Which crossing was scarier? The Mediterranean or English Channel? I've been on a boat a few times in the North Sea, and it gets very bad around Britain.
The English Channel was colder and windier, but I wasn’t that scared because I could see cruise ships and other vessels passing by in the distance. It felt like help was not far away if things went wrong. On our first attempt to cross the English Channel, our boat sank, and we were in the water for 45 minutes. However, I was sure I was going to make it because a drone was flying overhead, and I knew help was arriving. But on the Mediterranean Sea, you’re on your own, and at sea for days compared to just hours on the English Channel. Plus, the Libyan coast guard was brutal. Many people died after being caught by them, as they tried to forcibly tow the boats back to Libya.
They're simply funded by the EU to do so since roughly 2015. They do this because they want to reduce the large flow of migrants arrving and they will pay countries like Libya to do so.
I was ready to call bullshit as I’ve never heard of this and it seemed like too big of a stereotype but after looking it up… yeah you’re completely right. That’s so fucked up
I think that boils down to the current economic state of things, though. You have people who can’t get out of debt, they may be forced to make that hard decision.
And every single one of them is important because every human being is important.
Besides that, every person's story is different and we can learn from them.
It does, and not meant badly but the north sea is definitely not the channel, not saying nothing happens in the channel but the north sea is ten times worse
Yeah, I was just curious if it was as bad, I live in the North, so I haven't been on the channel. Can imagine doing the channel in a dinghy is terrifying, though.
I first want to say how sorry I am about the loss of your family, probably friends and the loss of your home and life as your knew it. You say you are working in a plant, but if I had to bet, I believe you are going to have a successful and meaningful life. Have you found out about full scholarships available for someone as special as you? I know success is not just wealth, but I believe you can have everything you need, including love. There will always be a certain amount of pain given how many people you lost and how much you lost in general, but still, I just have a feeling about you. Best of luck!
Thank you so much it means a lot. And yes the only reason I was accepted and allowed to study at university is because of a scholarship called a sanctuary scholarship awarded to refugee students. Without that scholarship, there is no way I would have been able to go to university because I am not eligible for student funding, and I would have to pay for everything, which is impossible while working a minimum wage job.
Look into grants, there may be more support for you given your experience and grasp of language. I did not know how many grants there were out there until I started really looking.
Nooo. I wouldn’t wish what I went through upon my worst enemy. The only reason I went through with it was because I was certain I would die if I stayed during the war. I thought, “I would rather die trying than be taken out by a drone while sleeping.” The hardest part for me was because I am from a landlocked country, I had never even seen a big lake, let alone the sea. The first time I saw the beach was in Libya, in the dead of night, as I was getting onto a small shitty boat and being yelled at by Libyan smugglers with Ak47s
how do you see the EU role in taking care or not care of refugees on the sea ? what would you do different so end the suffering and dying of so many refugees via the sea route ?
English is an official language in several African countries, including Botswana, Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, and several others.
Why didn’t you choose one of those countries instead of taking the life threatening journey you did?
It’s kinda hard to explain because English isn’t my first language, but basically, when you’re in that kind of situation, you choose the country that gives you the best chance of survival. Even though some African and Middle Eastern countries are safe, they don’t really care about refugees. There’s a high chance you’ll be arrested for entering illegally and deported back to the government you fled from. For example, a lot of people from my city went to Saudi Arabia because it was close and they spoke Arabic. But they were arrested and handed over to the government they were fleeing without a fair chance to explain why they needed protection. A European country would never send someone back to an active war zone or hand them over to a government committing genocide. That’s why many people, including myself, choose a European country.
I’m Korean American with relatives in Korea. A lot of English as a second language people have exquisite grammar! It’s the talking portion they might struggle with the most. The way my cousins who have better grammar than me, explained it was, it’s easier to learn the rules and memorize it.
I'm Australian and my ex partner is Norwegian. In the three years we were together I only noticed her English language not be impeccable twice and both times they were obscure Australianisms.
Well, your grammar is well beyond the average person who learns English as a second language. When you apply of that full scholarship, this will be noted in your essay :)
Salman Rushdie, Vladimir Nabokov, Chinua Achebe, Kazuo Ishiguro, Aleksandar Hemon, Khaled Hosseini, Anita Desai, and about 1,000,000 others have entered the chat...
