BEFORE THE FUTURE COMES

Hundreds of thousands of people flee their countries, creating a mass movement from the Middle East to Europe. Many points on the Balkan route have become places where migrants are forced to stay for days or even weeks before they can continue. During these compulsory stops, people begin to form instant communities, finding friends from the same country or people hoping to reach the same destination. Everyone shares goods, information, food, or simply friendliness, warmth and encouragement. Children begin to play in makeshift playgrounds near bus stations, in city parks, in open fields. Adults pitch tents, call it home. In these new roadside villages, with their ever-changing population, daily life is suspended in an undefined place and time. The incredible diversity of people ranges from the ancient rurality of some humble Afghan migrants to the urbanity of other middle-class Syrian families. From the old Muslim faithful to the modern young technology blogger, bound together by the democracy of the hard journey, all stuck in limbo, waiting for the future to come.

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