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The Big Sea

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Diana Markosian When Doud,11, first saw the pool, he said it was the same color as the 'big sea,' which he crossed to arrive to Europe. He didn't know how to swim then, and feared the idea. Wolfsburg, Germany. 2017. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian Hanan Abdo Elias, 15, came to Germany from Iraq in 2015. When asked to describe her journey, she closed her eyes, and spoke softly through tears. "I don't know why this happened to us," she said. " (...)
Diana Markosian Sala, 7, first saw the sea when he was forced to flee his home in Iraq. "It looked so deep," he recalled. "I didn't know how to swim." Upon arriving to Germany, he was hesitant to enter the pool. H (...)
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017.

At a local pool in Wolfsburg. Many of the refugees didn't know how to swim upon boarding a boat to cross the Mediterranean. Now in Germany, they are learning to swim. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017.

At a local pool in Wolfsburg, where refugees children learning to swim. Many of the refugees didn't know how to swim upon boarding a boat to cross the Mediterranean. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017. At a local pool in Wolfsburg, Sala, 7, and Sulin 8, play in the water. Many of the refugees didn't know how to swim upon boarding a boat to cross the Mediterranean. Now i (...)
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017.

"When I lie on the back I am afraid but I can swim on my stomach". Helin, 11 years old. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian A drawing made by Hanan of the boat she was on when crossing the sea to Europe. Wolfsburg, Germany. 2017. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017. "It was not nice because we were on boat travelling. And the children were crying seeing the sea for the first time the sea was so big. We were one hour and a half on (...)
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2018.

Doud, 11, learned how to swim as a way of overcoming his fear of water. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017. At a local pool in Wolfsburg, two children play in the water. Many of the refugees didn't know how to swim upon boarding a boat to cross the Mediterranean. Now in Germany (...)
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017.

Doud, 11, learned how to swim as a way of overcoming his fear of water. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017.

A year after fleeing his home in Iraq, Doud, 11, learns how to swim as a way of overcoming his fear of water. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017. Sala, 7, first saw the sea when he was forced to flee his home in Iraq. "It looked so deep," he recalled. "I didn't know how to swim." Upon arriving to Germany, he was he (...)
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017. Sulin was only 5 year-old when she was forced to flee Iraq. Her family was among the 50 or so refugees on a tiny rubber boat coming to Europe. "There was a hole in the bo (...)
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017. Sulin was only 5 year-old when she was forced to flee Iraq. Her family was among the 50 or so refugees on a tiny rubber boat coming to Europe. "There was a hole in the bo (...)
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017.

Doud, 11, learned how to swim as a way of overcoming his fear of water. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017.

A drawing made by Sulin who crossed the sea on a rubber boat. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017. Hanan, 15, Helin 12, and Sulin, 8, make their way to a local pool in Wolfsburg, where they take weekly lessons to learn to swim. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017. At a local pool in Wolfsburg, two children play in the water. Many of the refugees didn't know how to swim upon boarding a boat to cross the Mediterranean. Now in Germany (...)
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017. Sulin was only 5 year-old when she was forced to flee Iraq. Her family was among the 50 or so refugees on a tiny rubber boat coming to Europe. "There was a hole in the bo (...)
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2017. At a local pool in Wolfsburg, two children play in the water. Many of the refugees didn't know how to swim upon boarding a boat to cross the Mediterranean. Now in Germany (...)
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2018.

A year after fleeing his home in Iraq, Doud, 11, learns how to swim as a way of overcoming his fear of water. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2018.

Doud, 11, slowly enters the pool in Wolfsburg. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2018.

A year after fleeing his home in Iraq, Doud, 11, learns how to swim as a way of overcoming his fear of water. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian Doud, 11, learned how to swim as a way of overcoming his fear of water. Wolfsburg, Germany. 2018. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2018.
A year after fleeing his home in Iraq, Doud, 11, learns how to swim as a way of overcoming his fear of water. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian At a local pool in Wolfsburg. Many of the refugees didn't know how to swim upon boarding a boat to cross the Mediterranean. Now in Germany, they are learning to swim. Wolfsburg, Germany. 2018. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2018. At a local pool in Wolfsburg. Many of the refugees didn't know how to swim upon boarding a boat to cross the Mediterranean. Now in Germany, they are learning to swim. He (...)
Diana Markosian GERMANY, Wolfsburg. 2018.

At a local pool in Wolfsburg. Many of the refugees didn't know how to swim upon boarding a boat to cross the Mediterranean. Now in Germany, they are learning to swim. © Diana Markosian | Magnum Photos
Diana Markosian | .jpg Sulin, 7, learns how to float on her back. When she started her lessons, her biggest fear was being alone in the water. When I showed her this image of herself, she smiled, "It can't be me," she sa (...)