What are the first three words you think of when you hear the word Syria? Don’t think too much about it. I’m more curious about your first three thoughts.
How do you think a Syrian person would answer this question? How would a Vietnamese person answer? Or someone from Africa? What about someone from Kazakhstan, the USA, Turkey, or Haiti?
I asked approximately 10 people from all over the world to tell me the first three words they thought of when they thought of Syria, then I asked the same question to 10 Syrian people. Here are the results.
Written by Zachar
First I asked the non-Syrians some form of, “What are the first three words you think of, when you hear the word Syria? Don’t think too much about it. I’m more curious about your first three thoughts.” I also asked them what country they were from. I got some interesting answers to that question as well.
(Please keep in mind that is impossible for a single person’s answers to represent their entire country’s opinion.)
| Refugees Vulnerable War | Turkey |
| Wars Arabs | Congo |
| Proxywar Russia Refugees | USA |
| Sand History Violence | USA |
| Very hot Poor Oppressive | USA |
| Islamic country War/conflict Poverty | Togo |
| War Suffering (particularly women and children) Famine | Africa (this is the “country” they wanted to give) |
| War Hijab Desert | Ukraine |
| Women Life Freedom | Kurdistan | Jin Jiyan Azadi |
| Dusty Anguish Love | Australia |
| Bomb Media playing Injustice | Haiti |
| War Religion Scarf | Vietnam |
| War Poverty Refugees | Kazakhstan |
Then I asked the same question to Syrians. Some of the Syrians were not living in Syria anymore but were born in, and have spent a vast majority of their lives in Syria.
“What are the first three words you think of, when you hear the word Syria? Don’t think too much about it. I’m more curious about your first three thoughts.”
| We were happy. We felt safe and we weren’t scared when we went outside, even until midnight. We never had fear. Everything in the school was free. We were poor but we felt rich because our money was blessed. | Syria | كنا مبسوطين كتير كنا حاسين بأمان ما كنا نخاف كنا نطلع لبرا بأخر الليل بدون خوف متل المدرسه كان كل شي فيه ببلاش كنا فقيرين بس نحس حالنا زناكين لانو مصاريه فيه بركه |
| Safety The beauty of soul Life | Syria | أمان جمال الروح حياة |
| The weak dominated by the strong. Old people without a provider. Resorting to theft in order to support the family. | Syria | تسلط القوي على الضعيف كبار السن بلا معيل اللجوء للسرقة لاعالة العيلة |
| Sincerity Safety Tenderness | Syria | اخلاص وامان وحنان |
| War Love Social Media | Syria |
| Warm Generous Happy | Syria |
| Simplicity Happiness Safety | Syria | بساطه وسعادة وامان |
| Fulfillment of the soul. Peace of mind. Assurance The best memories. | Syria | احلى زكرى عشناها رضا النفس راحة بال الإطمئنان |
| Safety Family Friendship | Syria | الامان والعيلة والصداقة |
| Culture Peace Religion | Syria |
Baghdad to Mars 