Politics of Western Europe

Politics of Western Europe
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Part 1
For my journey, I have chosen to go as a female character. I take this journey with my two daughters; hence, I have to protect them in any threatening situation. The only thing that we would take with us is a change of clothes. I would not want to be in a foreign country looking dirty and disgruntled because this will only make our family stand out. From the items in the BBC News (2015), most refugees undertook their journey with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The most impactful narrative is that of a person who had to be smuggled into the UK in a hot chocolate truck. The chocolate completely covered him to his neck, and while the warm chocolate was a slight reprieve from the cold, it soon became very uncomfortable, not to mention the risk of drowning or getting burned. Eventually, they all had to leave because the reality of staying in a crumbling tent was much better than dying in chocolate (BBC News, 2015).
Besides the $20,000 I got from selling my house, the only prized possessions I have in my person are the clothes on my back, my backpack, a water can, a pocket knife and a flint lighter. They are all the basic survival kits necessary for the incredible journey across the Middle Eastern desert. Travelling light is also essential given the long journey and the great escapes from authorities and militia groups that I am bound to encounter along my journey.
So, I have left Syria, and I am bound for Egypt. Turkey was a plausible option, and I could get to Europe by land, but Egypt is much cheaper, and I could get to Europe via sea. Going via sea is very dangerous, but at this point, I have seen enough death to make danger a companion along my journey. In Egypt, my daughters and I are lucky to get visas, and after being in Cairo for a week, I meet Ahmad, who says that he can help me get to Europe. He tells me that I can get to Italy from Alexandria via sea, but there are high chances of getting caught or going to Libya, where the sea crossing is much shorter, but there are militia groups. I chose Libya because of my children. I would not want to see my children suffer after getting caught, and the thought of going back to Syria was unwelcome.
Cairo's journey to the border with Libya is an uncomfortable 10-hour long journey, but we make it. Ahmad gets us into a house and tells me not to leave under any circumstances because I may risk getting caught. I disobey him because we are running out of supplies, and I need medicine for my youngest girl, water and life-jackets for the seas crossing. After two days, Ahmad comes back with the news that he has found a truck to get us into Libya. When we get to Ajdabya, Libya, the driver tells me to choose between going to Zuwara or Benghazi.
The trip to Zuwara is $3,000 per head while Benghazi is $4,000 per head. I chose Zuwara due to my limited finance, and while the trip is longer and the risks of getting caught are high, the boat journey is shorter, and I have to think about my daughters. Eventually, we get to Zuwara, scared and exhausted, and we meet another smuggler who gives us accommodation for the night, awaiting the journey to Italy the following evening.
The boat that we are to ...