Syrian finds new life with help from his first friend in Fredericton

Mohammad Al-Khateeb remembers diving into research about Fredericton after learning the city would be his new home.

The Syrian-born Al-Khateeb knew little about Canada, let alone New Brunswick, but he liked what he gleaned from the internet about the far away Maritime city: its size, quality of life, the culture, the apparent opportunities, the safety.

He was optimistic that he, his wife and their two young children would do well in Fredericton.

"I could start my life again," Al-Khateeb said in an interview with Information Morning Fredericton. His voice quivered as he added: "Because I lost my life in Syria."

A year later, he has no regrets. Nor does the man who stepped outside his own comfort zone to help Al-Khateeb and his family settle in. They've since become friends.

Freedom at risk

Al-Khateeb fled to Jordan from his home city of Daraa, in southwestern Syria, in the fall of 2011, after his work with other activists suddenly put his freedom in jeopardy. His family joined him a year later.

With the amount of publicity about the Syrian situation, I thought it was something I could do, myself, to help.- Al Knowlton

Despite his optimism about life in Canada, Al-Khateeb was nervous when he landed in Fredericton a year ago.

Not only were the culture and language new, but it was January, and everything was white, he said. In fact, the snow tops the list of things that surprised him about his new home.

At the airport, the first person he met was Al Knowlton, a retired chartered accountant and longtime Fredericton resident, who had answered a call for volunteers willing to be "friends" to government-sponsored Syrian refugees.

One way an individual can help

"It's something that I'd never done before, " Knowlton said. "But with the amount of publicity about the Syrian situation, I thought it was something I could do, myself, to help."

The two men say their relationship evolved over that first year, from volunteer and refugee, to friends. Or, as Al-khateeb sometimes sees it, to father and son.

Knowlton, he said, has taught him all about life in Fredericton — about money,  jobs, universities, meeting people.

"He advised me about things," said Al-Khateeb. "'You have to do this, you don't have to do this. You have to learn English, because English is key.'"

Knowlton was uncertain how the experience with the Syrian refugees would unfold. At first, he and other "First Fredericton Friends" spent at least 30 hours a week helping the families get settled, looking after basics such as finding food and setting up doctor's appointments.

Less dependent as English improved

Gradually, however, Al-Khateeb relied less on Knowlton.

"His English has improved greatly, and so has his wife's," Knowlton said. "They're more independent now and they don't need that kind of help now. So we've become friends."

Everyday I listen to the radio, and after one month, my English is better.- Mohammad Al-Khateeb

​Al-Khateeb, a software engineer, took Knowlton's advice and concentrated on learning English. He has been taking classes and sticking to a habit he developed after someone suggested he listen to radio to improve his English. In particular, he was advised to listen to CBC.

"And I asked 'why?'" Al-Khateeb said. "He said 'because they speak slowly and clearly, and you can understand them.' … Everyday I listen to the radio, and after one month, my English is better.

"And now I think it's good."

Al-Khateeb laughed at the boast but admitted he's happy with how things have progressed since he and his wife, a civil engineer, and their five-year-old son and two-year-old daughter arrived. He said he appreciates all the learning he's been doing. He's even been discovering the cultures of India and China through fellow students in English class. 

And he feels safe.

"When I walk on the road, everyone smiles," he said. "And I feel safe, because everything is good."

Above all, he likes Canadian schools. He can ask his son's teachers anything, he said, and children here seem to look forward to going to school.

"My son likes his teacher more than me."

Knowlton said his friendship with Al-Khateeb has broadened his outlook and made him realize how much alike individuals are. He gets angry thinking about populist, anti-immigrant movements in the U.S. and Europe and wishes they would learn from history.

"You hear so much negativity on the news of events happening elsewhere in the world, and most of the time, there's not much an individual can do about that," he said. "But this has given me the opportunity to do something, and I think that's been great."

• A Syrian newcomer stays strong: 'I did not cry in front of them' 
• New Brunswick must integrate Syrians or risk departures, group says 
• Syrian refugee family getting used to new Fredericton-area home

Al-Khateeb has been shaken by U.S. President Donald Trump's restrictions on Muslims entering that country. A Syrian friend in the U.S told Al-Khateeb he wants to move to Canada.

"I feel what he's feeling," Al-Khateeb said, taking a deep breath. "And he's afraid."

Al-Khateeb wants to thank the Fredericton community for what it's done for Syrians. He already volunteers helping Syrians with their computer skills and would like to extend the service to people in the larger community who can't afford such lessons. He imagines an organization of Syrian newcomers using their skills, whether in software or sewing, to do something for Fredericton.

"I like to help people," he said. "I can help."