ZEpaminondas/IRCWith the investigative spirit she displays on-screen, Piper Perabo is taking time away from the cameras to explore the devastating realities of the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis.
The Covert Affairs star joined the International Rescue Committee—a global humanitarian aid nongovernmental organization that provides long-term assistance to refugees and displaced people—on a trip to Greece to witness the turmoil facing thousands of refugees who are desperately trying to make the perilous journey to neighboring countries.
"How bad would things have to get, for you to spend all of your money so your family could cram into a flimsy rubber boat with 40 other people?" the actress asks in the first part of a three-part series she has written in conjunction with WhoSay and the IRC. "It's night, you have no lights, and you must travel six miles across of choppy seas. There is no captain. A man who has never even been on a boat will navigate."
Perabo poses the question again. "How bad would things have to get, before you actually felt lucky to get a spot on that boat?"
The Into The Grizzly Maze actress continues to discuss her first-hand account of the Greek island of Lesbos upon arrival, describing a "painted-orange" beach filled with deserted life jackets from refugees who have already arrived from the first part of their journey.
"I saw a woman cry out in relief and pass her children to strangers on shore as her boat struck land. One man fell to his knees on the rocky beach, raising his hands and sobbing in triumph," Perabo wrote. "I have never seen anything like it."
She is careful to note that while the scene looks akin to that of a developing country, it is also a popular vacation destination. She describes soaking-wet refugees walking alongside tanned tourists—a striking visual contrast for the actress and for readers.
Next, those who survive the boats must then begin a physically demanding 40-mile journey from the shore to the ferry port.
"If you're a healthy young man with good shoes, you can make the trek in almost one day, but if you're elderly or walking with children, it can take up to three days." Three days without a single toilet or water.
Once that step is complete, Perabo discusses the registration process for refugees entering the country—a complicated and inconsistent process that can often take up to five days. While they wait, migrants have no choice but to inhabit the streets in tents until they are cleared to board.
Perabo knows because she rolled up her sleeves and assisted the IRC, local officials and volunteers in completing 15,000 registrations during the time she was visiting.
"What stood out to me most was just how incredibly patient and full of good will the Greek people and the refugees were after all they have been through," Perabo recollected. "They had made it so far, but in fact, they had only just begun."
Stay tuned for Parts II and III of Perabo's series on the Syrian refugee crisis.