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| Do you know where Id really like to be relocated? |
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| To Cyprus! |
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| Khaled said, eyes sparkling. |
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| The climate is nice, the place is beautiful, but do you know what the most important thing to me is? |
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| That every morning I will take a deep breath and smell the fragrance of my beloved Syria, on the other side of the sea. |
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| Khaled, a 32-year-old builder from Hama, Syria, arrived on the island of Chios in March 2016, with his wife Hyam and their children, Suleiman, Amina and Hamzeh. |
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| After spending a month in the makeshift camp of Piraeus port, they were sent to the Agios Andreas camp, northeast of Athens. |
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| We met the family at Marathon Beach Resort on an unusually busy day: IOM staff were there to distribute winter clothing and shoes. |
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| The hotel, in a sleepy coastal town not far from Athens, is the place that about 100 refugees called home for more than a month while construction work was being done at the near-by Agios Andreas camp. |
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| Khaled, although hes the last in line to receive the winter gear, doesnt mind: he explains that his family has a lot to be thankful for so far. |
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| During their stay at the camp the family encountered some urgent medical issues. |
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| We are thankful for all the help we received from IOM staff at the time, although it was a really stressful period. |
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| They have been there for us, they assisted us with the hospital, the medication, everything, said Khaled. |
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| Hyam recently gave birth to their 4th child, Malak. |
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| IOM staff assisted her during her pregnancy, as well. |
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| And hows life at the hotel? |
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| After living in a tent for so long, its really nice and comfortable, Khaled said as his children played all around the small but cosy room. |
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| Soon, the discussion leads us to the family's future plans; they had already started the relocation procedures. |
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| My brother-in-law is already in Germany and my sister has applied for the family reunification programme. |
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| So, we would like to be all together. |
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| If not, then its definitely Cyprus that Id choose! |
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| Khaled exclaimed. |