The Journey of Refugees: Struggles, Challenges, and Hope

The Boatman Had Good Control of the Boat

Strong winds played with the tiny boat and the crowd of people nearly caused it to turn over several times, but the boatman had a strong hand, and before long he was near the shore of Greece and shouting at the passengers to get out.

The Country on the Border with Greece Didn't Want the Refugees to Come In

There were soldiers with guns and dogs. Furious people banged on the metal fence which had been built to block their path, but there was no way through. Worrying about his mother and Salah affected Tariq badly. For a moment, Tariq felt free and happy, but then he asked himself, 'How could I be happy until I know that my mother and my brother are safe?'

The Soldiers Weren't Sympathetic to Hassan and Tariq

'I've lost my family,' said Hassan. 'Maybe they are at the camp,' said the soldier with no emotion in his voice. 'You can't stay here.'

The Soldiers at the Border Were Afraid of the Refugees

The refugees ran to the border, shouting and screaming. The soldiers tried to stay calm, but they looked worried.

Do You Think the Soldiers Were Right to Pull Back the Fence?

There is a fence that closes the step and is removed, it facilitates the passage for immigrants and causes them less damage, although if it is set, it is for some reason. I think that nobody should be illegal in this world. Do you think the soldiers really wanted to take care of the refugees?

No, they were tricked into taking them to a place with worse conditions (permanent field) and leaving them to their fate. Why do you think Hassan, Tariq, and the other refugees were being treated in such a way? Because they were immigrants and were treated like animals because they did not want them in those places. List three ways in which life in the border camp was better than life in the permanent camp. They had food, water, and showers in conditions while in the permanent camp they had nothing. For example, there was a large pool of water, but if they drank, they could get sick. Also, there was no running water and no electricity. They slept in a field of tents put up by the refugees because they were fine, while in the permanent field, they were abandoned in an open warehouse with concrete floors and no windows. The smell in the second field was unbearable. Why was the smell at the permanent camp terrible? Because there were only eight toilets for over 1000 people to use. What was the difference between Hassan's attitude to being in the camp and that of the other man? That Hassan had a positive attitude because he knew that there was always an option, while the other man thought there was no choice and had a negative attitude.

How Did Hassan and the Other Men Plan Their Journey to the Border?

They looked at maps and discovered that this camp was a day's walk from the border. The crying of babies was heartbreaking, but it was worse when they stopped. What is the author inferring? Because when they are silent, they may be dead or suffocated, while when they cry, we are sure they live.

Why Were the Refugees Afraid When the Lorry Stopped?

Perhaps the police had stopped the driver and they would all be arrested. Or maybe abandoned them and now they would be left to suffocate in the locked lorry. What caused the refugees to believe that the smugglers were not going to let them die? That stopped the lorry in the middle of nowhere after a long time stuck inside. Why did Rash threaten to kill Salah? Because he and the mother had made the deal that when they arrived at the destination, the husband paid him. As there was no husband waiting, he threatened to get his money. Why did the white-haired man lie to Rash about being Rima's husband? Because his daughter was on that lorry, but she died on the road. She suffocated on the terrible journey. Well, at least the money was used for something.

Why Did the Crew Leave the Ship in the Middle of the Sea?

Because the boat was sinking. The crew are saving themselves with the money that the refugees and the refugees never get to land in this boat. How were Rima and Salah saved? Because they held on tightly to a metal barrier on the boat and then appeared lifeboats, and the coastguard helped them. Some people use refugee situations to make a profit. What do you think should be done to stop this from happening? First, regularize immigration, and secondly, punish those who follow this method because the lives of people cannot be purchased.