
Ten Borders: One Refugee's Epic Escape from Syria - Thevet
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/10/26/ten-borders
======
triggerwarn1
The map resembles one depicting the route taken by a Germanic tribe of the
fifth century, only with the directions of the arrows reversed:
[http://www.newyorker.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/10/151026_r...](http://www.newyorker.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/10/151026_r27183rd-925.jpg)

This "refugee" became an economic migrant shopping around for benefits as soon
as he transited beyond Turkey, a modern, prosperous, 99% Muslim country into
which he could have easily assimilated.

~~~
mikeash
Have you ever moved somewhere in order to improve your economic prospects?
(For a job, or school, for example.) If so, what makes you any better?

~~~
triggerwarn1
No, actually, I haven't. But it's quite telling that the concept of a nation
has no greater significance to you and those who share your sympathies than
the economic prospects it offers. And were I to emigrate, it would be to a
country that I actually shared some cultural, ideological, or other sympathies
with and not just the one that offered me the most free stuff, and I would
actually make a good faith effort to assimilate into it and not demand special
treatment and endless accommodations.

~~~
mikeash
I didn't just mean between nations. Have you moved cities? Neighborhoods?
Streets?

Please explain, if it's "telling" that the concept of a nation has little
significance to me (and I would completely agree that it does not, for me)
then what exactly does it tell you?

~~~
triggerwarn1
It tells me that you don't understand or outright reject the very notion of
citizenship and the obligations it entails and should be viewed with suspicion
by those who still subscribe to it.

~~~
mikeash
That's hardly a surprise. It's just a special case of the eternal conflict
between those who distrust authority and those who side with it.

------
jules
It seems that also in this situation, money is key. Does this mean that most
refugees that make it to northern Europe were rich people in Syria?

Also interesting that he left his wife behind. Is she not in danger? Or is the
reason for going to Europe mainly for prosperity, with the idea that family
reunification will allow his wife to come later?

~~~
dogma1138
Once he's in he'll be able to bring his wife and family cheaply by air.

EU regulations state that any airline that takes on a passenger that will be
denied entry, seeking to enter the country illegally, or is likely to violate
the conditions of his visa will be liable to cover the costs of deportation so
airlines filter out any potential cases.

So they often send out young males to through the smuggling routes since they
are more likely to prevail, that said even if the man isn't married they often
sell themselves for marriage once they settle within the EU and then bring
their new family.

In many cases this can run well pass a spouse and include additional family
members especially when they can be put as dependents like parents and
grandparents.

Because of this some countries like Denmark now published new regulations that
delay the family reunion the new regulations in Denmark state that family
reunions will only be possible after a year has past from the point in which
the person has received their ILR and has been officially settled which in it
self can take anywhere between 6 months to a few years.

This is one of the main reasons why the current refugee numbers mean
absolutely squat with the majority of current refugee and migrants being
predominantly male in their mid 20's to early 30's the final immigration
numbers for settled refugees will inflated through family reunions once
they've been settled.

~~~
jules
Thanks for the explanation. That still leaves the question why he left his
wife in Syria, and not in Turkey or Lebanon?

~~~
dogma1138
He's an Alawite (A relative minority but the ruling cast in Syria) which means
that his an upper-middle class or even more likely upper class, due to this
his family is for the most part more likely to be safer in Syria than in the
refugee camps in Turkey or Lebanon, especially when considering that those
Refugee camps are filled with Suni's, Kurds, and other minorities that do not
look at Alawites in a very friendly manner.

------
hugh4
He'd "escaped" by the time he hit Lebanon. Everything after that was just
seeking economic advantage.

~~~
fukusa
I guess that makes him human. Or would you settle for the worst paying job
with bad career prospects? Because otherwise you'd be guilty of job-hopping.
Why are you judging people who are trying to make the most out of life?

~~~
Yakimoto
I hope you apply the same logic to the homeless that move into your local
parks and community areas. They are just trying to seek economic advantage,
wealthy people have more money to give. It normal to strive for maximum return
on minimal output.

It just makes him human.

~~~
fukusa
Not sure if you're being sarcastic but yes you could apply the same logic to
homeless people. But minimal output? You can't prove that.

------
gotchange
Aside from any moral, ethical or legal consideration surrounding this issue, I
must say that I admire this guy's determination and perseverance that he set a
goal to reach and worked very hard to realize it.

Now back to the story, I find it quite telling that he insisted on making the
journey to the North and not to the South where his sister in Saudi Barbaria
was helping him financially wiring the money for the smugglers payment.

He knew it that living in a hellhole like Saudi Barbaria isn't worth it even
if you make tons of money and making a a modestly good living in Sweden is
still the most prudent choice to make.

I wish him the best and that he be as tenacious in his efforts to integrate in
Sweden as he's been during this long journey and I can't see why he can't do
it.

Syrian and Lebanese people did it in the 19th & early 20th century when they
immigrated in droves to South and Central America fleeing wars and political
turmoils as usual and built a flourishing diaspora there that's the epitome of
assimilation and integration in the society.

~~~
mikeash
You make some great points which are sadly overshadowed by your custom
spelling of Saudi Arabia. Trying to score points in that way is a good way to
make people disagree with you, or agree with you but wish they didn't.

~~~
gotchange
That's your "the fly in the ointment" moment but if you really think that
alluding in my prior comment to the fact that the Saudi regime is barbaric
would render any reasonable and substantive point I made void or would result
in an inner conflict emerging inside you on whether to like me or not (which
is beside the point by the way), it's a shame.

~~~
mikeash
It's not the allusion that bothers me, it's the childish way in which you make
it.

