The Long Journey From Aleppo

Today my life is not what I expected it to be.

Four years ago, I had the life of an ordinary teenager. I was in

my last year of elementary school, and as any student would be, I was very excited about starting high school. But that dream did not come true, at least not for a year.

The summer before my first year of high school, the city I lived in, Aleppo, was not secure enough for me to go to school anymore. I had to stay home because my parents thought my safety came before the education I had to receive. I could not understand them then, but I do now.

Within seven months we moved to Turkey in hopes of having a better life as a family. It takes time to adapt to new surroundings, new friends, and a new school. Not being part of the majority can be challenging sometimes, but things get easier with time.

Just when I was able to accept the fact that this new place was home to me, my parents decided that moving to Canada would guarantee a better future for us. Everything was even harder for me this time because I knew what it was like to be in an unfamiliar place, and I was not ready to face all the difficulties that came with it once again. It seems logical to think that the second time would be more effortless compared to the first time, but it is not. It is just as exhausting.

Still, I believe that Canada has many new opportunities to offer, and I consider myself lucky that I am here, safe and sound with my family, and determined to make the most of this journey.