Bengt Alshalabi

The Redheaded Refugee Bengt Alshalabi

The Redheaded Refugee is the detailed and true story of one of the many refugees from Syria who sought asylum in Sweden in 2015. Now, less than three years later, Bengt Alshalabi has learned to speak Swedish well and is able to tell the story of his life. In the first part of the book, Alshalabi gives the reader an insider's perspective on growing up in Syria, including his experiences as a student in a state and later a religious school. He then describes how the demonstrations during the "Arab Spring" step by step develop into full-scale war, and how his family is forced to flee to Jordan under harsh circumstances. Frustrated by his inability to continue his education there, he and some friends resolve to go to Europe, a decision fraught with dangers. Through his gripping narrative, the reader shares in his dramatic journey across the Mediterranean Sea in a dingy and his trek northward through Europe. In the last part of the book, Alshalabi presents his experiences in Sweden, the difficulties he encounters but also the possibilities that open to him in the new country.