IamA 23 YO student, living in Damascus, Syria..in the middle of the crisis .AMA

What are you studying?

When you graduate, what do you wish to do when you leave Syria?

Is education expensive in Syria?

• medicine school ..
• i wish just to get out of here .. and rest a little bit from these stressful years .. :)
• Education itself is not expensive (generally speaking ) .. because there are public universities which are free .. but the problem is in life expenses ..food and living ..those are insanely expensive (comparing to a regular income )

I have a cousin in Syria also in the medical program. I heard from him that they're holding their diplomas hostage so that they don't leave the country as soon as they receive them. Is that the case with you?

i haven't graduated yet ..so i don't have a diploma ..i have no idea if that's true... :/

European news say that some people go around advertising how wonderful things are in Europe, offering to arrange passage for large sums of money. Have you seen any of this?

there are plenty of them as i hear.. they make use of the situation .. it doesn't need advertising though .. a lot of people already willing to pay in order to be safe..

When are you moving to Germany?

i'm waiting to graduate ...that's what keeps me waiting :/

Would other countries recognize your degree? I know a lot of people that come to Canada have to do a lot of schooling all over again.

it depends on the country and the university and the field .. a lot of countries make it hard for us :/ some of them don't recognize the degree , some of them require tests.

You do understand that not only is the level and depth of western education beyond those of the middle east but it's also no uncommon with fake degrees?

of course they have their reason and it's for good , i got that . but i think it still could be easier .

If you want to get work, i heard Hungary is low on medical professionals.

good to know ! thanks !

The U.S. Recognizes medical degrees from Syria. But, you have to do a US residency. For experienced doctors, it kind of sucks, but they are respected as senior doctors, they just have 3 years of lower pay. But, for someone just out of medical school, it's no loss.

Germany basically doesn't recognize foreign degrees. I feel so bad for the refugees arriving that think they can continue their education. Even starting as a child, children with a "migration background" are pretty much always put in the track that doesn't allow them to go to university...no matter how smart they are. I have never encountered a non-german doctor in Germany, even in Berlin. They are very xenophobic towards outsiders. They want to save them, but they don't consider them equal to Germans.

I think for a doctor or medical student considering a country, they should look at the cv/resumes of doctors at the best hospitals and see if they have degrees from foreign medical schools. In the us Cleveland clinic, Johns Hopkins (some of the best hospitals in the world) have MANY doctors from all over the world, but especially the middle-east.

Just wanted to make sure the poster considered the U.S. We have a doctor shortage and doctors from middle eastern countries have a really good reputation. Maybe it is tougher in Canada, not sure.

It is super tough for a foreign medical graduate to get into residency in the US. You need to be really really good to make it through.

And to make it into places like Johns Hopkins,Harvard etc. you need to be among the best in the world,in your year.

Not trying to a be a dick,just keeping it real..keep your options open /u/taw_syr..all the best

thanks !

yes i think so ..it's hard .. :/ thanks !

thanks for the advice !

Why wait to graduate, I'm going right now. Some call it Erasmus, others call it moving.

i'm not sure what do you mean by Erasmus .

It's like a exchange program between universities in the EU, so you'll study in another EU country for a semester or a year. But you have to already be studying at a university in an EU country.

aha .. unfortunately i haven't studied abroad .. :(

You're not really a refugee in high danger then. "Oh yeah I will move to another country because it's so dangerous here. In this other country, I will get free housing, food and money. But first, let me graduate."

i didn't say i'm a refugee .. i explaind how dangerous damascus is .. even if the middle of it is not an actual complete war area .. i said that there are a lot of people still in damascus after all the actions..yes,all of them are considered in high danger ..

So you'll go on a boat with a copy of your medical degree that you will earn in a few months, saying you're a refugee and you need asylum because your house is destroyed and your life is threatened?

no ..i'll travel not as refugee ..and try to find a job with my degree.

Ok you'll apply for official visum. Good luck! Also, your degree isn't recognized anywhere in Europe.

i don't think you wish me good luck from your tone in your 3 comments.. and yes it's recognized in Germany as far as i know !

Please double check, it would be a shame if you arrive in Germany and you have to work as a garbage man or picking fruits if you're a talented doctor!

see ..that's the tone i'm talking about .. ok man i'll check thanks !

What is a typical day like for you? Or is it very unpredictable every day?

getting up in the morning while electricity is off.. .. some days i go to university ... studying ..i prefer to make the day predictable by staying at home ..

