I thought to myself: I can finally practise my English – but instead there were Arab people all around me saying ‘salaam’“When we first arrived my sister picked us up from Dublin Airport and we went straight to Ballyhaunis. I thought to myself: I can finally practise my English – but instead there were Arab people all around me saying ‘salaam’. It was a small town and many of the Arab families had come in the 1980s. Aside from teaching in Syria, Feddawi had worked as a volunteer with humanitarian organisations before moving to Ireland. She has advertised through posters in direct provision centres and says a growing number of job seekers are registering each day.

Source: The Irish Times January 29, 2020 06:00 UTC