Hiba's Story: Ten-Year-Old Syrian Refugee | UNICEF USA

Summary

The transcript describes the speaker's harrowing journey from Syria to Europe, facing difficulties such as a broken engine and dangerous conditions while attempting to escape. The speaker reflects on personal losses, including the death of a brother, and expresses longing for home, family, and friends. Despite hardships, the speaker finds comfort in daily activities such as school, learning languages, and helping others, particularly children. The narrative focuses on resilience, hope, and the importance of positive moments amidst struggles.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker mentions the difficulty of their journey, with around 200 people in need of help but unable to assist them. They had mechanical issues in Turkey.
• 😀 The speaker describes their fearlessness and mention of not being able to swim, yet they ended up in regional waters.
• 😀 A plane came quickly to their aid and soon a boat arrived, bringing them to safety after a journey involving Greek smuggling routes.
• 😀 The speaker recounts an incident where their mother fell into a valley, breaking her leg during the journey.
• 😀 Despite harsh conditions such as thirst, cold, and exhaustion, they managed to reach safety, with their group eventually rescued by a ship.
• 😀 The speaker expresses a deep longing for their family, neighbors, and especially their deceased brother.
• 😀 They share a love for daily routines like waking up, showering, having breakfast, and attending school, with lessons in various languages including English, German, and Macedonian.
• 😀 The speaker enjoys their time at school and feels fulfilled by teaching and helping other children, hoping to make them smart and educated.
• 😀 The speaker values the joy of seeing children happy and is motivated to make their lives better by doing good deeds.
• 😀 Despite hardships, the speaker reflects on the positive aspects of life, focusing on happiness, learning, and helping others, especially children.

Q & A

What is the speaker's name?

The speaker's name is 'H Bna'.

What kind of difficulties did the speaker and their companions face during their journey?

The speaker and their companions faced several challenges, including engine failure, being stranded for two hours, and the speaker's mother falling into a ravine and breaking her leg.

What was the reaction of the speaker when encountering the sea?

The speaker mentioned that they were not afraid, even though they couldn't swim, and ended up in the sea. They were reassured by the arrival of an airplane and later a boat that rescued them.

How did the speaker describe the process of migrating from Syria?

The speaker described the journey as involving a lot of hardship, including smuggling from Greece, walking a significant distance, and enduring physical and emotional challenges, such as the speaker's mother injuring herself.

What is the speaker's attitude toward their life now?

The speaker seems to have a positive outlook, finding joy in simple things like taking showers, having breakfast, attending school, and enjoying the presence of others.

Who does the speaker miss the most?

The speaker expresses deep longing for their brother who passed away, and they don't like to see unpleasant things. They also miss their family, neighbors, and the life they had in Syria.

What are some of the activities the speaker engages in during their daily routine?

The speaker's daily routine includes waking up, showering, having breakfast, going to school, learning languages like English, German, and Macedonian, and spending time at home with rest and lunch.

What are the speaker's aspirations for their future and the children around them?

The speaker is passionate about helping children learn, particularly in English, and they aspire to teach children to be smart and attentive, encouraging them to answer questions well.

How does the speaker feel about the lives of young children?

The speaker finds the lives of young children to be very beautiful and joyful, and they seem focused on making things fun and happy for them.

What kind of work does the speaker enjoy doing?

The speaker enjoys working with children, teaching them, and doing things that make children happy, such as writing, drawing, and encouraging good behavior.