Muhimen

My name is Muhimen K. Muhsin. I am 23 years old, and a student at the College of Fine Arts, Department of Visuals and Auditoriums. I was in my second year when we decided to leave Iraq. My family and I left in 2006 due to the deteriorated security situation, especially after I worked with the media as an editor to one of the TV satellite channels in Baghdad. I was working while studying. The threats I received while working for that satellite channel was the main reason why I left Iraq.

That type of work has been my ambition for a long time. My devotion and love for my work came from my father, who is a well-known actor back in my home.

My dream has always been to become a professional journalist but because I am not either allowed to study or work in Syria, my dream is on hold. I am not giving up though. I am waiting for the first opportunity to continue my studies. Right now, and since I have a lot of time on hand, I have been trying to teach myself more English through reading English books.

Otherwise, I like to listen to soft, classical music.

Haider

My name is Haider Ali Hassan but people nick name me as Turkey because I speak Turkish very well and I love Turkey as I spent some time there. I was born in Tooz Khurmatoo city in Kurkuk in northern Iraq. I am 19 years old and I am in 10th grade. I lived and went to school in Kurkuk. I as well as my family that consists of my parents and two younger brothers left Iraq a year ago because of the security situation.

I speak four languages which are Arabic, Turkish, Kurdish, and Kuldani and some English. My hobbies are singing rap songs and break dance. My ambition is to finish my studies and go to Fine Arts college.

Right now I spend most of my time singing and dancing with my friends which I love.

Ameer, 11

My name is Ameer Mohamed and I am 11 years old. I am in 7^th grade. We came to Syria in 2006 because of the security situation. My father was kidnapped by an armed group. He was released after we paid the ransom. Now it is only me and my father who live in Syria. My mother and sisters are still in Iraq. They stay at home all the time. And my sisters don't go to school.

The one scene I will never forget is when three bombs exploded near my school. I remember the sounds of the explosions were very loud and I remember how the windows in my classroom all were destroyed. I remember very well how my father was carrying me and running through thr streets trying to get me out of the danger when the Iraqi soldiers started, after the explosion, started to randomly shooting.

I like to make new friends. It is harsh on me remembering my friend and colleague who sat next to me in school and who was run over by an unknown. My wish is to have a safer Iraq and for me to go back to Iraq.

My hobby is playing soccer and I hope to be a well-known Iraqi soccer player.

Yousef

My name is Yousef Abid and I am ten years old. I am in 3^rd grade.

I have never seen my Dad except the photos that my Mom had. My mother and father got divorced before I was born.

I came to Syria with my Mom in 2007 because of the bad security situation and after we were threatened by the Mahdi Army.

My Mom works as a waitress in a cafeteria in Syria.

I don't want to go back to Iraq right now. Syria is a better place to live in.

My only wish is to see the Statue of Liberty in the New York and take pictures there. And my ambition is to study medicine.

Asala Akram, 13

My name is Asala Akram and I am 13 years old. I am in 6th grade now. I live here with my family in Syria. I am able to go to school here. We left Iraq in August 2005 as the security situation was in constant deterioration.

I have been through so many scary situations that I feel I am changed and that I won’t be the same again. When my friend and colleague was kidnapped and then killed, I was very sad but also scared for my own safety. I always thought what it were me, and not my friend!?

One day I was going to the ladies room and I heard a noise of something ticking like a clock, when I went inside, I saw an unexploded bomb. I run away fast, told my teachers who asked all the students to leave the school. It was on my birthday. I remember I couldn’t celebrate it. I kept thinking what if I was to go to the ladies room in time for the bomb to explode.

My hobbies are reading and swimming. I like using computers although I don’t have one. My dream is to become a journalist.

Firas Majeed

When Saddam was in power, my family were poor because of the sanctions and because our government didn't do that much to make it better for the people. My family consists of 9 people. It was only my father who was working while my mother took care of us. When I was in eights grade, I decided to quit so that I can work and help my father as I was the older man among my siblings. Of course, I regret it now but at the time, I just had to do it.

Because I couldn't finish my school, I was enlisted to compulsory serve in the army for four years. It was a devastating experience. I complete it but turned into different person. I became stronger but depressed about everything around me. I was lucky there wasn't any war then. I decided that I must work very hard now. Moving from one small job that didn't pay enough to another dirty and dangerous job that paid better but still not enough, I owned a small grocery for my own. That way I was able to help my family better.

After the war on Iraq "ended" in 2003, I thought of resuming my studies that I couldn't finish during Saddam Hussein regime. But 2003, my father had cancer and I had to spend about 2 years and a half with him during his treatment period until he a little bit became better. I also had to spend all the $ that I worked very hard to earn and save for my studies. So it is like I woke up one day with no money, no education, no safety, and above all, no home. I had to leave under extremely hard circumstances. I don't even know how to explain it. All I know is that to stay alive was the most important thing to think of.

At the end of 2005, the security situation in Iraq had worsened very badly. I decided to leave Iraq and live outside my home country. I tried to continue my school education again in Syria; a dream followed me for a long time. It was hard to do so since I didn't have school credentials, a major problem for a lot of Iraqi students who left Iraq after the invasion. Getting my credentials will cost me a lot of money which I can't afford.

About the computer learning seminars; I know for a fact that not many Iraqis have computers here in Syria. The majority of Iraqis can't afford to buy them. However, Iraqi are eager to learn about computers and how to benefit from it especially considering the fact that internet has become an essential and cheap way of communications between families, relatives and friends out and inside Iraq! Plus internet has become the only window to the outside world that Iraqis could use. The availability of internet cafes is good in some areas but the service is monitored by an admin in the café, and a lot of websites are blocked including the voice chat and web cam in most of the cafes in Damascus. The reasons for this are unknown to me. I rely on one internet café that we befriend with the owner and sometimes we pay him extra $ to let us use the webcams so that we see our families and they can see us. Sigh… I miss my family very much.

Education in Syria is public for both Syrians the Iraqis yet this applies only to the elementary and the high schools. Colleges for Iraqis are not free. We would have to pay a lot of money. Most Iraqi families can't afford to get their children to private colleges in Syria. This is a quiet a problematic situation for the Iraqi youth who left Iraq suddenly during their college and university studies. They had no other options but to quit schools and to face the unknown. Most of them were forced to leave Iraq while they were in their last year or third year in college, leave Iraq without their education certificates. In addition to all that and even if you had the money and credentials, you still have to spend more money for tutors as education system is not as good as the one in Iraq.

Laith

My name is Laith Faris. I am 14 years old boy and in 7^th grade. I live with my family in Syria. We came here first in 2006. Four months after we arrived, we started to hear the security situation is getting better in Iraq. We decided to go back. Upon our return, crimes started to escalate. When my uncle was killed for no reason and my father was imprisoned for five months nobody knew why and people killed in front of hour house, we knew we weren't going to stay longer. Two days after my father was released, we left again.

Today, I live with my mother, father and little brother in Syria. I and my brother go to school here.

I like soccer and I love to learn swimming. I unfortunately, can't play soccer as I have heart problems; something I didn't know before we had to have a medical check when we entered Syria and it is what the doctor told me. I always like to make new friends too.

What I hope for? I hope for the situation to get better so that we go back to our home and friends.