“I miss the trees of my country. I know that sounds strange, but I think about the trees in my neighborhood and remember my neighbors. They were all lovely people. Our country is the most beautiful in the world.”
“Even though I am a lawyer and had great variety in my work in Syria, there was no safe place for my family in the end.”
“When I first got married my life was simple. I got pregnant shortly after and she was an adorable baby. She cried a lot, but those were the best days of my life.”
“I lost my first tooth this morning.”
“The other day I took my small refrigerator to get fixed. On my way back, I saw my friend. He yelled and waved at me and just then walked straight into a pole. It gave me a good laugh.”
“We got phone calls that ISIS was about 5 km. away. We didn’t have a car so we got into a big construction truck with many other families. We only had time to grab our phone and passports and we’ve never returned.”
“I love watching action movies. Jet Li is the best. He’s got the faster moves.”
“My kids have so much energy! My two girls were born in Iraq but my son was born here in Jordan. I got married really young so my mom helps me with everything in raising my kids.”
“We were getting $70 sometimes from the UN and recently they stopped it for good. I don’t see why they couldn’t continue it—it seems like it must be just a drop in the bucket for them! Every day I scour through all the dumpsters and look on the street for plastic to sell, but it’s been getting harder and harder to find anything. I have to collect 10 lbs. of plastic to make $1, so it’s not easy, but we are happy. She takes good care of me.”
“I’m a carpenter. Every year I would make something beautiful for our house. I loved making dining tables, especially. Our house in Iraq was filled with my handiwork.”
“We fled because all we cared about was keeping our kids safe. We are here in Jordan and safe, but our children are not thriving. They see that we are now poor and struggling and it really affects them.”
“Really, I hate to complain, but life is not easy. We have many medical issues. Our house is not warm and it makes it more difficult for us.”
“We used to spend our afternoons reading. Both of us really enjoy reading novels.”
“Hamoudeh is my best friend. We play soccer together in here in the street almost every day.”
“I had dropped out of school because the school fees were too expensive. It was impossible for my parents to pay for my books and school supplies. But I’m beginning an alternative school program with other CRP teens and I’m really excited.”
“I was kidnapped and tortured for three months by a militia in Iraq. The entire time, I kept thinking about my kids and wife and how if I ever got out we needed to leave Iraq. I managed to get out, and we left immediately.”
