Nine years ago, they left Iran in search of a better future. Tezeshki and Raz, both from the south, Abadan and Shiraz, respectively - had never met before until they crossed paths in Turkey, two migrant musicians on a similar journey.

From that moment, they were inseparable.

"We fell in love when we met in Turkey and have been together since“, Raz fondly recalls. Tezeshki admits that he fell for her even before discovering her talent for music and her captivating voice.

"Our lives were happening, we were struggling to survive in our own ways, and it took me almost two years to hear her truly sing," says Tezeshki, who immediately began writing lyrics and composing music for her.

Music and poetry are their passion, and one of the driving forces behind their decision to leave their homeland. Raz, a singer with a love for rock and jazz music, felt limited in her society and yearned for freedom. Tezeshki, a poet and skilled arranger, knew that the music he created was not accepted or popular in Iran, so he made the decision to compose on his own terms elsewhere.

On their journey as migrants, they have faced numerous challenges and have yet to determine their final destination. But they believe it was destiny that brought them together, and that is enough for their future.

And nothing else matters.

© Majda Balić/IOM Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2024

"Wherever life takes us, our goal is to make music," Raz explains. "We take pride in our cultural heritage and our plan is to always sing in Farsi, no matter where destiny may lead us." She acknowledges that the English-speaking world may offer more opportunities, but their music will always represent their language and express their journey and hope. "Millions of people speak Farsi, and I think and write in Farsi, and that is reflected in my music, which speaks of the pain and hope we experience on our journey through life and migration," adds Tezeshki.

Being beneficiaries at the temporary reception center in Ušivak, Raz and Tezeshki have little free time. Raz is learning to sew at a workshop in the No Nation Fashion corner, while Tezeshki spends his time crafting melodies, helping in the community, and learning English. They say that every day brings a new lesson, quoting their fellow countryman, the poet Saadi: "A traveler without observation is like a bird without wings".

At the suggestion of IOM staff, they are preparing a small poetry performance for everyone at the reception center. Some of the older beneficiaries of center even joke about not having attended a wedding celebration in a long time and wonder if it's time for Raz and Tezeshki to "tie the knot". But for both of them, the most important thing is that they have found each other on this journey and in this life.

After all, as the saying goes, life is a journey, not a destination.

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Written by Balić