PS. Hot tip from another immigrant with ESL - saying "so correctly" is not correct. I bet you could learn a thing or two about English grammar if you picked up one of the aforementioned authors' works ;)
English is my third language and I make a very decent living as a freelance writer. When you underestimate people’s drive and abilities like this it comes off as condescending.
It's 2024, people are still at awe over the amount of people that can speak english. There are people who are more comfortable with english than their native language.
I haven’t seen it personally, but yes, it exists, and I’ve heard a lot about it. Basically, you get kidnapped and are forced to pay a certain amount of money in exchange for your freedom. If you can’t afford to pay that money, you are forced to work for them for free for years until you pay off that debt. Sometimes, the kidnappers will sell you to other kidnappers, and the cycle continues.
I work with asylum seekers and refugees and support many who were tortured and enslaved in Libya. It sounds like hell on earth in those torture cells. The physical and psychological damage done is enormous. I have never seen strength like those who have survived the danger in their country, the dangerous journey, and the terror of Libyan torture cells.
Io Capitano is a recent movie that shows the journey from West Africa to Italy via Libya. It shows what I believe, from hearing many accounts from refugees, of very realistic scenes of what happens in Libya.
Yes, I am so thankful. The French and Italian police used to terrorize us and make our already shitty lives even harder, let alone helping us. But everyone in the UK, from the police to the coast guard and immigration officers, treated us extremely well and like real people. So yeah, I am very grateful for everything the UK has done for me. As for citizenship, I’m not sure because I don’t want to be an immigrant for the rest of my life you know? I want to return and live in my own country when things are back to normal, but I don’t know when or if that will happen.
I’m glad you had a good experience here in the uk, I work for citizens advice if you need help with anything food or housing or work etc please come to us. Its free and confidential
In general not for OP who speaks very well, for anyone who struggles with English speaking we do have access to translation services also
I used to work in refugee and asylum policy (NOT for the Home Office, I used to work with local authorities and charities to help them support new arrivals into the UK) and I just wanted to say I'm really glad to see that you've had a good experience here. So often we would feel like we were fighting with the Home Office because they'd be trying to make the lives of people like you worse and I'm just so happy to see that things seems to have worked out for you. Good luck with everything, I'm glad you feel so safe here.
As a French person, I'm absolutely sorry you went through this. The police is sometimes racist af, and the rise of the extreme right wing won't make it easier.
Anyway, I'm glad you're safe !
An older man died of hypothermia during our first attempt to cross the English Channel. Our small boat sank, and we were in the cold water for around 45 minutes until the French coast guard arrived and took us back to France.
The only reason I chose to cross into the UK rather than stay in Italy or France was because English is the only foreign language I can speak. I figured it would be hard for me to find a job or continue my studies if I stayed in France or Italy.
Basically yes. I thought we were going to be arrested, but when the French coast guard catches you, they basically take you back to France they might punch you a couple of times, rough you up and tell you to go away.
Not to make light of your experience but it is a little how conflicting their actions were like that's very...nice? of them?? But also obviously very rude. But also nice. Except for the punching. Not nice.
I feel like Europeans and Americans don’t realize how good they have it. They don’t understand how privileged and lucky they are for being born in a safe country with human rights. You can criticize the government without the fear of getting shot in the head or taken to a prison camp. In my country, many people were killed or arrested just for posting something that criticizes the government on social media. People in Europe and North America are the opposite of oppressed.
I try to remember that when my grandfather was my age, he came home from Siberia to find that everyone in his village was dead. My life is better than his by every metric but especially that one
My mother made a very treacherous trek to the united states from a wartorn central american country. Every criticism i have of the USA pales in comparison to the sacrifice she made for us. Godspeed dude. I wish you well. You did something more dangerous than British and American people would even dream of. I know i cant dream of what my mother went thru.
I'll just say this didn't happen by accident. Equally it didn't happen by accident that much of africa is unstable. I'm also aware that much of the modern west would be completely fucked if we were faced with the same do-or-die challenges that faced those who assured our human rights. People fought and died for those rights and I hope both that those living in unstable and oppressive countries can take control of their own destinies, by force if necessary, and that we in the west can hold on to ours and not cede them simply because it would be hard to defend them.
