Syrian refugee family thankful to be safe in N.B.

Among the refugees who have made it to Canada are seven members of a family who have settled in Fredericton, and they are glad to be out of harm's way.

It's now been almost two weeks since Hasan and Fayza landed in New Brunswick with their five children.

Fayza said through an interpreter that she wasn't sure they would ever make it out of Syria.

"The most important thing is here I feel safe, not like there," she said. "When I was there I was scared I couldn't even escape."

Two years ago the family fled the constant bombings in their home province of Daraa in Syria, and ended up in a refugee camp in Lebanon.

They were accepted to come to Canada in February, but waited in the camp another 10 months before arriving in Fredericton six days before Christmas.

They are being sponsored by Faith Baptist Church in New Maryland, and are living in a basement apartment in Fredericton.

Now, the children are excited about something most kids dread. Fayza said they're looking forward to going back to school, for the first time in two years.

While they waited her kids would always be asking about it.

"When are we going to Canada, when are we going to Canada! I would like to go to school. I would like to school," she repeated.

The children can now also think about longer-term goals. Mahmoud wants to become a doctor, so he can treat his father's "lame" leg.

After a trip to the eye doctor on Wednesday, Ahmad has a new dream too. He wants to be an eye doctor.

The church is sponsoring them for a year. The goal is that after that year is done, they will be able to provide for themselves, so their next step is to learn English.

They already have one English phrase in their vocabulary: They have learned how to say thank you, and they say it a lot.