Having to stay home is sad. Do you still meet up regularly with family and friends?

a lot of them have traveled abroad .. very few are staying..we don't meet regularly :( but still connecting online though.

1. Has people's sense of humour changed compared to the old days? Often in times of hardship people start going for dark humour to cope with the difficulties.
   
2. How is media production in Syria? Do you still have movies and TV shows being produced? In my country during WW2 we mass-produced cheap comedy films so people could take off their minds from the war with cheap laughs.
   
3. How is employment? Is it easy to find a job?
   
4. It's evening and you have some free time. What do you do?
   
5. What is your favourite book?
   I wish you luck.

• people have changed so much ..in all levels ..some people have lost interest :( all what they talk about is the crisis ... and yes some of them go for dark humor ..for example : "we made it and didn't die because of bombs ,weapons , violence ..is it possible that we eventually gonna die because of very hot weather ? " that's a joke was popular during hot summer days without water or electricity. :) :)
• i think there still production for TV series ..some of them are produced outside Syria .. but they are not covering the situation as they should .
• very hard to find a job ..
• i watch The Office or Family guy ..or some movie .. or go for a walk .. still boring ..but i'm trying to make the best out of a situation.
• i read some Dan Brown novels ..The Da Vinci Code was good .. still not a books fan though :)
• thanks !

still not a books fan though

hahahaha

Sorry, but I found this really funny. I feel the same way. Like I should read books, but then I do it and I think "yeah, not really my thing". The opposite of a shower. Never want to take a shower, until afterward you feel so good.

right :) i feel i should get information but not necessarily from books ..also, life has the best lessons .

I'm sad for everything that you're going through. Family Guy and The Office are hilarious and glad that you've found them. Do you ever want to live in the US or do you plan to go somewhere else?

yes .. i hope to get in the US someday .

• 1-What's your opinion on Assad? What about people in general, what do they think about him?
• 2-Where do jihadists come from? Syria, Iraq or other places mainly?
• 3-Who do you think is responsible for the whole mess? The same people who caused Libya to go into chaos? USA? West? Israel?
• 4-How was life 5 years ago, before the war? Globally good?
• 5-How has war changed your life pratically, like food, hygiene, unemployment, life in general etc..

• 4 -before war, life was easier comparing to nowadays .. but still was a 3rd world country life ..
• 5 - everything has got way more expensive than before .. food is available in Damascus ..but for other places it's not . Electricity is getting worse and worse .. for example at least 9-12 hours off everyday .
  Water is also in a bad situation .. .sometimes there is no water for 2 -3 days . Streets are very crowded in a normal day .. so transporting is also a problem . etc...

i salute you for dodging those stupid political questions, answering them would not help anyone. Fuck that shit, war is hell!

thanks !

Numbers 2 and 3 weren't even well-thought out. You could look at a map of where Assad-supporters are located for #1, #2 is not something someone like you would know -- that's the job of political scientists, military strategiests, or someone not in the middle of a fucking warzone. #3 is literally the kind of political question to requested not be asked. Well done indeed. I wish you and your family luck!

By the way, I have a question: do you know for sure if any of your friends/family that fled to Europe...made it? I hope I don't hit a nerve here, but I couldn't imagine something like what you're going through.

yes all of the people i know have made it .. but also there are some horrible stories like what you're hearing in the news ..

You decide to do an ask me anything but can't answer simple questions. I have a question. Why do Syrian refugees , which are reportedly 70% military aged males not staying home and fighting for freedom? Why do these males have no access to weapons?

• i said no political questions ..that's what i'm avoiding .. i'm answering everything else .
• For your question : there are more than 5 sides in Syria ..all of them are fight for the freedom .. so it's not simple as it sounds ..beside that ,more people getting involved in the war will make it worse ..

We seem to have an idea that the civil war there is affecting everybody. How peaceful is Damascus in reality, and do you know people in other parts of the country who have had to leave because of the fighting?

of course , a lot of people had to leave their homes because of the fighting .. actually the majority of people ( in some cities ) did that .. damascus is not safe ..although the middle of damascus is not war area ,but everyday there are ( normally ) random bombs thrown from outside damascus to random places ..

How aware are you of western reporting of the situation in Syria? How do you think it reflects reality?

i'm not sure how they are reporting the news there .. and reflecting the reality .. but i can tell from Arabic news channels ..some news are not even close from the situation .some of them are real .. it also depends on the goals of the news in the first place .