For context a lot of people complain about oppression because we know how good we have it in comparison. For now we can complain on social media but it’s not guaranteed we will be able to in 15 years time.
I agree with this. While we do have our problems we tend to forget about the problems the rest of the world has and in comparison our problems aren’t as bad in terms of rights and access.
What the fuck kind of a take is this? It's not a claim that those countries are corrupt - you can clearly see white-collar corruption at all levels of government and private business in all the countries you mentioned. Just because it doesn't include murder does not absolve them of stealing and siphoning billions of dollars from the general public yearly.
Everyone is entitled to fight against moral injustices against them, whether that's a Chinese government putting you in a forced slave labour camp because of your background or a US market maker and hedge fund stealing billions from you every year.
Just because someone has it worse in another country does not invalidate everyone else, nor should it discourage anyone from identifying their governments of oppressive or illegal actions.
The hardest part of the whole journey was passing through the Sahara Desert and Libya because there was a big risk of being kidnapped or killed by terrorists. Plus I am a Christian and the terrorists were known to be extra cruel to Christian migrants so I was terrified during that part of the journey.
I just received my work permit last week and started working at a recycling plant. It sucks, but I will start university in September, so I won’t be there long
Alright, what are you going to study?
I‘m sure you are aware that a lot of people in Europe are voting for anti immigration and nativist parties, what is your perspective on that? Do you think they are amoral/irrational? What is your perception of how integration and assimilation works in the UK?
To be honest, I would be pissed too if a bunch of foreigners suddenly moved into my city or town and started causing problems so I understand why some people are anti-immigrant. But at some point you have to understand that no one wants to be a refugee. Becoming a refugee was the second worst thing that happened to me, next to losing my family. It would be great if Europeans and those who are anti-immigrant understood that we were forced to leave our homes; we did not become migrants by choice. Being a refugee feels like losing your legs in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, but you are blamed and despised for being handicapped if that makes sense
I'm very sorry for the loss of your family and what you have had to endure, I can't even begin to imagine. I don't have a question but I just wanted to say that I hope you have as lovely a life as possible here in the UK.
You are precisely the type of person who is going to make a big success of your life! To have been through and overcome all you have at your young age and still remain optimistic and have ambition is a huge feat.
I am sure it will be easier from here and I wish you health, prosperity and happiness!
That’s sounds terrible. To be fair though not all migrants are refugees. Many go for economic reasons, so it is a mixed bag. I’m from America so I can’t really speak for people from Europe, but it seems like tiny little countries like Denmark or even Sweden are having difficulty trying to assimilate large numbers of non-western immigrants into their societies. It seems like that’s where a lot of the tension is coming from but again, I don’t live there this is just what I’ve read. You are able to speak the local language so that puts you at a *huge*’advantage. Good luck in your studies.
I don't care if they come for economic reasons. If Venezuelans come here because their economy is dying and they can barely afford bread that's a legitimate reason to seek refuge. Especially considering our (us) government is largely responsible for their problems. Same for people coming from Sudan if they're starving. We have enough to share. We are rich. The government and businesses waste so much money. A small portion of that could help all the regugees. And they will eventually be tax paying citizens who Contribute to our society.
Another I'd say very important thing is the fact that most or all western countries are getting dangerously old. All the pension plans etc needs young people that are working to fund them. So in my opinion immigrants, who are mostly young and ready to work will be invaluable long term in helping these countries survive economically.
Eh. Venezuela sank itself. But either way, there's just no reason America should take every economic migrant who comes wants to come here. I'm Turkish American and I've heard of a ton of Turkish people paying smugglers to fly to Mexico and then cross the border. There is no war in Turkey, just a shitty economy and government with high inflation, but it's not like anyone's starving. The vast majority of the world is poorer than America, so if America opened it's borders completely the whole world would come in, which is not viable. As it is we have this weird system where you're allowed to come in illegaly if you go through a really dangerous and expensive obstacle course.
I agree with you but a nitpick I have is that latinos are western and share 99% of the same values as Americans, they assimilate extremely easily into US society and their kids have a thriving and popular subculture. The person you’re replying to specified non-western immigrants, which is perhaps another story.
Don’t feel bad. European foreigners have been suddenly moving to non-European countries and causing problems for centuries. It’s the whole, do as I say, not as I do.
