I am Kays Ahmad, 35 years old, from Afghanistan. I believed I would stay in Afghanistan forever. With my family, my friends, and my plans for the future… But sometimes life leads you down a different
path — not by choice, but out of need. Sometimes, one single act changes
the course of your entire life. I became a translator for the NATO forces, and
that transformed my world. When the Taliban advanced towards my city, I
had to flee. The road to Bulgaria was long, passing through Iran and Turkey,
with months spent in the unknown. I was in the woods for nine days with
no food. It was terrible, but I had to be courageous. Through it all, I had to
cling to the hope that I would get to a place where I could begin anew.

In Bulgaria, I was met with human warmth. Here, the words love, peace, and
happiness once again found their meaning, and now they are an integral part
of who I am. Today I have a home, a job, and new friends. What I discovered here above all was hospitality, a sense of not feeling like an outsider. Afghanistan will always have a place in my heart — with its streets, the sounds of my childhood, and my mother tongue. But Bulgaria is where I want to be
now. The journey shaped me, but it didn’t break me. It taught me that I am
stronger than I ever imagined. And that words — even the simplest — can
open doors, as well as hearts.