Is there a channel you recommend for accurate reporting or do all of them just get it right/wrong alternately?

i think all news and stories about Syrians who suffer outside or inside ..are accurate .. but when the question becomes : who is responsible for that .. here is when it becomes manipulative .. i don't have in particular a channel to recommend ..sorry

Are you scared?

i was scared when it started back in 5 years . .. now i'm used to it ..

how does the war affected your food preparation? do you still eat the same meals as before? thanks

food has got way more expensive than before .. more than x 5 times ..so of course ..for a regular family with fixed income ..that is a big problem .. for me personaly , still good for basic needs ..but for sure not like before ..

What are some real, practical concerns you now face on an everyday basis?

What do you think it would take to make your country stable again?

• for normal citizen living in damascus : random bombs are the problem ...they are unexpected ..where and when .. no body knows .. a lot of times i happened to be in an area just minutes before the bomb fall.. that's what make damascus unsafe .
• probably more years ,and a lot of actual global efforts ..

Once you finish your studies, will you continue your studies in an EU country? Will your degree be recognize? How does it work in regards to transfers, employment eligibility, the transition and steps from Damascus university to an EU university?

i think it depends on the country and field of study ..in Germany for example ,yes my degree will be recognized ..that's what i know so far from my fiends .. it's getting harder though . other countries you have to do tests in order for the degree to be recognized ..

Have you seen people in the streets with guns? I live in the United States, and I'm very interested in what it must be like living in this war. Is ISIS as big where you are like we hear about it?

of course people with guns are all over the place .. normal scene ... ISIS is not in Damascus .. but it's big in other places .

When was the first time you realized what was actually happening? Or the first time you understood that it was real? That it was happening to you?

when the war started back in 5 years, no body has thought that it will be serious like this .. people were thinking that it will be solved in a month or two ...so was i . the first time i realized that it's a major war ..i think 2 years after it started .

I can't even imagine what it must be like. War seems so surreal to me. And to have been living with it for so long... it's crazy!

How's your family? Are they with you?

it's really crazy :/ war is horrible . some of my family have traveled ..some of them still here .

There has been a lots of refugees from syria lately.. any of your friends or family left the country?

a lot of my friends have left .everyday i see someone i know is leaving .. family is the same .

What do you do besides studying when there's no electricity?

i bought a battery so that i can run laptop and router while electricity is off ... so that's what i do

where would you like to work?

United States .. or any country that speaks English .. i hope i will be there someday ..it's difficult though . :( :(

It sounds like it takes a lot of courage going through all that.. I hope you end up here in the US when your done with school, we could always use people like you

Stay safe and best of luck

thanks !

What is the dating scene like there, both in general and you specifically?

• actually ,some people are getting married during the crisis .. i still don't get that ..
• for me i'm single :)

I get the getting married part, people feel safer together and anyway you only live once. But what I have a harder time understanding is people having children during the war. How can we possibly offer a worse world than this? When the future is so uncertain that we only see violence and scarcity...there could definitely be some waiting for this, I think. I get that children often bring hope and joy with them but we still have a responsibility to provide them with a just future, so we might as well work out our lives first.

• exactly ! a lot of people are having children ..while the basic life needs are not there !
• the problem with getting married are life recourses ..it's very expensive nowadays to get married( for a regular citizen ). if anyone could handle that ...it's ok ...but some people can't.. by numbers it's impossible ..and despite that they do it anyway ..i think that will make things more complicated ..all that still my opinion though.

We all know the awful stories of what Syrians go through to get out of their country. If someone wanted a safer and legal way to leave Syria to reach a country offering asylum, what would they have to do? Would they have to buy a visa, file paperwork, purchase a plane ticket, and just hope that the country accepts them when they arrive?

And a side question that you may not know, but figured I'd ask because it's been weighing on my mind... I talk to a girl online who was born in Syria, but now lives in Sidon Lebanon. She has no family left and really wants to come to the US to live. She'll be done with her degree in a few months and wants to go to grad school. Do you know if immigrating is a difficult process or what her chances are to be accepted?

• - legal way : i think they have to get out to a nearby country and then have to register as refugees .. and then they have to wait for long time in order to leave .. and that's very difficult .
• - i'm not sure if i'm the right person for this .. but i think it's difficult .. :/
• i'm not sure about both of these questions though .

How can an average American (or redditor I guess) help? What's something tangible that we can do to make a small difference to help you?

• that's very good question..i think there is a lot to do to help Syrians.. for example supporting refugees (or anyone in need) in your area ..by any means will be a good idea ..
• "real" help comes always from public general people .. waiting for big decision makers is gonna take a lot of time ..
• for me personally , i think i need help getting out of here in few months..still not sure (yet) how anyone can help ..but i wouldn't mind it when things are clearer..
• Thanks ! I appreciate your question.

