Jaramana, Syria

Living in Jaramana is no picnic. This bustling Damascus suburb of 114,363 people is a magnet for Iraqi and Palestinian refugees, swelling the population to over 250,000 in recent years. Bureaucracy and safety are persistent headaches - the town has been hit by deadly car bombings and rocket attacks, and local Druze militias have clashed with the government. Still, the city's rich religious heritage, with Druze shrines and Christian churches, attracts a diverse population looking to escape the chaos elsewhere. Jaramana is not for the faint of heart.