Syrian Brasenose College student, Manar Marzouk, shares her thoughts about life and study in Oxford.
"In March 2015, I was awarded Eve Jones Scholarship that enabled me to continue my Masters’ studies in International Health at the University of Oxford, a dream that I postponed for five years due to the war in Syria. It wasn’t an easy decision. Part of me wanted to jump out of happiness for being able to follow my studies in the best university in the world, but the other part was so sad for leaving my family behind, projects and people I was working with at UNICEF, for leaving my country and knowing that I may not be back anytime soon. In addition, I was also worried of moving to completely new education system, new country, new friends.
Eventually, I decided to take this step. In September 2015, I came to Oxford with a hope that I will do my best to absorb all the knowledge I will receive and reflect it back in good research output. It wasn’t as easy as I had imagined. I forgot that a human being who was in a war zone can never be a robot that can be turned on during the war, and off when she is safe. I couldn’t leave my experiences, and my traumas behind in Syria. I couldn’t enjoy the fact that mortars aren’t any more falling around me. Fears and images from my past were stuck there in my unconscious.
Nevertheless, Oxford and Brasenose College embraced me since the minute I arrived in the UK. The welcoming drink at the College was beyond a glass of wine. It turned into a Christmas tree my flatmates set up in my room in the graduate accommodation. It was also a constant follow-up on my academic development, and an opportunity to realise my ideas into research projects. Coming from a country where the political regime doesn’t support research, I thought humanitarian work was the only way to make a change in the life of vulnerable people. The rich academic environment in Oxford and the great support I was provided with to grow as a researcher made me realise that academia is the path I would like to take to improve Syrian refugees’ access to health care in Low and Middle income countries. I conducted a qualitative research on Cancer Care Management for Syrian Refugees in Jordan, as part of my masters’ thesis; it was placed at World Heath Organisation Eastern Mediterranean Office. The support of Brasenose College didn’t finish when I obtained my Masters’ degree, as in October 2016, I was awarded a grant for academics at risk. This grant will enable me to build my research skills with a hope to bridge my masters’ studies to doctoral studies next year hopefully. It will also help me to continue my research in the field of refugees experience with Mental Health. Oxford had changed my life for good; I will express my gratitude for this help and loving environment by helping others in need."
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