In this paper I address the ethical and emotional implications of doing fieldwork with Syrians who were forced to flee their country. The main focus of this research was the intimate realm of experiencing displacement, war, and hope (or lack of it), and the narratives surrounding such experiences. I spent three months, January to March 2014, with Syrians who were living (or surviving) in a foreign place, while the conflict was still destroying their country, just across the border. . Two Turkish cities were strategically chosen: Gaziantep, because of the large influx of Syrians arriving daily due to its location close to the border; and Istanbul, because it offered a completely different scenario and was a sought-after destination for participants. Doing research with people in vulnerable situations, especially when it involves telling experiences, emotions, and expectations for the future, is a very delicate process. Participants might have been through several situations in where they have been questioned before (Knudsen 1995) and probably re-victimized. Add war and forced displacement to the equation, and it gets trickier. As researchers, we are active agents in the development of any ethnographic work, and that comes with various challenges and particularities that need to be thoroughly considered and discussed. In my case, my experience as a Colombian anthropologist played a paramount role especially because of Colombia’s violent history and today’s peace process. As Bruner argues, “In the field we are in dialogue with ourselves as much as we are in a dialogue with others” (Bruner 1986: 15). This issue, and others regarding feelings (despair, nostalgia, boredom, anguish) and concerns (well being, safety, justice) surrounding the different stages of fieldwork and my relationship both with the locals and the Syrian participants are at the core of this paper.