Fathieh Fares is 17 years old, from Damascus, Syria
I came to Denmark in 2015. In Syria I went to school, 9th grade. I lived a normal life before the war. I went to school, had family. Every year during vacation we went to Tartus by the sea. That is a very nice place. I was 11 years old when the war started.
In the beginning I didn’t understand what happened or who was against who. We just wanted Syria to be a free country. But our president killed people. He killed many of those that wanted to be free. It was quiet here for the first 2 or 3 years of the war, but then the bombing started. We were very afraid, and my father said we might have to move, but then the bombing stopped for a while.
Then my father had some problems. They told him that if he didn’t leave Syria, they would kill him. So he left for Jordan, and then Lebanon and finally Turkey. He moved because we tried to move to him but couldn’t get there. In Lebanon he couldn’t get a job, and in Turkey he was told life would be easier in Europe. We went to visit him in Turkey, and my younger sister went to Denmark with him then. We came back to Syria.
In Syria, suddenly all men from 18 to 30 years were sent to prison. I lost two uncles in prison. After a year, we were granted family reunification and could go to Denmark. Denmark is a beautiful place. Theres peace here, and its quiet. We were so tired from the commotion in Syria. The sound of bombs etc. We got an apartment; two rooms for all six of us, but after six months we got a bigger apartment. I feel good now. I study here. I am here with my family, and it feels good. I work and study hard to become a pharmaceut. Maybe one day I can return to Syria.
Dublin Core: Language: en Subject: a million stories, denmark, syria, refugee, family reunification, damascus, child