Our next piece is named after Fatima Aldarwish who is 19 years old. Fatima came to Canada as a refugee from Syria when she was 16 years old, and she currently just finished High school. Fatima recalls from the beginning of the war it was no longer a safe life in Syria. Everyday you would say this is your last day (as in death) but her family’s destiny was to become refugees rather than die. Her sister got injured in her eye because of the bomb that went off by her house. Her sister had to go to Jordan for treatment, and a few months later they had followed her. They lived in Jordan for two years but her father was a Canadian citizen and he was able to sponsor them to come to Canada. For Fatima it was really hard to suddenly realize she was a refugee, she moved to a country not knowing anything about it, not knowing the language, the culture, and the rules. She was frustrated and disappointed the first few months she was here, and what caused that was school. She felt alone with no friends and was unable to understand anything. Her thoughts consisted of why is she a refugee, and how desperately she wanted to go back to her country. Fatima states that there are misconceptions surrounding refugees, the first thing people say is that “we took their country,” she has heard this phrase before not just in Canada but in Jordan as well. Others think they are dependent people and that they don’t want to work, and some say that refugees are uneducated. The hardest thing about being a refugee for Fatima is being a refugee and people calling you a refugee. Also hearing painful words like: go back to where you came from, and what are you doing here? The hardest thing is losing everything, losing your home and your land. When asked what she misses most about Syria she said every single thing, she misses every detail about her house and just missing living a simple life. Her message to new refugees coming to Canada is be yourself and don’t forget your culture and traditions, take the good things from this country and improve yourself to be a better person. Respect this country and get used to it, be thankful for what Canada has done for you, let it be your second home. Never give up and never say you cant, “you can” just be confident in yourself and remind yourself that nothing is impossible.
Size Guide:
Small: Waist: 28" Length: 46.5"
Medium: Waist: 29" Length: 46.5"
Large: Waist: 30" Length: 46.5"
Extra Large: Waist: 31" Length: 47"
*The model is wearing a small and the top doesn't come with it*