Thanks for answering and please keep us updated on your situation.

What's it like with your current friends? Are there any trust issues surrounding your friendships? Is it hard to make new friends because of the current situation?

I wish you the best of luck. I'm sending good vibes and prayers your prayer.

• a lot of them have left .. some are in the same situation as me ..i try to keep in touch ..
• well,the war has affected everything ..it's a whole different life style from normal one ..so making new friends has also been affected ..for example : now you can't go out a lot .. can't be out late at night..that kind of things make it harder .
• has the war affected the trust between people ? well not exactly that .. let's say "the relationship between people"..yes ..for example, some people have to move to live with some one they know ..because their home has gone ..been destroyed ..or they don't have access to it any more .. so living with other people in the same house ..especially large numbers ..( 4 families for example ..and that number is not rare) sometimes is gonna affect the relationship .. a lot of arguments ..etc.. this is not exactly what you asked ..but it's close .
• Thanks ! :)

What is typically the highlight of your day, or your week? Is there something fun/relaxing that you can regularly look forward to?

• ummm.. it's not an actual "relaxing" ..but i found my own way though .. sitting back and watching movies and TV series :)
• i try to stay at home for a normal day ..that's the best choice i found..and easiest one also.

Thank you for this AMA. My question is: are you still in contact with any people who have fled the country and would they do it again if they had the chance? I truly hope things will get better. I can't even imagine how horrible it must be. Good luck to you and your family and best wishes from Germany.

• i am ..
• of course they will do it again .. no matter how bad things got outside syria ..but still better than inside ...at least safety issue ..
• thanks!

I've heard that Russians are extending their base near Damascus. What is your opinion about it?

i feel that this war is getting bigger and bigger :/

How do you feel about Russia coming to help Syria?

i feel this war is getting bigger and bigger .. .. it's being global .

hi, im 24 from california! i know you said "no political" questions but, i just want to know, who is trying to make syria a better place?

is western culture, taboo?

hi :) Nobody ..i think :/ Of course there are some people have good intentions ..but nothing is actually happening ..
about western culture question .. some people here think blindly that yes western culture is kind of wrong .. those people are often old and very close-minded .. discussions with them is just pain :/ not a lot of people think that way though .

do you own a weapon ?

no :/

How does the immigration to Germany affect Syria in general? I heard a lot of immigrants are Iraqi too and use fake Syrian passports in order to pass as refugees. However, does the fact that the population is decreasing affects the country?

• I heard that too .. a lot of people from other countries use fake ids to have the refugee rights .. they even has no crisis in their countries ..that's affecting the people who are really in need .. :(
• the population is decreasing that's right ..but not to the point where we can see effects of lack of people .. damascus still crowded,expensive ..etc

Are you muslim? If you are, was there any celebration for the Hari Raya Haji that just passed?

Don't really know if it's called that around the world.

I am a muslim .. yes there was a celebration "EID" and today is the last day of it .. :)

Do you have any relatives in Europe?

i have friends in Europe .. and everyday people that i know are leaving .

Do the stories of people drowning in boats make you or people you know any less likely to leave?

that scares us of course ..but also it's not safe to stay here ..things are getting worse here ..people have no choice !

See, i find that mighty interesting because a lot of the argument in my country against sending out lifeboats for refugees from Syria was based around the idea that it would only encourage more to head for the west.

I thought it was bullshit then, and its good to hear it directly from someone directly involved. Thank you for your answer.

• i got that people in other countries ..sometimes have concerns about refugees ..especially when they hear of large numbers ..
• but when it comes to life and death .. it's not arguable anymore.

How much does the crisis affect your everyday life as a student? Does it make it difficult to do social study meet-ups etc.?

• yes of course .. going to university need now like 45 minutes ..just to be there ( that was 10 m before ) and that's for someone who lives in the middle of damascus .. some students need more than 1:30 hour just to arrive ..
• also it's hard to study in this stressful environment ..especially the when electricity is off ..

Though it's a bigger crisis there, small crisis often happens here in South Asia . I have gone through few such situations, smaller tho. What it feels like for you to be in the middle of something you neither can escape nor can face fully?

it's hard to live these days ..but i still have hope that i get out of here someday.

I hope it ends soon and we will again be able to see peace in Syria. I pray for you all.

thanks !

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what else i could do ..i have no choice other than hope.

