Syriac nun returns from Germany, starts farming in village

Returning to her hometown after 36 years abroad, a Syriac nun, who speaks 14 languages and has written 22 books, started farming in the southeastern province of Mardin.

Hatune Doğan, who emigrated from Mardin's Midyat district with her family in 1985 and settled in Germany, is now engaged in agriculture in her hometown.

Saying that her longing for the village she left at the age of 15 didn't cease, Doğan left her life in Europe behind and returned to Midyat last year.

Stating that they had to leave their village at the time, Doğan said, "Now, thank God, we have returned. We built a house for ourselves with my sister. We are very pleased."

After Doğan built a new house in the village, 16 more families repatriated. Doğan, who practices farming on her father's land, collects and dries the sumac, which she doesn't sell but gives to her neighbors as a gift.

"We repair the old houses with those who returned to the village," Doğan said, adding that they want to plant more and more areas day by day.

She also started working on growing peanuts and grapes in an area of 40,000 square meters.

"I went to Europe, but I grew up here," she said. "I used to plant, collect sumac and dry grapes, which I really enjoy."

"Since I was here when I was a child, it was not difficult for me to return, which seems strange to those born in Europe as it would be difficult for them," she added.

Having graduated from the deacon department at Mainz's Catholic University of Applied Sciences, the nun traveled to more than 40 countries due to many charity activities in which she participated.

Helping the poor, the patients, the homeless, students and orphans, Doğan learned a total of 14 languages, including Turkish, Kurdish,...