Eighteen

Alberto Ramos was only 15 years old when he decided to pack his hope and will, leave Malaga and settle in Stockholm, looking for a new life. And realize your dream of studying abroad your international baccalaureate. The institute is located in Södertälje, a peculiar Stockholm municipality with a great influence of Christianity (Catholic and Orthodox) and inflexible and totalitarian ideologies for its population coming from the Assyrian (Assyrier / Syrianer) and Arab diasporas. The resulting extreme homophobia of this strong culture shock turned what began as an adventure for Alberto into a nightmare that lasted three years. The young man had to face continuous episodes of abuse, intimidation, contempt and bullying by his companions due to his sexual orientation. The complaints to the police had no effect and it was then that he decided to do so publicly through his social networks, thus reaching the media. These echoed the case. They put a security bracelet on him to be connected with the police, agents began to go to the institute, the director decided to fill the entire institute with LGTB flags... All his pain was reflected in eighteen, a poetic diary in which he narrates his experience through his poetry and illustrations. The book condenses all the pain of those years but also his rebellion and his will to overcome it; It is a journey of personal growth that reflects what is abuse, suicide, loss, bullying, trauma and homophobia, but also love, the celebration of oneself, self-love and beauty, between other experiences.