How is dating now? I suppose I wonder what effect that level of stress has on forging romantic relationships vs just sex.

Actually ,a lot of people whom i know are getting engaged or married . ....especially in this age ..so yes there are romantic relationships ..

How do you think your education compares to a western one? This is not meant to be a mean question. Hello from Michigan!

• hi :)
• i think western education is way better than our education ..no doubt about that ..
• still depends on the student himself though ..nowadays there are plenty of recourses of education available in any place ..anyone can use and be good at something...those recourses are western .. ..mostly American ..so that confirms the first idea that western education IS better .

How do you even have internet?

most of the time there is internet in the middle of damascus .. it's slow though .. and the problem is in electricity .. other cities they don't have internet .

Who do you live with?

part of my family ..

Do you know anything about how the traditionally nomadic people living in Syria have been affected by the war? Have they just left? Or do they just avoid it by moving around a lot and no one bothers them because their territory is so undeveloped?

Also do you know anyone in the military and if so what is their life like? Do they see much combat? Are they more or less safe than civilians?

• i think their lives have got harder like everbody else .. i don't know specifically what are they doing ..
• no :/ i don't know anyone who is in the military .. i think civilians are safer of course ..(that doesn't mean civilians are safe . .. )

Is pipe smoking much of a common thing for Syrians? Because there is a kind of tobacco called Latakia from Syria. Also are most people there coffee or tea drinkers?

• no pipe is not common .. :/
• both ..coffee and tea .. :)

What is your stance on the Kurdish people and what is the stance of the general public? Has it changed? Do you think they should be recognized as an independent nation?

Also, how do you feel about Russia sending troops to Syria?

• i respect every "good" person no matter what he comes from ..and when it comes to general public ..i think good intentions also are there..
• i feel that this war is getting bigger and bigger :/

How the media of Syria covers the question of the immigration to Europe? The Brazil have a easy situation for Syria immigrants, that is knowed in Syria?

• the "official" media doesn't cover immigration situation..
  what covers that the best are people themselves ..through facebook pages for example .
• no , easy situation for immigrants in Brazil is not known very well in Syria ..I have just heard about that ... interesting !
  

The immigrants of Syria just have to reach the Brazil, all the others procediments are made by the brazilian governament. We have free courses of portuguese and you just have to do a exam to validate your degree in some areas, other areas are not required.

good to know !

Do you think Syria will exist in the future? Or, if you prefer, how do you see the future of Syria? From outside it seems unlikely that a unified, peaceful, harmonious, democratic Syria will ever exist. What are your thoughts?

i hope that it will happen someday .. although i think that it will take long years .. just for the war to end ... then some years for building new syria .. that's all my opinion .. i hope that i'm wrong . :(

just how dangerous is it, for the common civilian? what the cause of the discord? what are both sides hoping to gain?

it's dangerous for regular citizen to live in damascus .. although the middle of it is not complete war area ..but there are RANDOM bombs thrown from outside the city ..everyday there are plenty of them ..when and where they fall ..unexpected..no one knows. :/

Given that ISIS has a membership of approximately 100,000, and since the crisis in Syria started, 9 million Syrians have been displaced, why does it seem, at least via Western media, that Syrians appear unwilling to fight for their homeland? What's your perception on that attitude in the heart of the conflict?

On a personal note, stay safe, Internet stranger.

it's not just a number issue .. they need all kind of support and recourses .. so it's complicated ..not simple as it seems in Western media.

I live in Central Europe and I just want to tell you that a big part of the people is very aware of the danger you are in and would at no point question the legitimacy of fleeing from a life threatening situation! A lot of the media try very hard to clear this up, but some people are immune to Information/empathy and stick with simplistic ideas, i guess because they are scared themselves. Stay safe!

i don't get people who doubt that ! thanks anyway :)

Oh, you're absolutely right, that it's not nearly as simple as the Western media portrays it. Sadly, we don't have much coming out of Syria to refute what's posted on the nightly news. I suppose that makes sense; how often does anyone get the real story from the warzone?

there are real stories about people who are suffering in Syria and outside.. all stories related to that are real ..but if anyone looking for real stories about who is really responsible for that ..he will never find out ..that's where manipulation starts .

Is Damascus steel still recognised as a part of your cultural identity?

if you mean knife or something like that.. no ..at all .

Would Syrians mind if the UN settled large numbers of migrants from Africa in your country?

I think those migrants will prefer to stay in Africa :) :) Anyway , i don't think Syrians will mind at all .. Syrians have welcomed a lot of people from the neighborhood countries during their crises ..