Redux
Every Journey circles home
The young student was born in Kyrenia, as was his mother. His father is Turkish Cypriot. He grew up believing he is Cypriot and has represented Nicosia in swimming competitions. Now studying abroad, he had to put aside his maths exam to deal with something far more frustrating: a rejected visa to visit his own home. He had already bought a ticket, thinking, of course, that everything would be fine.
“You’re a settler,” I said to his mother, and she took offence. “I’m Cypriot, married to a Cypriot, and my son is Cypriot,” she replied.
This was not the first time the system had failed him. From citizenship issues to the special documents he must travel with when competing with his team, bureaucracy keeps finding ways to remind him of division. In Cyprus, where logic often collides with law, the only way to move through this red tape is by calling the media. And so journalists pick up the phone and start looking for answers, trying to help if they can. It is there you realise that empathy still exists in ministries, embassies and the Presidential Palace.
Reconciliation needs lawyers and politicians, but above all it needs people willing to fix what is unfair. Navigating the system is exhausting. Yet this time too, kindness prevailed. And the boy is finally home, grateful to all who helped.