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Refugees fleeing Syria to UK: 'We're not trouble' | Refugees fleeing Syria to UK: 'We're not trouble' |
(3 days later) | |
More than 17,000 refugees who fled the Syrian war have settled in Britain over the past five years. | More than 17,000 refugees who fled the Syrian war have settled in Britain over the past five years. |
Of those, many have had to work hard in overcoming cultural changes as they try to forge a new life for themselves. | Of those, many have had to work hard in overcoming cultural changes as they try to forge a new life for themselves. |
Another 3,000 refugees are expected to arrive by the end of 2020 under the government's Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS). | Another 3,000 refugees are expected to arrive by the end of 2020 under the government's Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS). |
Three displaced refugees tell the BBC of their experiences of integrating and nestling into British society. | Three displaced refugees tell the BBC of their experiences of integrating and nestling into British society. |
'Eat fish on Fridays' | 'Eat fish on Fridays' |
Fleeing a war-torn country once is bad enough, but to experience it a second time was even more traumatic for 37-year-old Ghani. | Fleeing a war-torn country once is bad enough, but to experience it a second time was even more traumatic for 37-year-old Ghani. |
The Kuwaiti-born barber escaped conflict in his native country, with his family, and had to start over again in Syria. | The Kuwaiti-born barber escaped conflict in his native country, with his family, and had to start over again in Syria. |
But resettling was a struggle, he said, having encountered a spell of homelessness. The stress resulted in his father dying from a heart attack. | But resettling was a struggle, he said, having encountered a spell of homelessness. The stress resulted in his father dying from a heart attack. |
Then years later, in 2011, it happened all over again. | Then years later, in 2011, it happened all over again. |
"We worked hard to build a new life in Syria. It was a difficult and hard situation. I had my own barbershop, then war started again in Syria. | "We worked hard to build a new life in Syria. It was a difficult and hard situation. I had my own barbershop, then war started again in Syria. |
"It was fire everywhere." | "It was fire everywhere." |
Ghani fled to Jordan with his mum and three sisters, one of whom has severe learning disabilities, and lived there for three years before uprooting to Huddersfield in 2016. | |
"I feel 19 July 2016 was like my new birthday. I had a new life. | "I feel 19 July 2016 was like my new birthday. I had a new life. |
"I don't care what people say about Huddersfield, it's safe and I feel at home." | "I don't care what people say about Huddersfield, it's safe and I feel at home." |
Ghani, who has dreams of opening a "barber academy", said the community felt "like a big family" and had helped him to learn English, get a job and integrate into society. | Ghani, who has dreams of opening a "barber academy", said the community felt "like a big family" and had helped him to learn English, get a job and integrate into society. |
"It was a culture shock. We knew nothing, everything was different - language, how we talk, body language. | "It was a culture shock. We knew nothing, everything was different - language, how we talk, body language. |
"But people in Huddersfield are really lovely and friendly. They helped me a lot to learn about British culture, like eating fish every Friday." | "But people in Huddersfield are really lovely and friendly. They helped me a lot to learn about British culture, like eating fish every Friday." |
Despite remaining "open-minded and positive" about a future in teaching, Ghani said he still experienced "flashbacks of the war from when I was in Kuwait". | Despite remaining "open-minded and positive" about a future in teaching, Ghani said he still experienced "flashbacks of the war from when I was in Kuwait". |
"I have that little boy inside me who's shouting and crying because we lost everything. | "I have that little boy inside me who's shouting and crying because we lost everything. |
"I see blood everywhere." | "I see blood everywhere." |
Bully 'called me a terrorist' | Bully 'called me a terrorist' |
Unlike Ghani, 17-year-old Esther had a rather more sombre experience of integrating into British culture. | Unlike Ghani, 17-year-old Esther had a rather more sombre experience of integrating into British culture. |
The teenager fled Syria in September 2014 and moved to Lebanon with her family. | The teenager fled Syria in September 2014 and moved to Lebanon with her family. |
Being displaced in a neighbouring country was "very challenging and very hard", she said. | Being displaced in a neighbouring country was "very challenging and very hard", she said. |
"We didn't see a future at all in Syria and Lebanon. | "We didn't see a future at all in Syria and Lebanon. |
"In Lebanon it was worse because we weren't treated nicely. We experienced racism because there were a lot of refugees, people weren't nice." | "In Lebanon it was worse because we weren't treated nicely. We experienced racism because there were a lot of refugees, people weren't nice." |
