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Syrian Refugees Get To Know Chicago: Pizza, Winter, But Mostly Kindness

By Patty Wetli | January 18, 2017 8:40am | Updated on January 18, 2017 9:23am
 Mohammad, Ali and Boutal Taha are adjusting to life in the United States after fleeing Syria.
Mohammad, Ali and Boutal Taha are adjusting to life in the United States after fleeing Syria.
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DNAinfo/Patty Wetli

NORTH CENTER — What is Thanksgiving? How does Uber work? What's a "polar vortex"?

As North Center prepares to welcome a family of Syrian refugees, sponsored by Epiphany United Church of Christ, children and adults gathered Monday to put together a packet of information to help the newcomers — a mother, father and two sons — adjust to life in Chicago.

"What would we want to know?" said Kathleen Trainor, executive director of Common Pantry, which organized the service project as part of its Common Kids program.

Teams focused on topics like "going to school," "Chicago weather," "getting around" and "fun things to do."

Offering insight on the sorts of things that stymie foreigners were a trio of teens who know better than most: Batoul, Mohammad and Ali Taha, who resettled in Rogers Park 1½ years ago after fleeing Syria in 2011.

Pizza and the amount of mail Americans receive were among the surprises the three encountered.

"Oh my god, when is summer going to get here?" was Ali's reaction to his first winter in Chicago, the 13-year-old said.

On a more serious level, the language barrier has been the biggest challenge for the Tahas, particularly for their parents, said Batoul, a vivacious 18-year-old who attends Senn High School along with her brother Mohammad, 17.

A movie buff, Batoul managed to pick up rudimentary English courtesy of Disney prior to arriving in the United States, but her parents have struggled, she said.

"They feel so sad, they are not able to connect with people," said Batoul.

It takes bravery, she said, to speak English knowing you will make mistakes.

Batoul and her brothers are often pressed into service as translators for their parents, which is a lot of responsibility, especially when dealing with complicated paperwork, she said.

They've been assisted by the Syrian Community Network, which helps resettled families navigate day-to-day life by pairing them with Chicago families. Karen Salmon, who took part in Monday's activity, was matched with the Tahas through the network.

She's stepped in to assist the Tahas with everything from settling issues with bank accounts to connecting the boys with soccer clubs to ACT prep for Batoul and Mohammad, whose language issues place them at a disadvantage.

"There's people who care about us," Batoul said.

In turn, the Taha children have taken other refugees under their wings.

Ali, who's fluent in English, will often translate for Arabic speakers at his school, Haight Elementary.

His key piece of advice to new arrivals: "They should not be shy from people. They're all going to welcome them."

The friendliness of Americans caught the Tahas off guard, they said, after experiencing the opposite in Lebanon, where the family first landed after leaving Syria.

"There wasn't enough work," as Syrian refugees flooded the much smaller neighboring country, said Batoul, and resentment of the foreigners grew.

"It was tough," she said, and both she and Mohammad lost years of schooling.

When they arrived in the United States and were greeted at the airport with a huge "Welcome Taha Family" sign, Batoul said she was overwhelmed.

"I was so happy because they are so kind," she said.

"The culture is different but I feel comfortable here," she said. "The most [important] thing is I feel safe."

Though she still misses family and friends who remain behind in Syria, Batoul said Chicago is beginning to feel like home.

Both her parents have jobs, teachers have been patient and Salmon has introduced the family to practices like sending Christmas cards — "Christmas here is very joyful," Batoul said.

So when will she stop feeling like a refugee?

In five years, when she can become a U.S. citizen, Batoul said.

"I'll be so happy," she said.

Want to learn more about how to assist refugees? A community forum, "Give Me Shelter," will feature representatives from Refugee One, World Relief and Heartland Alliance at 7 p.m. Jan. 25 at the Sulzer Regional Library, 4455 N. Lincoln Ave. Ald. Ameya Pawar (47th) will moderate the discussion.

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