About Refugees, By Refugees
Eleja Inas
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“Currently my dream is to be a radiologist,” says Eleja (pseud, 19). Now living in London, he left Sudan at the age of 15. “When I can become 15, they will catch me and put me somewhere… that’s why some people and some of my ancestors told me, you mustn’t live this country.” He feels that he “grew up mentally and physically” in the past four years. “I already forgot all the past, because if I go to the past inside my mind I can’t achieve anything… I can’t achieve my goal.” His inspiration in life is his uncle, whom he says “is inspiring me from bottom my heart… I will never forget him.” Referring to his time in London, living in a different culture, he believes that people should not judge a book by its cover. “You need to read the book and then after gives the judgement…” he says. “All human being is your brother, all human being is your sister.” Eleja explains that he chose radiology because it “is very hard subject but I want to challenge myself… I want to help people.”
full interview
Before the event that led you to flew from your country, what was your dream? I want you to answer it: ‘My dream was…’ Before you leave your country, what was your dream when you were young?
My dream was to become an engineer, builder, you know, to work. I wanted to build my country as well, so difficult. I want build my career where I live and I want to build my country as well. So unfortunately, it’s not going to be, you know. So I choose to be a doctor. I want to do radiology; so is very hard subject but I want to challenge myself to (unclear audio). And that’s all I can do; I want to help people. And I know there are so many people, they need help, they need a strong why are they making good progress for his country and for the current country where I live. So, I know it is the best, the best thing to leave. Is the Doctor is, give you life, new life to reborn again, if you are sick or if you got mental health or anything, you, he can make you feel good.
Amazing. So in like short sentence, before you leave your country, what was your dream? And now, what, what’s your dream?
Um, before my, well, when I was in my country,.
My dream was…
My dream was to become an engineering building, engineer building, and currently my dream is to be a radiologist.
Amazing, thank you. And this is the wrap up question: before leaving your home country, what would you describe as your strength? Have you maintain this? If so, how? Before you leave your country, what was your motivation? Like, what was your strengths that gave you power, before you leave your country when you were young? And do you still have it?
I don’t still have it, because I already forgot the past, the past is gone so… My motivation was very hard to believe it, but I can’t describe all of them, but I put in one sentence. So, when I had, when I would become like over age, like around 15 and then my country the over age is more than 14, so… And then in Europe, they consider under 18 is all, all this is already under age, so in my country different way. So when I can become 15, they will catch me and put me somewhere, I don’t, I don’t be able to. And then that’s why some people and some of my ancestors told me, you mustn’t live this country, so that’s all.
Amazing. What you have been through is very sad. It seems like very difficult. Do you feel you’ve grown up in, like, from the past to now? Do you feel you have changed or you grown up mentally?
Yeah, I grew up mentally and physically at this moment because, because I already forgot all the past, because if I go to the past inside my mind I can’t, I can’t do anything what I want, I can’t achieve anything, what I, I can’t achieve my goal. Because my goal is working, a specific thing is, like, to become a professional and then find a good job and a good job, like some good job like getting money or something like that, find a good job, like make the people as well proud of you. That’s what I want to be in this world.
Okay, this brings us to the next question: what are some of your hopes and dreams and goals in life?
My hope is, I wish all the human beings are going to be unite together, be all brother, sister, that’s all my hope. My goal is to become a doctor and (unclear audio) heal some people, heal the sickness and then make a good life and make fortune life for all the people as well.
Amazing. Who is your inspiration in life?
My inspiration in life is I can never, I’ll never change is my uncle. He is inspiring me from bottom my heart, so he stayed on my mind and I don’t know, and I will never forget him, forget him.
Okay, amazing. And lastly, this is the last two question. If you were, if you were giving advice or a message to the European, like the white people that – who don’t know nothing about refugees but judge them or they don’t like them, they dislike them or they discriminate them – what advice or a message would you give them?
Oh, that’s great question, I don’t know where (unclear audio) I’m going to start. First of all, color doesn’t mean nothing, you need to take what’s inside of your body, the heart. You need to clean up, need to clean up with something, something benefit. You don’t have to like hate us with, discriminate somebody with color, color of skin, he’s come from a different places and different community, he’s come from different backgrounds. And that’s my country, I do whatever you want. Discrimination, nothing, you just hate people and that’s it. You gonna, you, one day you gonna, one day it will reflect you and then you will feel the pain. The guy who before, you make him sad or make him anxious or make him painful.
What message would you give to the people, like, who don’t know nothing about refugees?
Yeah, I wish they’re going to go to war, instead they Google… Decide, you need to make some research or make more experience to go to Africa, what’s going on there. And then come you don’t, you never have to judge a book from the cover, instead you do, you have read what’s inside written down. You don’t have to judge anything like, wow, this is stuff… you need to read the book and then after gives the judgement. But if you just read the title and you haven’t read inside, so you don’t have to judge it.
Okay, amazing. And lastly, what advice or a message would you give to our brothers and sisters, that the refugee, who are new to the country, but what advice would you give them? Who feel discriminated or, or who feel not that they don’t belong here because how the people or the media make them feel here in Europe or specifically U.K? What advice would you give to the refugee, all the new arrivals that who comes here in this country?
I would like to say don’t ever feel alone. We are all too, we are all supporting you and we are here for you. Whatever has happened to you is already happened for us also. So my advice is you need to keep going, be strong, be stubborn, and then be motivated. You see, where, “Where your brother, sister?” You don’t have to think “This one is my brother.” All human being is your brother, all human being is your sister. So my advice is to be strong and make gooder for your life.
Okay, amazing. Thank you so much. We really appreciate you answering all the questions. Is there anything you would like to add that might help people, help people in Europe or understand the life of a refugee here? Again, I’m just repeating the same question. Is there anything that you want to add? No, then thank you so much.
Yeah, I’m grateful to change my opinion with you and then get more experience to what’s happening. I know there are many brother that are suffering from death. It’s a pleasure to meet you and it’s a good idea to sharing, experience.
Thank you so much. We really appreciate your time.
Many 1000 Dreams interviews were not conducted in English. Their translation has not always been performed by professional translators. Despite great efforts to ensure accuracy, there may be errors.