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United Kingdom. Hamish Dunlop and Tamsin Chowdry used to let out their spare room for cash before deciding to use it “for something better’ by hosting Hasan, a refugee from Syria, In Manchester. This portrait is part of Great British Welcome, the UK c

Hamish Dunlop, 26, a bridge engineer, and Tamsin Chowdry, 25, social work student, have been hosting 27-year-old Hassan, a refugee and former agricultural engineering student at Damascus University, since March 2017.

Hassan said that, at first, he was nervous about living with strangers. “They are from a different culture, have a different language,” Hasan said. “I tried to stay positive and knew it was my only chance to learn English and adapt. Plus, we are similar in age and they are so nice.”

Hassan and Hamish enjoy watching sports together, and they each have their chores around the house.

“After everything refugees go through to make it to the U.K., we thought Hasan might be hardened from the experience,” said Hamish. “I think that is the thing that really surprised us the most, that despite everything, Hasan is so gentle, so polite, and calm.”

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