What Does Freedom Feel Like When You’re Miles Away From Home?

As Syrian people take to the streets of Damascus to celebrate our newfound freedom, those of us living in exile are still dealing with a complex blend of emotions. For me, both as a Syrian and as someone who works at a non-profit organization who left home at 21 in pursuit of education and safety, this moment is bittersweet. In this extraordinary time, I find myself thinking about my journey from Syria to the United States, my work advocating for Syrian refugees, and the profound loneliness of celebrating a long-awaited freedom far from my family and home, from a quiet hotel room in a state that is even further away from my diasporic home.