Alije and Diny

First problem has appeared. Nora, a moslim woman, has asked to erase her picture from the book. Her husband does not want her to be in it. It is a shame for it was one of my best pictures so far. This decision was probably taken on religious (or protective) grounds, so who am I to judge.


On the other hand: a small miracle happened this afternoon.
I start talking to a woman (who apperears to be Bosnian) who tells me to ring at her neighbours doorbell for she herself does not speak Dutch well. So that other woman comes out and starts talking to me and we are getting a nice sparkle among the three of us, even if communicating is hard. I photograph the Bosnian woman. A little later, I pass again and i see them both, still outside, now sitting together in front of their houses. They like the idea of being photographed together. And a little later, even another (Turkish) woman joins them. All three are communicating with hands and feet but at least, they are trying to be together. I just loved the sight of it.
(I walked through the area again this evening at 8, and the Bosnian and Dutch women were still in their gardens, holding flowers, smiling and telling me how much they wished they could understand each other better. Earlier The Turkish woman had told me how hard it is to learn Dutch if you are always inside the house, don't work and cannot practice. I am sure that this is one of the problems in this area that can be solved easily: Dutch conversation classes for senior foreigners.)