Day 3 & 4: Family Interviews

Day Three
3/13/16

Today, it took us two hours to get from Amman to the Al-Azraq camp by car, which was faster than with the truck. The plan for the day was to go to the Syrian refugees' homes and interview them. 
When we arrived at the center early in the afternoon we were told that refugees had been waiting to speak to us to share their stories and ask for help since 8AM. We began our interviews at the Al-Azraq center and made our way to the apartments in the surrounding area. For the next six hours we heard endless stories about their challenging past. Those we interviewed seemed to be glad to just have someone to hear it their stories. 
All of the families shared a similar wish to return to Syria. 

Day Four (Family Interviews Continued)
3/14/16

The original plan was to visit families living in the tents, but the winds today were too strong. As a result the staff at the center told us we could not visit and that it would have to be done the following day.
Word spread throughout the camp that we were there and refugees came flocking to the center to see us so they could share their stories and seek help. Originally we were only supposed to see 15 families from the tents but others came and we could not turn them away, so we sat and interviewed each person that visited us. Many traveled a great distance to the center.  

During our interviews we asked each family about medical issues they or their immediate loved ones were experiencing and asked about any medications they struggled purchasing. The most common health issues were high blood pressure, diabetes, and disc problems.

There was one couple who stuck with me in particular. We had asked what their dreams and hopes were for their future. The husband’s response was "To return home". For some reason this couple really stood out to me and my sister and we couldn’t help but start to cry. Hearing all of these stories first hand became overwhelming. 
A young girl who was sitting in the room with us during some of the interviews asked me why I got so emotional. Her question broke my heart. 
A total of 28 families were interviewed between the two days.
-Sarah Abaza

On ground, Day 1 & 2

Day 1 Itinerary: Shopping for Tents

3/11/16

Our first day in Jordan... We're excited and anxiously waiting to see what the week will hold. We met with Aminah from Humanitarian Family Aid at 12PM to discuss our schedule for the week and what our plans will consist of. 
From 2PM to 7PM we traveled around Jordan to shop for the fabric and frame that we will be using to build the tent of the makeshift school. We visited eight shops to receive quotes and more information on where we could find the materials we need. Fortunately, a man from Amman accompanied us to help haggle the price and get the best deal. Haggling was difficult because the vendors were contacting each other to notify each other that we were asking for prices, passing on a description of our car and party.

At every shop, we did our best to bargain for the absolute lowest price the salesman would be able to give us. It was a difficult process due to the number of locations we traveled to, but we are working with our supporters’ valuable donations and need to get the most out of what we have. After comparing the prices and offers we returned to the store with the best price and after a long discussion came upon an agreement and placed the order for the tent to be made. We will be picking up the final product on Monday and will get the poles from Al-Azraq since HFA (Humanitarian Family Aid) has used them before and recommended them as a reliable sturdy material. To reduce costs, we will have volunteers from Al-Azraq help us set up the tent rather than pay the vendors to set it up for us.

Day 2 Itinerary: Shopping for School Supplies
3/12/16


Today we went out shopping for supplies needed for the makeshift school. Our first stop was to purchase the furniture for the school, 50 stools and 10 tables. Our second stop was to find a suitable carpet for the tent floor. It was a pleasant experience and the vendor offered us a great price. HFA has already worked with many of the local vendors and know the best locations, so we took advantage of what resources and knowledge they made available. We moved onto getting school supplies, such as writing instruments, notebooks, a white board, electric cords, and a storage cabinet.  We ran into a few instances where the store didn't have what we needed, so we proceeded to shop around until we found the best option available. We went to seven separate stores to get all of the supplies we needed. At the end of the day we unloaded everything from the truck and into the HFA center and were finished with all of our goals by 4pm. Tomorrow morning, we will be heading out to Al-Azraq camp!