As civil war comes to an end, Syrians in N.B. ponder the future
CBC
Fireworks, cheers and music drown out Reham Abazid's voice as she celebrates in front of city hall in Saint John.
"It's a feeling that you cannot explain at all, because there's no words to explain how we're happy or sad at the same time," Abazid said Monday as she and 150 other Syrians celebrated the end of the Bashar al-Assad regime.
"Because we've lost lots of people, some people still have no idea if their kids are still alive or not," she said.
After years of civil war that followed Assad's brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters in 2011, rebels made dramatic advances in late November that culminated in their taking Damascus early Sunday.
Abazid's eldest daughter was still a young child when the family came to Canada in 2016. She is now 14, old enough to ask questions.
"My daughter, she asked me, 'Why did you leave if you love your country that much?' I said, 'Because I have no options, I have to take you.'"
While relatives back home are phoning to explain how Syrians are cleaning the streets to rebuild, Abazid considers visiting. But she knows that she and her husband will never leave Canada.
"I need my kids to grow up in this country, because this country deserves a lot from us, and my kids have to repay what they gave to us from the beginning until now," she said.
Abazid responds with a laugh when asked if her kids are celebrating at city hall with her.
"I wish they were with me, but they are not. School is important too."
Noufa Alzaytoun was also celebrating. She came to New Brunswick eight years ago as an elementary-school-age child from Idlib in northwestern Syria.
"It's either I stay there and I die, or I come here and live. So I choose to come here and live," she said.
Describing Canada as the biggest thing in her life, Alzaytoun said she has only known life here but wants to return home.
"I'm excited to go and see my country. Canada, I will never forget Canada."
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