How a selfie with Merkel changed a refugee's life

While in a refugee camp in Berlin Spandau, Anas Modamani heard that the German Chancellor Angela Merkel was coming for a visit and would be talking to refugees. The 19-year-old Syrian, who is quite fond of social media, went to take a selfie. He was hoping for the selfie to inspire a real change in his life..

When Modamani's house in Damascus was bombed, he fled with his parents and siblings to a smaller city called Garia. That is when Anas fled for Europe in the hope that his family could join him there, once he had made it. He first traveled to Lebanon and from there to Turkey and then on to Greece.

Anas almost died on the way. In order to get to Greece from Turkey he had to travel in a rubber boat, like most refugees. Anas says the boat was overcrowded and eventually capsized and he almost drowned.

From Greece Anas traveled by foot to Macedonia. He continued to Hungary and Austria. In September 2015, he reached his final destination: Munich. Once in Germany, he decided he wants to move to Berlin. He has been living there ever since.

Upon arrival to Berlin, Anas spent entire days in front of the LaGeSo, a refugee center in the city. The 19-year-old says that the situation at the LaGeSo was difficult, especially during the winter. Eventually he was sent to the refugee center in Berlin Spandau. He wanted to raise awareness to his situation as a refugee and a selfie with Merkel seemed like the perfect chance to do exactly that.

Anas says that the selfie with Chancellor Merkel was a life-changer for him. He got a lot of media attention after the photo was published online, and that is how his German foster family became aware of him. He has been living with them for 2 months now. They have been supporting him ever since he became a member of their family.

Since living with the Meeuw's Anas is happier than ever before. He is doing a German language course, has made a lot of friends and is doing a lot of cultural activities. He graduated high school in Syria and wants to pursue higher studies in Germany. But his main aim right now is to be officially granted asylum and to be able to bring his family to Germany as well.

Anas is hoping for a good and safe life in Germany. But he is worried about the current sentiment towards refugees in the country. He thinks that the negative mood might escalate and have an impact on the laws in regard to refugees. Anas fears that he might not be granted asylum after all, thus ending his dream of bringing his family to Germany.