Effects Of Being A Refugee

Being a refugee is not a choice. Packing your entire life into a couple of suitcases to relocate into a foreign land can be intimidating. However, uncertainty cannot be a concern when your loved ones are in danger. After my uncle died in a car bomb attack, my family fled Afghanistan and crossed into Pakistan. In Pakistan, we settled temporarily because of the unbearable hostility toward Afghans in the region, which also forced us to seek refuge elsewhere. Fortunately, in August 2001, my family and I immigrated to Arizona.
The transition was undoubtedly difficult for my parents but, as a child, I lived in my own world of imaginations. I was unaware of the fact that we were leaving everything and everyone behind to escape violence. I just did as I was told. However, at the age of fourteen, I came to understand and face the realities of being a refugee. While accompanying my dad during his errands, I watched bank tellers and receptionists judge him, insulting his intelligence because he struggled with the English language. Similarly, while shopping with my mom, I watched retail cashiers raise
Similarly, the war in Afghanistan has resulted in the youngest drug-addicted population in the world—children as young as 3 are opium addicts. These horrendous conditions fuel my desire to become an aid worker on the ground, experiencing their conditions firsthand. In work like this effective communication is necessary. Thus, it is crucial for me to learn Arabic. In addition to this, I also want to work with Afghani, Syrian and Pakistani governments to bring about necessary constitutional and societal change whereby women and children are protected. Looking back now, I feel fortunate to have experienced and overcome challenges; it is ultimately these adversities that have inspired me to be