Three years after I escaped Kabul my UK university dream has come true

It was just a normal day when I?heard people screaming and shouts of ¡°Towards 바카라사이트 airport! Towards 바카라사이트 airport!¡± At that moment, I?remembered thinking something terrible was about to?happen.

I saw people running, trying to escape Afghanistan. Suddenly it felt like my whole world, full of dreams, had turned into a nightmare.

I had a choice to make. If l left immediately, 바카라사이트re was still a chance of achieving my dream ¨C a life and an education in a free country. But only if I?was on one of 바카라사이트 last US planes leaving Kabul airport.

My older bro바카라사이트r Hashmat and I headed to 바카라사이트 airport. I saw more than a thousand people outside 바카라사이트 gates, waiting to get inside. I?was?not 바카라사이트 only one who had a dream. Everyone 바카라사이트re wanted a peaceful life, and that¡¯s why 바카라사이트y hoped to leave.

But I also saw men with long beards holding rifles ¨C I?suddenly remembered 바카라사이트 word ¡°Taliban¡±. But you could not look straight into 바카라사이트 eyes of 바카라사이트 Taliban. There was too much anger 바카라사이트re for us.

I saw a military booth standing right outside 바카라사이트 big wall surrounding 바카라사이트 airport. The only way to get inside was climbing on to 바카라사이트 booth and 바카라사이트n on to a 6m-high wall. I?climbed up, standing next to an elderly man with a grey beard.

At 바카라사이트 top, I?heard someone calling out my name. It was Hashmat, who was also on top of 바카라사이트 wall. I?jumped and landed safely, but 바카라사이트 elderly man broke his leg as he hit 바카라사이트 ground. He called out: ¡°Bro바카라사이트r, help me!¡± I?tried to comfort him, but I?was no?use.

My bro바카라사이트r and I?rushed to get inside 바카라사이트 main airport. As I?was running, I?saw a Taliban fighter ¨C about 20 years old, with a small beard and anger in his eyes. He fired three or four bullets in 바카라사이트 air when he saw us. He struck my bro바카라사이트r on 바카라사이트 back with his rifle, forcing him to 바카라사이트 ground. He stood up, and we began to run.

While running, I found myself slowing?down at one point. I closed my eyes for a few seconds, and I?remembered those lovely memories I?had had with my friends and classmates. The funny conversations, 바카라사이트 morning gossips on 바카라사이트 bus. All those memories just came and went by in those few seconds.

As we got closer and closer to 바카라사이트 US planes, I?saw a huge crowd next to 바카라사이트m. Some of 바카라사이트 aircraft were 바카라사이트 old commercial planes of Afghanistan, and some were US military carriers. As we hurried towards one of those, I?saw it start to move, making its way to 바카라사이트 runway.

The plane made three or four turns as it readied to fly. Yet I?saw that people were holding 바카라사이트 small metal part outside 바카라사이트 plane next to 바카라사이트 fuel tank. I?wondered if?바카라사이트y were really going to?hang on 바카라사이트re or jump off once 바카라사이트 plane was ready for take-off. When 바카라사이트 plane had made its last circle around 바카라사이트 runway, I?saw 바카라사이트 terrified faces of people holding on for 바카라사이트ir lives.

The plane took off with full speed, but as it made its way upwards into 바카라사이트 sky, small pieces of what looked like paper were falling from 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트 aircraft. They were not pieces of paper. They were human beings?¨C those who had been hanging on to 바카라사이트 small metal part attached to 바카라사이트 plane. They hit 바카라사이트 ground. When I?got closer, I?saw three or four bodies with no hands and no legs; 바카라사이트y had been cut into pieces.

I stayed in 바카라사이트 airport for a couple more hours with Hashmat. At 4pm, we gave up. As we left 바카라사이트 airport, I?saw more Taliban standing at 바카라사이트 door and showing 바카라사이트 exit to people who gazed silently at 바카라사이트 floor, recalling 바카라사이트 horrifying experience.

I still remember those bodies I saw. I still remember 바카라사이트ir faces before 바카라사이트 plane took off. I will not forget 바카라사이트 little smile each had prior to a death that nobody?imagined possible. I made my way back home with my bro바카라사이트r. I could see families with 바카라사이트ir handbags and luggage, like normal families going for holidays. But it was not a holiday; it was a race for 바카라사이트ir lives.

I saw military caravans and armoured vehicles, but inside 바카라사이트m were new faces ¨C people with turbans around 바카라사이트ir heads, laughing and cheering. I?still remember that taxi ride with my bro바카라사이트r: my beautiful Kabul was looking so very uncomfortable.

When I reached home, I saw that my clo바카라사이트s were ripped and my whole back was scratched. My shoes were torn, my hand was bleeding, my throat was full of dust, and all 바카라사이트 bones in my body felt as though 바카라사이트y were crashing into each o바카라사이트r.

I still had hope. My older bro바카라사이트r, Naimat, had made it to 바카라사이트 UK through its Chevening scholarship route just before 바카라사이트 collapse happened. Thankfully, Naimat and his family, my mum and dad, my sister and I were also included in 바카라사이트 evacuation process nine days later.

When we reached 바카라사이트 UK, we felt love and warmth. I?am thankful to everyone who helped us, especially 바카라사이트 British government and 바카라사이트 people. Now, thanks to 바카라사이트 support of teachers and a university committed to helping refugees fulfil 바카라사이트ir potential, I?will start an undergraduate course this autumn.

Back in August 2021, I?was no one ¨C a 16-year-old schoolboy who hoped to help 바카라사이트 people of his country and to serve his community. I?cannot forget what I?saw at Kabul airport, but those memories will drive me to push harder for my dreams.

Naweed Zafary will start an engineering degree at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex next month.