Hyvin Barim Author from Aleppo, Syria

I came to writing in a completely unusual way. Unlike many other writers, I didn't write as a child. I never imagined I would become a writer someday. Although I told myself stories I made up as a child, I never put them down on paper. When we read the novel "All Quiet on the Western Front" in German class in the eleventh grade, I was very touched by the events of the war. Maybe because I had experienced war myself. And then, I asked myself why I didn't write my own story about the Syrian war and the four-year flight. And in twelfth grade, in 2020, I had the opportunity and the time to work on my story. In Waldorf school, there is a year-long project in the twelfth grade, for which students can spend a year working on whatever interests them. I wanted to take the opportunity to record my story in book format. I had never written a book before and didn't know what to expect, but I wanted to try it. I enjoyed writing so much that I sat at my desk for hours writing. When I finished my project, I read a chapter to the eleventh and twelfth-grade and the teachers in 2021. The emotional reactions and comments made me realize how important it is to write down one's own escape story. People only see the silent images of escape. I'm so glad I chose to write. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to discover this passion so early.

During the writing process, many people asked me if I would like to publish the book. I first googled what a publisher meant because I had never come across the word at the time. So when my supervising teacher, Birgit Albers, asked if she could send the manuscript to some publishers, I agreed. I wanted to give it a try. Maybe something will come of it, I thought. And it did. In a few weeks, we received a request from Dressler Publishing asking if Cornelia could read my book after the publisher had read it. My support teacher told me about Cornelia because I didn't know her before. I was overjoyed that such a great storyteller would read my first book and support me, and I was very excited to work with her. Then she invited me to Volterra, and we zoomed. I was overwhelmed by her kindness and our open conversations. What luck that it worked out that way. And many thanks to Birgit, who helped me. Without her, I wouldn't have been in Volterra, and I wouldn't have met Cornelia.

I enjoyed my time in Volterra very much. Especially the indescribably beautiful nature and its diversity. So I had a nice working atmosphere there. In the mornings, I looked at the incredible landscape in front of me, which looked different every day, and wrote. I heard the singing birds that I missed in the city. The nature, the landscape, and the hospitality. Everything reminded me of my home village. I had the feeling that I had returned to my home. It was nice to experience that, but also emotional. I was happy to meet such great people, and although we were seeing each other for the first time, we could talk openly. The illustrators showed me their work, which interested me a lot. It was fascinating to watch them at work each time and get to know illustration better.

I found a lot of inspiration in Volterra. I learned a lot from Cornelia, for example, to write my ideas down in a notebook straight away. She showed me her magic notebooks, and every page left me speechless. It was exhilarating and inspiring to see how her books are created. In Volterra, I worked on the second chapter. We had tried to escape across the Mediterranean three times. Talking to Cornelia about the chapter gave me new ideas. Working with her helped me to write better and in more detail. Because I thought a lot of things were self-evident. It helped me a little bit to process the memories. I'm glad the most amazing people were by my side during that emotional time.

It is not an exaggeration to say that I took a lot home. I have one of the fondest memories of that time. Besides my book, I found many other stories I quickly wrote in my notebook. I would like to write these down in the future. The place itself was very inspiring for me. No matter where I looked, I could write a story. The conversations helped me to work in a more structured way. Talking to Cornelia made me realize even more how important it is to keep writing my own escape story and that what I am doing is unique. Writing about the fear of death and terrible events was harder than I thought. But it has taught me much about myself, and I feel something new has awakened me.