MY LIFE PLAN

Palmyra was the most influential and important turning point in my life. In the summer of 1999, after high school exams had ended, I was nominated to participate in a youth camp in Palmyra. It was the first time that I left Aleppo. On our way to the campsite, the golden sunlight struck the sand, reflecting an indescribable light, as if the columns and ancient buildings derived their colour from that light over time. It was the first time that I met young men and women from outside Aleppo, who were from all the Syrian governorates, different dialects, professions, ethnicities and religions. In short, all of Syria was in that camp. Our group was supposed to help excavating ‘the bride of the desert’. In the morning, we went to work, which was to participate in excavations with the joint Syrian-Japanese mission. Mr. Khaled Al-Assad was the director of the Syrian site. During the work, we found heads of statues. I think on the first day the discoveries comprised more than ten heads of statues, some had writings on them. I felt happiness whenever we found a statue. Professor Khaled Al-Asaad came to read and immediately translate some of the writings for us. Then we returned to work. During the breaks, questions were asked to Professor Khaled by the students about Palmyra and its history and Syria in general. I was most curious, memorized what he was saying and returned the next day asking new questions. After a week, he invited me on a tour through Palmyra after work, taking me to the Arc de Triomphe. As we sat on the capitals of some of the scattered columns, the conversation that changed my life took place. Before Palmyra, I was planning to study law at the University of Aleppo. After this conversation, everything changed. He explained to me the story of his love for Palmyra and his attachment to it. Then he asked me, “What do you intend to study?”, so I told him “the rights”. “Jamil”, he said to me, “but there are thousands of jurists in Syria!” And he continued: “I noticed your interest in antiquities and your ability to quickly memorise information.” Then he added, “There is a Department of Archaeology at the University of Damascus that recently opened, which is a rare specialization in Syria and I think you will have a good opportunity there.” Then he stood up without hearing my answer – as if he did not want me to answer this question immediately. He continued to tell me about the Arc de Triomphe, the gallows, the tower burials, the caravans, Zanobia, and the burial rites. Every day I went to wander between Palmyra’s ruins, contemplating the “splendour of the daughter”, and when I was tired, I lay in the shadow of pillars. Everything was making me dream, remembering what Khaled had told me about Palmyra. The month ended and the thirty days had been the most beautiful days of my life. The camp ended and the bus came to take us to Homs. I could not hold myself and tears poured against my will … I left Palmyra in tears and sad, it seemed as though I was lovesick …, yes, I fell in love with Palmyra and its sands.

I returned to Aleppo and the moment I arrived I told my father that I had changed my mind and that I would study in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Damascus. My father rejected the idea completely, but that did not prevent me from insisting on what I wanted. I asked for the support of my mother and my uncle. Indeed, after a week of daily discussion, my father surrendered to what I wanted, and he said “To me, as long as this is what you want, so be it, but in the first year, if you do not achieve excellent results, I will be disappointed.”