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Mom used to tell me the story where I was born. She told me I was born in Bhutan, which is a beautiful Himalayan country. I don’t remember living there, but I remember the day we left; when I was crying with hunger. My parents are carrying nothing. They don’t have anything to feed me on the way to the refugee camp. I still feel the pain of hunger.
With the help of UNHCR and CARITAS NEPAL I got chance to study in refugee camp. When I reached to grade seven and eight they taught me about the history of Bhutan. We learned about the changes to the citizenship act in 1985. The government banned going to temples, and teaching the Nepali language. All the books written in Nepali were burned. The citizens opposed it, and the government used armed forces to push people out of the country. More than 70,000 people fled. When I think of this time, it hurts me still.
The Government of Bhutan and Nepal did meeting for 15 times to solve the problems of refugee but they are not successes. One day I heard news on a radio saying; UNHCR and other sponsor country for Bhutanese refugee are going to resettle them. I was so excited hearing it. I talk to my parents about the process but they oppose my words of resettlement to western country. So I applied for it without informing to my parents.
One day, when I was out from the camp I heard news on the radio saying half of Goldhap Bhutanese refugee camp was destroyed by fire. At that time I don’t have any modern technology to contact with my family. I came home next day and saw my home was no more.
We got a tent for shelter and some food, and they started to build the houses again. I discuss to my parents about the tragedy in our life and how we loss of everything for a second time. They agree to resettle in a western country.
One and half years ago, I came to Canada with my family and a huge amount of loan. The Canadian government pays for my medical examination and flight ticket but we have to pay it back. Nowadays I am paying the loan every month. It is hard to pay back, but there are opportunities to improve myself. I get to use modern technology and to go to free classes to improve my English. Sometimes I feel lonely because I miss all my friends and relatives. I grew up in such a crowded area but we are all together. Now we are all around the world.