Rami

When Rami came to the Netherlands from Syria, he started working as a volunteer at De Nieuwe Poort Rotterdam. He got a contract, learned Dutch and passed his civic integration exam. Now he’s indispensable in the kitchen. From cooking to cleaning and tidying up: Rami does it all. He finds it difficult to get to know the Dutch.

The Dutch tend to keep to themselves, which is a shame. I love people and want to talk to them.

Rami would like them to be a bit more open. Fortunately, he has kept good friends from his time in the asylum centres. He still visits them regularly. He also has a beer every now and then with one of his colleagues, David. Rami is from a family of jewellery makers, specialised in working with gold. His dream is to continue that family tradition in the Netherlands.