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Jehad and Najwa Aasar have been in Canada for nine months now and are loving it.
“I love the people of Saskatoon,” Jehad said. “Everyone has been so welcoming.”
The Syrian couple came in December with their three children seeking a life away from bombs and civil war.
“We owned a computer store, but the city was closed for a very long time,” Jehad said. “We just stayed at home for two to three years with no work.”
The Aasar’s were one of the first Syrian families in Saskatoon and now they’ve been helping other Syrian families adjust to Canada.
“We teach them how to navigate the city,” Jehad said. “We help them with getting their drivers license and how to buy a car.”
The kids are 10, eight, and 22 months, we’ve been asked not to name them out of respect for the family.
“The boys are really good at soccer,” Jehad said. “I’m actually looking for them to join a team in Saskatoon.”
Jehad is a huge soccer fan himself and works at the University of Saskatchewan.
“I love soccer,” he said. “I hope to join a team soon as well.”
His wife Najwa loves shopping and taking English classes at Open Door Society.
“It’s really easy to learn the language,” she said.
They don’t even mind the winters, but the family said they’re used to them because Syria gets one week of snow in December.
“It’s colder here in the winter,” Jehad said. “I don’t mind driving in snow and ice either.”
Najwa has actually just got her learners license.
“It was a really easy test, drivers are much safer in Canada,” she said.
The family is also making a lot of friends.
“I like meeting Canadians because it helps me improve my English and learn the culture,” Jehad said.
Christine McDougall was part of a group of 11 people who sponsored the family.
“The immigration process wasn’t hard because of Trudeau’s Syrian refugee commitments,” she said.
“We’ve proven through the process we can bring people here (into Canada) quickly. I hope it improves the process for all people in all countries who are escaping various situations.”