Would you accept refugees into your home?

What does it mean to accept a refugee home? You must offer not only one room at home but also your support and time as well

This is written by Helen Pidd, editor of the Guardian, translates Periscopi

The British people are being encouraged to take refugees from Ukraine into their homes. A poll conducted by Oobserver shows that one in three Britons is willing to accept refugees: 9% have said they would definitely receive refugees until 20% say they will probably get it.

If you're on this 20 percent, maybe it's because there's a question that comes to your head that's what it's like to open the door to a stranger?

Let me help you. In the fall of 2015, I invited Syrian refugees to stay with me at Old Tuffford. I was alone and lived in a house until everyone my age (34) seemed to be married or had children. I was absolutely failing to find my love. I found that I could make my life a little more interesting until I heard friends around me talking about elementary schools or home prices.

But in the meantime, I felt guilty and wanted to help. I had spent my summer obsessed with the refugee crisis in Europe, and this culminated in the death of 3-year-old Alan Kurd, a Syrian baby who was taken to Bodrum.

I was obviously feeling guilty partly because my friend Elizabeth and I went on vacation in Greece and avoided islands where we could face refugees from Syria.

I was also feeling guilty about Jaser, the 34-year-old Arab teacher who had moved into my home. I had met him several times in Manchester, where I had been introduced to some of my friends. I knew the whole huge challenge he had been through 37 days on boats, by train, by foot. A rough trip.

He ended up living with me for six months, a little more than I talked to him that he could stay, but how do you give him a refugee time?

That's what I'd say to think of anyone who's considering an invitation to a refugee. The government will ask if you can keep a refugee or a few for six months, but what after that? A guest's order is clear to keep money and to be able to flee after six months.

It's good to make some rules before you accept your guests, but not make them feel bad with you. My father always recommended that I lock the door in my bathroom, but I always ignored it. I told Yaser everything, my food was his food.

He then got sick, and I had to spend my time. So you have to understand, refugees you have to devote your time to. The big chances are that your guest will not be able to integrate into society as quickly as possible, although in my case (Jaser) was very good with English. This caused him to find a job, but until he adapted to it, it took a lot of time.

Don't expel the traumas of war. Yaser, unconsciously, was obsessed with telling me about the war in Syria. He kept telling me videos from the war there that they put on Facebook, Hutzapp, or other social networks.

After that, I had to establish a rule: “not war on the bread table”.

Yaser left my house after his wife and daughter managed to obtain their visas, and he was replaced in my home room, an engineer from Damascus. I met my husband months later. Yaser and his family came to our wedding. They live a few miles away from us in Manchester and now they have two girls.

Yaser now works as a teacher and has his family nearby. I may receive little credit from their happy ending but what is very important is a wonderful feeling of helping others.

Helen Pidd/ The Guardian/ Accessible title and translation: Periscope