A year later, Esther made the long journey to Hull with her mother, father and two sisters. She said adjusting to UK life was a daunting experience. | A year later, Esther made the long journey to Hull with her mother, father and two sisters. She said adjusting to UK life was a daunting experience. |
"Hull is a beautiful place. I'm very happy here but of course it was a little bit challenging. | "Hull is a beautiful place. I'm very happy here but of course it was a little bit challenging. |
"Making friends was hard at the beginning because you can't communicate with the students." | "Making friends was hard at the beginning because you can't communicate with the students." |
She said "some people didn't accept you" at first and that she was bullied at secondary school, making resettlement tough. | She said "some people didn't accept you" at first and that she was bullied at secondary school, making resettlement tough. |
"One of the students called me a terrorist so I was very sad and wasn't happy." | "One of the students called me a terrorist so I was very sad and wasn't happy." |
The student has aspirations of being a fashion designer and is starting her final year of a two-year course at Hull College. | The student has aspirations of being a fashion designer and is starting her final year of a two-year course at Hull College. |
"Now I'm enjoying life. | "Now I'm enjoying life. |
"I always make an effort to fit in." | "I always make an effort to fit in." |
'We're not trouble' | 'We're not trouble' |
Twenty-three-year-old Anas made the nerve-wracking journey from his war-torn hometown of Aleppo, in Syria, to Bradford five years ago with his family. | Twenty-three-year-old Anas made the nerve-wracking journey from his war-torn hometown of Aleppo, in Syria, to Bradford five years ago with his family. |
The Syrian national said he made the "last airplane" out of Aleppo to Egypt when he was 16 and came to the UK two years later. | The Syrian national said he made the "last airplane" out of Aleppo to Egypt when he was 16 and came to the UK two years later. |
But he said fleeing involved making sacrifices, including giving up his education. | But he said fleeing involved making sacrifices, including giving up his education. |
"I wished there was no war because if there wasn't a war I could be like a good manager in Syria now. | "I wished there was no war because if there wasn't a war I could be like a good manager in Syria now. |
"Unfortunately, I had to leave my studying and go to Egypt and support my family there." | "Unfortunately, I had to leave my studying and go to Egypt and support my family there." |
You may also be interested in: | You may also be interested in: |
After completing English language, IT and management courses, he is now working for High Street repair company Timpson. | After completing English language, IT and management courses, he is now working for High Street repair company Timpson. |
"When I [look back at] myself I'm like a baby, I couldn't even talk one word of English. [It was] really hard. | "When I [look back at] myself I'm like a baby, I couldn't even talk one word of English. [It was] really hard. |
"Since I stepped foot in this country I've been working full time and I've been through so many jobs. | "Since I stepped foot in this country I've been working full time and I've been through so many jobs. |
"I've now got a mortgage, a house, a car. | "I've now got a mortgage, a house, a car. |
"We're not trouble for people." | "We're not trouble for people." |
While he has ambitions of being an area manager, Anas believes the key to adjusting and integrating into a new environment is "a lot of hard work and practice". | While he has ambitions of being an area manager, Anas believes the key to adjusting and integrating into a new environment is "a lot of hard work and practice". |
"Life is not easy. You need to try. If you're not trying, you're going to get nothing from life." | "Life is not easy. You need to try. If you're not trying, you're going to get nothing from life." |
In September 2015, photos were released of three-year-old Alan Kurdi's body washed up on a Turkish tourist beach. The toddler drowned with his mother and brother while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece by boat. | In September 2015, photos were released of three-year-old Alan Kurdi's body washed up on a Turkish tourist beach. The toddler drowned with his mother and brother while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece by boat. |
Days later, the distressing images sparked a commitment by the government to take up to 20,000 refugees in the UK by the end of next year, under its VPRS programme. | Days later, the distressing images sparked a commitment by the government to take up to 20,000 refugees in the UK by the end of next year, under its VPRS programme. |
Latest figures from the Home Office released last month, show Scotland took in the most with 2,937 refugees resettling there, while the Yorkshire and the Humber region have 1,801 - the largest in England. | Latest figures from the Home Office released last month, show Scotland took in the most with 2,937 refugees resettling there, while the Yorkshire and the Humber region have 1,801 - the largest in England. |