90's and heard IRA bombs going off, but life went on. I think most people show defiance to terrorism, and I had to make no sacrifice.

The more I think about it. The luckier I realise I am.

That is all.

LostInTheWoods