WASHINGTON – At the time when anti-refugee sentiments flared in Europe, many European citizens challenged fear of the other, opening their doors to welcome refugees.
“We are so happy here,” Nourhan, who arrived in Berlin last Summer with her husband Ahmed, told CNN on Thursday, September 1.
Ahmed and Nourhan and their daughter Alin came to stay for 10 days, carrying all of their belongings in two small plastic bags.
The small family was welcomed by Manuela and Joerg Buisset, who abandoned plans to rent out their newly-renovated basement, offering it to Syrian family fleeing war.
“Ahmed was very insecure and shy, but we thought he was stubborn,” recalls Manuela.
“He wouldn’t make eye contact with us, which we thought was so impolite, but he thought it was rude to make eye contact … He later told me he was just completely lost.”
Manuela went with Nourhan to all her medical appointments, and was at the hospital when baby Laith was born in July.
“At first I was scared,” admits Manuela, “But we really, really like each other now.”
Architect Lars Asklund welcomed Syrian refugees Farah Hilal, Waleed Lababidi and Milad Hilal, into his home.
The situation was not much different for architect Lars Asklund who offered held to refugees after seeing thousands of them arriving in Sweden.
Moved by the scene, he went to an immigration camp in his hometown of Malmo to try to help. That was when he met Waleed Lababdi for the first time.
“I asked him three questions: ‘Are you married?’ He said yes. ‘Do you have kids?’ He said no. I looked him straight in the eye and asked: ‘Are you a fundamentalist?’ He said no. I told him ‘OK, I have a good proposal for you,'” Asklund recalled.
Lababdi and his wife Farah Hilal moved in with Asklund in November 2015; Farah’s brother Milad Hilal joined them last Christmas.
The trio had fled their home in Syria in 2012, first moving from place to place within the country and then, when a missile landed across the street, leaving the country for good.
Living for months with Asklund, the four eat breakfast together every day, and gather for Swedish lessons at the kitchen table each week.
“He cares so much,” says Milad.
“He studies with me, even when he comes late at night. We are so lucky to have met him.”
Asklund says he too has benefited from the arrangement.
“For me it’s fun. It’s fantastic, I have new friends and I really like them.”
For more positive stories from Europe, check CNN’s full version here.