Gaziantep is very different to Istanbul; it has a more rural feel to it. Although we arrived after dark and haven't had a chance to see much of the city, our journey from the big city of Istanbul to the simpler surroundings of Antep, paved the way for the onset of our real journey into a land caught up in suffering and crisis.
Setting off from Manchester we were only four..now we are 15: six members from North America, three from Morocco and two from Turkey. Tomorrow we will be setting off towards Kilis, one of Turkish- Syrian border lines and a gateway into Aleppo. It will be a two to three hour drive before we get there. Several refugee camps are located in this area on both Turkish and Syrian sides of the border. Kilis Camp in Turkey and Azzazi Camp and a hospital in Syria are our three main destinations for tomorrow. We've been told there's a stark difference to be seen between the refugee camps on the Turkish side compared to the Syrian; like a five-star hotel and a ghetto neighbourhood.
Simple clothing, no sunglasses, stick with the group, don't discuss sensitive topics were among several guidelines we'd been briefed on during a short meeting to prepare for Day 1.
It's time for some rest before the real journey begins..
Setting off from Manchester we were only four..now we are 15: six members from North America, three from Morocco and two from Turkey. Tomorrow we will be setting off towards Kilis, one of Turkish- Syrian border lines and a gateway into Aleppo. It will be a two to three hour drive before we get there. Several refugee camps are located in this area on both Turkish and Syrian sides of the border. Kilis Camp in Turkey and Azzazi Camp and a hospital in Syria are our three main destinations for tomorrow. We've been told there's a stark difference to be seen between the refugee camps on the Turkish side compared to the Syrian; like a five-star hotel and a ghetto neighbourhood.
Simple clothing, no sunglasses, stick with the group, don't discuss sensitive topics were among several guidelines we'd been briefed on during a short meeting to prepare for Day 1.
It's time for some rest before the real journey begins..
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