“I can see Glasgow in every sunset” says Asfur Basel, 21, from Gaza.

Asfur has been accepted by Glasgow University to pursue his dream of computer science. He is documenting the possibility of the journey on Instagram and TikTok.

He reflects, “Life in Gaza before the war [in October 2023] was beautiful. We had some sense of safety and warmth, and personally, I was working hard to achieve my dreams.”.

And now? “The beach here is the only thing left for us in Gaza. You can go there, watch the sunset, and escape from the bitter reality for a while. Right now, it’s the only escape for Palestinians, and whenever I stare at the sea, I can see all my dreams waiting beyond it.”

The eldest son of a family of 7, Asfur was 18 when the Israelis, responding to Hamas’ mass killing inside Israel, launched their own killings in Gaza.

He promised himself to keep his family as safe as he could. His father had to take care of Asfur’s younger siblings. His mother, a doctor, was busy tending to the sick and wounded. Leaving their hometown of Khan Younis, he and his family have “known no safety”. They narrowly avoided death more than once, witnessing atrocities and mass killings firsthand.

“We saw everything,” he explains. The Israel Defense Forces attacked the school where his family were taking refuge. “By some miracle we managed to escape, all the while dodging bullets and bombs.” Many of his friends have been slain by warplanes, tanks, and shelling.

With his offer to Glasgow, Asfur has a way out of Gaza. But he has to decide between his family and his dreams.

Hope and Humor Amid Destruction

Asfur began vlogging at the beginning of January. “It’s not easy to document a long journey, especially in an area isolated from the world and under many pressures,” he explains.

Defying the harsh conditions and the mass killing, his videos try to capture the enjoyment of life with hope and humor. He studies, goes to the gym and cafes, and watches football matches on TV with friends.

He takes followers to different places in Gaza, running errands in the north of the Strip. “Small earrings, long roads, and a lot on our minds,” he says, showing the piles of rubbles of destroyed buildings. The area is chaotic “yet full of life”.

He picks up a humanitarian package in the Al-Zawaydah camp in central Gaza. “The views genuinely improved my mood”, he says, quipping that it is like being in Paris.

Of course, the reality is much harder. “Many times I can’t be the same person you see in the vlogs, because I go through a lot of difficult periods that don’t really put me in the right mood,” he says. Asked how he keeps up hope up, he replies, “Simply, this isn’t easy at all.”

Troubled by memories, he is open about mental health and OCD. What keeps him motivated is “just remembering that this is my way out. My only path of achieving my dream, whatever the circumstances, keeps me motivated. It pushes you to give everything you have and use every bit of your energy to make it”. When he gets frustrated, “The only thing that can help me here is the followers’ messages and the great support.”

Thinking of Scotland

Asfur is deeply fascinated by the beauty of Glasgow, its architecture, and its cultural heritage. He has “always admired the city’s unique character, where history and modern life come together”. Interacting online with resident, he shares how “their kindness, friendliness, and welcoming attitude have further strengthened my desire to become part of this community”.

And Glasgow University? He speaks of “the food, the people, the culture, the accent, everything, everything really”. He has “long dreamed of studying at and walking through its historic halls”.

Unable to leave Gaza during the Israeli blockade — even to other areas of Palestine such as the West Bank or Jerusalem or to the Dead Sea — he is particularly looking forward to joining student societies and clubs to meet people from different cultures and backgrounds.

What is the first thing he will do if he fulfils his ambition?

Maybe just stop to realize that I have made it from the war zone, from the chaos, from the loss, to my dream university, to the life that I’ve ever dreamed of.

Maybe I’ll tear up a little, then I’m right straight to get some fried food.

It would be “pure dead brilliant”, he says. Preparing for the possibility, he is searching for a Celtic FC shirt in Palestine. He is also already a huge One Direction fan.

With his documents in order, the final step is securing the remaining funding. He describes it as “the last obstacle between me and a dream I have waited for a long time to achieve this opportunity would completely change my life and grant me a right that I was denied in my own country”.

Ultimately, my goal is to become an active and impactful person who can help others and those who are
oppressed like me around the world. It deeply saddens me to see myself unable to achieve what I aspire to accomplish in my homeland….

We need to rethink the basic rights every human being should have, because most basic human rights are not available here: education, safety, freedom, and peace.