Father and I have worked together at the market every day since I finished school five years ago, but it's sad to think of all the people who have left our village in that time.

Father says our country has suffered for thousands of years, but times have gotten even harder lately. People have left our village because there aren't enough jobs or farmland for everybody. Some of my friends have already sailed to a country called America and my cousin Ali has settled in a place named Nova Scotia. Both of these places are much bigger than Lebanon and located far away on the other side of a great ocean.

Some people do not even have enough goods to trade anymore, let alone money. Soon I may also have to leave our village because it has become harder and harder to earn a living from the things we sell in our stall. My parents also fear I may have to join the army. I am not afraid to fight, but I wish the Christians and Muslims would unite to fight against the Turks who have occupied our country for so many years instead of always fighting each other.

Deir Mimas is mainly a Christian village, but I see Muslims outside the village from time to time. Muslims may dress and pray differently than we do, but I don't think that's reason enough to hate them, especially since they seem to be struggling just as much as we are.

I have always wanted to travel, but not if I can never return to my homeland. Soon, though, I may not have a choice...

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