I was lucky enough to visit Syria before the civil war. My memories of Syria are some of the happiest of my life, and I recall some of the most noble and friendly people I have ever met. Never before have I felt so genuinely welcome in another country. As I walked the streets, I was constantly asked where I was from. "England" I replied. "Ah, You are Welcome!" people would say. It's a phrase that still rings in my ears, meant with such sincerity and sentiment, the one phrase that captures my whole experience of this wonderful country.
As I follow the war on the news, I often find myself thinking about the people I met. I wonder what has become of them, where they are now. I wonder if they have been fighting or fleeing. I wonder if they are still alive.