The BBC also spoke to Syrian national Rama Terkmani, 20, who is studying medicine at the University of Central Lancashire.
She has lived in Liverpool with her mum, dad and two older brothers for nine years.
“Finally my country is free,” she said. “I’m feeling really good. A lot of people have been under Assad.
“He kept many people in prisons – some for 13 years. They have a lot of stories to share.
“My cousin, who’s 14, lost his mum and dad in prison. He’s still in Syria.
“My brother was in prison when he was 16 up until age 20, when he came to the UK and he’s been mentally affected.
“My uncle is still in Syria. I spoke to him today and he told me a lot of things that he wasn’t able to tell me before.
“But now he can speak freely.”
Ms Terkmani said while her family “feels much better – safe”, they don’t feel they are able to go back just yet.
“We still don’t know will happen but we’re going to have a big party now,” she said.
Rim Turkmani, director of the Syria Conflict Research Programme at the London School of Economics, also dreams of visiting her home country again.
She hasn’t seen her family in Syria for 14 years.
“I haven’t been allowed in,” she said. “You know, just seeing my family, my town that I grew up in…I was dreaming of this every day.
“To go back and also to be able to take my children back. My children, now 19 and 16, they grew up not knowing their country – only watching pictures and videos.
“To be able to relate, to see where I come from, means the world to me.”
But Dr Turkmani says there will be obstacles ahead.
“We’re waiting to see how the logistics are going to work,” she said.
“It’s still not possible to fly to Syria, so the airport is still closed. It’s extremely difficult to go through Lebanon right now.
“My Syrian passport expired 10 years ago. Can I use a Western passport? Do I need a visa? Who’s going to give me this visa?
“There are so many unclear questions, but it’s going to be very emotional for me.”
Dr Turkmani described Assad’s fall as “incredible” but said “the future is unclear”.
“I feel I need to be there to believe what’s going on,” she said.