Syrian refugee family celebrates 5th anniversary of arrival in northern B.C.

On Friday, Rose Tohme and her family celebrated their fifth anniversary arriving in the northern B.C. city of Prince George after a long journeyfleeing Syria's civil war.

Tohme, her husband Nael and their four children left Latakia a Syrian port city on the Mediterranean in 2012. They made their way to Lebanon before being sponsored by a church in northern B.C.to come to Canada.

On Jan. 8, 2016, at 1 a.m., the Tohmes became the first Syrian refugees to arrivein northern B.C., landingin the Prince George airport after flying from Lebanon viaJordan andToronto.

"We were very excited. We just wanted to survive," said Tohme.

It was 21 C that night, but the family was warmly greeted by a large group of locals with welcome signs and flowers. The group included Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall, the family's church sponsorsand smiling strangers.

Tohme is grateful that she and her family havesettled down easily. She and her husbandbecame Canadian citizens in October 2019.

"We almost didn't have any challenges," she said.

Formerly a teacher in Syria, Tohme is an education assistant at a local high school working with Syrian students.

Tohme's four children are now grown, and two of her three sons are nowmarried.

Tohme says she andher daughter both have similar plans for further study.

"I would like also to study counselling as my daughter so we can help more people," she said.

As a Christian for 30 years, Tohme says she has learned to relish every moment of life in Canada amid the difficult times.

"Especially with this pandemic thing, we are trying to live day by day and just enjoy it and leave tomorrow for tomorrow," she said.