Refugees in Izmir

A salty breeze coming off the Aegean Sea slaps you in the face as you walk the corniche of the ancient port city of Izmir.

For locals, and ordinary visitors enjoying the port city's boardwalk, the change in weather is refreshing. However, for the droves of Syrian, Iraqi, Afghani, and Pakistani refugees that are passing through the port city - turned smuggling hub - to board small, overcrowded rubber dinghies in hopes of reaching Greece, and continuing their journey to seek asylum in Europe, the change in weather is an ominous sign. Strong winds mean higher waves. Higher waves mean a greater risk of capsizing - and death.

Still, the overcast weather is no deterrent to the business of smuggling people to Europe - which is explicitly on display at the Basmane Train Station, a central hub where many refugees are arriving, or killing time, and those who cannot afford a hotel are sleeping.

"Syrian? Syrian?" shouts a conspicuously placed smuggler, sitting on a stool outside of the station. "Does anyone want to go to Greece?"

New hub

While some refugees arrange their travel before they depart, others wait to arrive at a transit city like Izmir to meet a smuggler in person to begin their journey to Europe. Although most refugees traveling across the Mediterranean to Europe used to go via Libya to Italy - a complicated smuggling route costing more than $6,000 (5,370 euros) and involved at least four dangerous days at sea - a recent route was discovered from the Turkish port cities like Izmir and Bodrum to nearby Greek islands, causing the price to drop to $1500 per head for the hour-long, significantly safer journey. Once they've arrived on a Greek island, refugees can continue their journey to the mainland, and through the rest of Europe to a country with more generous asylum policies like Germany or Sweden.

Still, the journey is not without danger. Across the street from the train station, shops that used to sell string bikinis and flimsy sarongs to tourists spending the summer months sunning themselves on the golden beaches near the Aegean now display orange lifejackets, and black inner tubes. Water safety equipment is not included in the $1500 price of crossing the sea to Greece, leaving it up to the refugees to prepare themselves in case of an emergency.

A 21-year-old Syrian man with handsome features who introduces himself as "Jake" stands outside his shop which now sells lifejackets to at least 150 refugees coming through every day. Although he was a student in Aleppo, he quit his studies and came to Izmir at the beginning of the summer

"I might travel to Germany at some point - who knows," he tells DW, surveying the shop. "But right now I have work and business is good."

Lifejackets instead of bikinis

In addition to the standard, bright orange lifejackets featured, there are also child-sized life jackets, and orange arm floaties with cartoon elephant designs, being sold for 15 Turkish Lira (4 euros) a piece. Although Jake claims that they are for use in a swimming pool only, their prominent display next to the adult lifejackets suggests that they are being pitched as adequate water safety equipment for children.

One of the life jackets featured in the front is a duller, more rusty shade of orange.

"This one is heavier," he replies matter-of-factly when asked about the difference between this jacket and a more traditional bright orange jacket with an emergency whistle and standard safety lights. "It is cheaper than the others, but works less well," he admits, pausing. "I'll sell it here, in the shop, but I wouldn't want my sister wearing one."

According to reports, some shops have sold black lifejackets for 20 Turkish Lira - pitching them as invisible to the coast guard, and therefore difficult to detect. However, when word spread that the cheaper lifejackets did not work at sea and were most likely a marketing scheme designed to capitalize on the number of refugees crossing to Europe, sales reportedly dropped.

"Most people know it isn't as good as the others," Jake says, when asked about the black jackets. "But for people who are really poor, and don't have the extra money to afford the standard ones, they want something rather than nothing."

A better life?

Back at the station, it is easy to see who is preparing to make the crossing. Many are carrying black garbage bags, with recently purchased lifejackets, waiting for a call from a smuggler who will tell them the next steps to take before boarding the boat to Greece.

"I only have clothes in here," Hozan, 24, tells DW, showing off a small overnight bag that looks more like he is going out of town for the weekend, than preparing to travel for several days,and walk several kilometers to eventually start a new life in a strange country.

Hozan, from the north of Syria, has spent the past three weeks traveling with two of his friends across Turkey, touring the Turkish islands and coastal cities as tourists before arriving in Izmir to board the notorious boats to Greece.

"It wasn't a vacation," Ahmed, 26, laughs, "But we tried to make it into one."

Now, the boys are sitting around the train station, killing time - waiting for a call from their smuggler to board their boat. "I'm not really sure what I want to do once I get to Germany," Ahmed continues, thoughtfully.

"Maybe get married and have a family," he smiles. "But really I just want to continue my life."