Title: Interactive Book

HeLi / Wise

The journey with the three students continues. Let´s see what Karim is dealing with this time. Read or listen to his story.

Resilience Chronicles: Rising Strong 2.0

Since the start of the new school year, Karim has sometimes been sad. He felt bullied and harassed at school. On one occasion, a student from another class said something negative about Karim's skin colour, which led to him being constantly asked about his appearance and where he came from. Over time, the question became unbearable for Karim, as it seemed that the answer "from the neighbourhood school" was not enough.

The situation worsened as the birthday of Adam, one of the more popular students in the class, approached. Karim heard his classmates planning a big party that the whole class was going to attend. Days passed, and Karim did not receive an invitation.

Resilience Chronicles: Rising Strong 2.0

With each passing day, he felt more and more alone and rejected. Karim, although he initially tried to remain optimistic, felt more and more isolated with each passing day. His hope that he might get an invitation after all faded when he realised that the invitations had already been distributed and he was one of the few who had not received one. The sight of a group of students laughing and gossiping about the upcoming party made him feel like an outsider.

Resilience Chronicles: Rising Strong 2.0

On the day of the party, Karim returned home with a heavy heart. The house, usually a place of escape and safety, seemed particularly empty and quiet that evening. Karim's parents noticed his despondency, but Karim remained closed off despite their pleas for him to share what was bothering him. He did not want to burden them with his problems, especially as he knew they could not change his situation at school.

He spent the evening alone in his room, thinking about what was wrong with him and why he didn't seem to fit in with the rest. He tried to drown out thoughts of the party by playing video games and listening to music. Still, nothing could distract him from his feelings of rejection.

Karim began to ask himself questions he had previously tried to ignore. Why did his background matter so much? Why couldn't people accept him as he was? Would he always have to struggle with this sense of being 'different'?

Deep down, Karim knew he had to find a way to deal with these feelings. He didn't want the rest of his school career to be dominated by loneliness and feelings of rejection. That evening, although painful, became a turning point for him. He decided that he would not let the opinions of others define his worth or limit his potential.

Reflective question

Reflection

Q: Think back to a situation in which you felt excluded or different. What helped you, or what might have helped you, to cope with those feelings?
  Hint: *