# How To Get A Computer Science Degree in a Warzone

DevFeed: [How To Get A Computer Science Degree in a Warzone](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/how-to-get-a-computer-science-degree-in-a-warzone-40604.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://www.nateberkopec.com/blog/how-to-get-a-computer-science-degree-in-a-warzone/>)

Published: 2017-08-10T07:00:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Nate Berkopec](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/nate-berkopec.md>)

Topics: [Computer science](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/computer-science.md>), [Ruby on Rails](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ruby-on-rails.md>), [Ruby](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ruby.md>), [Open Source](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/open-source.md>)

Tags: [computer-science](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/computer-science.md>), [open-source](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/open-source.md>), [ruby](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ruby.md>), [ruby-on-rails](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ruby-on-rails.md>)

## AI overview

This personal account follows Mohammed, a Syrian computer science student at the University of Aleppo who corresponded with the author about Ruby and open-source projects while living through the Syrian Civil War. After fleeing Syria for Turkey, Mohammed shares his story and the challenges of continuing his education and interests during war.

## Source excerpt

In June of 2016, I received an email: The original email Dear sir: I'm from Syria , expected to graduate this semester (Computer Science) , and as you sir my role model in Ruby also Rails , I need some advice about open source projects in Ruby to learn from. Thanks in advance and sorry if I waste your time Actually, he wasn't just in Syria. He was at the University of Aleppo. His name was Mohammed. Russian drone footage of Aleppo in February 2016. Mohammed: 'The damage now is much much bigger than this video.' Youtube At this point, the Syrian Civil War had been raging in Aleppo for almost four years. One tenth of the total deaths of the war so far have happened in Aleppo. When Mohammed wrote this email in 2016, the tide was just starting to turn in favor of Assad's forces. You would be forgiven if, like me, you thought that life did not go on inside of a warzone, especially in a city where entire city blocks had been leveled to dust. But, it does - although life is hard, life goes on. Aftermath of the 2013 Aleppo University bombing. Mohammed: 'When I saw the photo of the University bombing in the post I saw everything: I saw who did it, how he did it, the bodies, legs, arms, blood, glass, melted metal, I was there. My heart beat is getting faster and the inhales and exhales is disturbing my body better to close this thing.' NYTimes The veil of ignorance had been stripped away. Here was someone my age, on the other side of the world, with the same interests as I do, but living in an actual warzone. He played video games with his friends, like I do, enjoyed programming in Ruby on Rails, like I do, but his university was being bombed. Mohammed and I continued corresponding. He never asked for anything except advice, and that was all I gave (or really, could give). In January of this year, Mohammed fled Syria and made it to Turkey, where he is officially a Syrian refugee. Mohammed with his public key fingerprint. We both signed this post, see the end. Keybase I'll turn