Syria FAQs

When I tell people I'm going to Syria, I usually get some questions:

Aren't you scared?
No. If I was scared I don't think I would have gone through all this effort. But I like the supposition that I should be scared. I am, however, somewhat nervous, as is natural with any big transition: going off to college, moving to a new city, beginning a new job.

Is it safe?
Yes. One of the upsides about a dictorial regime is very little street crime. It was the same situation in Cairo. Sucks to be a political dissident, but little worry about getting stabbed.

Is that near Iraq?
Yes. But it is not Iraq itself.

Will you have to wear a burka/"one of those Muslim hair things"?
No. Not in Syria, nor in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, UAE, the Palestinian occupied territories, Tunisia, and elsewhere. Just because hijab is the law in Iran and Saudi Arabia doesn't mean it is for every Arab or Muslim country. Syria also has a secular government. I'm not going to get shit for walking around uncovered - all the Christian girls do.

There's Christians in Syria?
Yes.

Really?
Totally.

Are Americans allowed to go there?
That's a definite yes. In fact, Americans are even allowed to go there with other American taxpayers footing the bill (thanks dudes!).

Don't they hate Americans?
No. A lot of people don't like our president, the war in Iraq, or our long- and short-term foreign policy, but they don't hate Americans. Traveling alone, I found that people were surprised I was an American and very, almost overly, welcoming. Their stereotype of us is that we are scared and uninformed about the outside world, so they were impressed that I a)was in Syria and b)knew the name of their president. A few people asked me questions about how on earth could we have voted for Bush again in 2004, but I too have asked this question nearly every day since. Not one single person the entire time reacted negatively towards me because of my nationality. And why should they? Syrians understand that governments do shit people don't agree with all the time.