Life on the move: a restless spirit shaped by early childhood

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War touches the Imsirovic family

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Ahmed and his family lived in a majority Serb town in Bosnia when

the war broke out in 1992. Being Muslim Bosnian, they had to escape

Bosnia's ever-deteriorating war as refugees to Austria, where

Ahmed's aunties lived. Ahmed was three years old at that time.

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Ahmed remembers very little about pre-war Bosnia - mainly their

house and the streets but not the conflict. His father, who was the

main imam of the town they used to call home, went back to Bosnia

to help other people escape during the conflict but was captured by

the Serbian paramilitaries. While escaping, he was shot and severely

wounded; he managed to get to a hospital where a Serbian doctor

smuggled him out of Bosnia into Zagreb, Croatia. A few months later,

Ahmed along with the rest of his family left Austria to re-join their

father in Croatia. From that point on, Zagreb would be the place

they would call home.

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An anchor to steady a wandering boat

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At 17, he finished his studies in a technical school in Croatia and qualified as an electro-technician. The following eight years saw Ahmed try several various studies and jobs. The range and spread were wide: from spending six months in Kuala Lumpur studying ICT to doing a year of Physics in University and deciding that college was not for him yet. He then worked various odd jobs: he was a barista, worked in a warehouse, was a security guard, worked in a currency exchange office, spent a bit of time working in McDonald's, as a land surveyor and even became a card dealer of Texas Holdem in a casino! Through it all, his partner Lucija, the constant in Ahmed's life since he was 19, encouraged and supported him.

 

Ireland is home

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On the 21st of September 2015,  two months after getting his Croatian citizenship, thus allowing him free movement through the rest of the EU, he set foot on Irish soil. He checked himself in a youth hostel and started working in a mobile phone repair shop two days later. Lucija joined him in Naas five weeks later. In 2016, his friend who worked at Capital Switchgear recommended it to Ahmed. Shortly after, Ahmed started as a General Operative, but with his previous AutoCAD experience and electrical background, he was promoted to the 3D CAD department. Through the years, he continued improving himself and his work, culminating in becoming the head of the 3D CAD department. During this time, he gained a diploma in Business and Management at UCD with full support from Capital Switchgear and its management.

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Asking Ahmed what the future holds, he says: "I see myself living here forever. I love Ireland, especially its progressive, young attitude to life."

 

Conclusion

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The hardship in Ahmed's family was substantial; his early childhood experiences and stressful moments have shaped him but not defined him. Ahmed's restless spirit trying different jobs has enabled him to know exactly what he likes;  he is happy to be here. His love for Ireland is inspiring, and he is very thankful for the opportunities it has given him.