Personal Journey: Navigating Unexpected Life Changes & Adapting to New Realities

 

 

Imagine living in a peaceful, ordinary place with your large, loving family, cherishing moments with numerous friends whom you encounter daily at school and even on weekends, as you enjoy each other's company.

 

One day, your cousin invites you to the beach along with all your friends and their friends. It's an enjoyable evening, and afterwards, you return to your home, your comfort zone.

 

But then, one morning, you wake up to the sounds of bombardment and people yelling. At first, you think it's a horrible dream. However, as you look around, you witness a nearby building collapsing, people in the streets panicking, and planes dropping unknown substances. The heavy fog and smoke obscure your vision. Is it a shell? Is it possible? You ask yourself, uncertain. Hurriedly, you seek out your parents, but they are nowhere to be found. Your dad is downstairs helping to lift the rubble, and your mom has gone to the neighbors, crying and trying to understand the situation.

 

Your siblings, equally confused and scared, look to you for strength. Being the eldest, you try to appear strong and courageous, assuring them not to worry. You believe it might be chaotic, but everything will be alright; they should calm down.

 

In an attempt to gather information, you grab your phone to check social media, but there's no internet connection. Thinking quickly, you decide to call your friend Jamal, who is known for having information about everything in the country. However, the communication connection is abruptly cut off.

 

Heading to the bathroom to wash your face and change into fresh clothes, you discover that even water has been cut off. You exclaim, "It's a calamity!" However, you find a small bottle of water and use it to freshen up before heading to the neighborhood mosque. 

The mosque serves as a forum where everything in the neighborhood and the country is discussed, regardless of content or context. There, you witness people praying and asking for forgiveness from Allah, while others pray to protect their lives and properties. Asking one of the individuals there about the situation, you're told that the enemy is attacking and invading your country and land. The advice given is clear: go to your family, stay together, and find a safe shelter. Suddenly, a nearby building is destroyed with a loud boom, prompting you to run back to your family to implement the man's advice.

 

You and your family seek refuge in your relatives' house, as your once tranquil home has become a military zone. The days pass, and you find yourselves moving from one place to another, changing locations and cities until you've been to nine new places.

 

Your dad decides that you will flee the country overland, embarking on a perilous journey that lasts seven days. In just one week, you leave behind your home, memories, life's friends, and a life full of excitement and joy. Your beloved collectables become part of what you've left behind. Your life will never be the same as what you once enjoyed; your concerns and problems are forever altered.

 

This isn't a dream or a fictional story; this is my story and the story of all Sudanese, Syrian, and Palestinian individuals, and every person affected by wars. We start with a normal life, like everyone else, facing regular concerns, problems, and a typical lifestyle. Then, a devastating event occurs, turning us into displaced persons and eventually refugees in nearby countries. Suffering and hardship follow, ranging from adapting to new cultures and languages to grappling with advanced problems like unfair legislation and mistreatment against refugees. It's a dramatic change, isn't it?

 

Imagine, this is the life of displaced people and refugees globally. The irony is that they didn't choose this life; these events were forced upon them. Sometimes, the very individuals responsible for war develop legislation against refugees.

 

What I ask from this blog post is simple: treat refugees and displaced people well, regardless of their ethnicity. Help them in any way you can, whether financially or emotionally, by listening to their voices with sympathy. 

Remember, they used to have a home and a life full of joy and excitement, with friends engaged in laughter. They lost all of that due to uncontrollable events, and you might face a similar situation because nothing is guaranteed or permanent!