Brief 1 Ilva aan Damian

Hi Damian,

So nice to receive a handwritten letter, thank you for that. I find it very courageous you have told me your personal story, which unfortunately has turned out quite rough for you.

You wrote that you arrived in the Netherlands in 2018, did you come alone or with some people you knew from Poland? And where did you live in Poland? Do your family and friends still live there?

You also wrote you worked with flowers in the glass houses. Where in the Netherlands did you do this? Did you like this type of work? I grew up in a village in the north of North-Holland where I also used to work with flowers, at a bulb farm. Every spring it is so beautiful to see the fields full of tulips and other flowers.

You also worked at a restaurant in Amsterdam. What type of work? I have worked as a dishwasher for some years, and it was quite fun with all the people in the kitchen.

You sound like a brave person, Damian

It must be hard spending so much of your days on the streets, especially when it’s cold and rainy. Do you have some people around you to spend some time with? So sad corona made you lose your last job. A shitty period that must have been! I am happy to hear that you have found some help from AMOC. It sounds as a great organization.

You sound like a brave person Damian, sharing your story, leaving your home country, and although the struggles you face are rough, not giving up. My deep respect for you!

I would love to end this letter with a positive vibe too, just like you ended yours. And that’s with a song by your name mate ‘Damian Marley’ (a son of Bob). He has many nice songs, but my favorite is ‘Beautiful’. It always makes me feel happy. What kind of music do you like to listen?

Wishing you a lot of strength, and hope to hear from you again.

Greetings Ilva