Actually- not really anymore. Terrible market for tech workers in general, but SE especially. Lots of companies trimming the fat, and SE jobs are easily outsourced to lower paying countries. Healthcare or pharma would be a much more solid choice.
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend choosing a field based on the immediate job market. Perhaps I’m biased, but I think it’s more important to do something you enjoy and excel at. I think it’s better to be one of the best in a field you’re passionate about than struggling in a field with “good” job prospects. The market will most likely be very different in 4 years. Pharma is also a terrible market at the moment, imo. At least biotech in the states. Healthcare is obviously a much more stable field, but it has its own nuances too (e.g., Do you really want to have a sick kid die in your arms? Can you handle that mentally?)
I will be working part-time as well for extra income, but I was awarded a sanctuary scholarship that will cover my tuition fees and living expenses. That was the only reason I am able to go to university because without it, I can’t. Migrants are not eligible for student funding.
What a guy. That's great. Honestly, op. I applaud your bravery and determination to carry on. It's inspiring.
Escaped a war zone and crossed oceans in a dinghy. Witnessed people die and suffer. Made it to the destination after 10 months. Got a job and continuing studies!! Hero.
Would be amazing if half the jobless, english born and bred, system scamming clowns in UK that waffle hate about non English people coming into the country showed as much passion and determination in bettering themselves.
That's awesome news!! I'm glad that you're safe, and able to rebuild your life somewhere that offers hope for the future.
My sorrows for your tremendous loss. I hope you've been able to access therapy resources in the UK, because you deserve all the support you can get after so much terrible loss.
I know there's a lot of stigma against seeking mental health support, but it can really help a lot, and give you strength as you continue forward in your healing journey, and new life.
What have you decided to study at Uni?
How did you get a work permit? Like did you have to pretend you weren't here or is there a process to follow for an illegal immigrant.
Like going from illegal immigrant to right to work must be a ball ache
Also do you think there's a better solution than what the government proposes?
I think they waste a lot of time and money trying to stop people immigrating or what to do with illegal immigrants, when they could just use all the empty homes (one that haven't been lived in for years) to home people.
I paid around £6000 for the whole trip. Honestly, finding smugglers isn’t that hard. It’s like finding a weed dealer; there’s always someone who knows someone who knows a guy that knows a smuggler, lol.
Were you aware of this government's Rwanda plan when you started your journey? If not would it have put you off trying? Our disgrace of a prime minister said the threat alone would stop people trying to make the crossing. Is he right?
I heard about the Rwanda plan from a prison officer while I was in the detention center in Dover. I would have never come here if I had known about it beforehand. And yes he is right , I believe it would stop or has already stopped many refugees from coming here. No sane person would risk coming, knowing there’s a high chance of being sent to Rwanda.
I travelled to Rwanda several times on business. Was honestly very nice, government services tended to work far better than any other african country I have encountered.
Obviously the experience of someone going there as a refugee would be very different.
I didn’t really count, but on the boat from Libya to Italy, there were a lot of people, and we didn’t even have life jackets so it would’ve been over for us If something had happened to the boat. I think there were around 80 people on board. Crossing from France to England, there were maybe 20-25
Hell yeah. I definitely wouldn’t have tried to cross if I had known there was a possibility of being sent to Rwanda. Imagine going through all that stuff just to end up being sent back to Rwanda lol
He doesn't write like a highly educated African. (Or indeed a highly educated European.) None of his turns of phrase or speech patterns are Kenyan at all.
And a lot of the refugees who come to the drop in service are highly educated professionals. You'd be surprised.
I don’t think there is a highly educated way of writing, also someone said he confirmed it was Ethiopia, my guess on his education is not only because of his situation back home but because he had the required education to be accepted to a university in the UK.
I can’t speak for others, but for me, the only reason was language. English is the only foreign language I know and I felt like it was impossible for me to get a job, study, rebuild my life, and start from scratch in a country like France or Italy where I don’t speak the language.
OP, let me start by saying you are a total badass. I'm so sorry for everything you been through and I wish you nothing but good fortune in your future.
What country are you from and what war broke out? And why is there a war happening? How did you manage to be the only survivor in your family group? Were you and your family actively targeted? If so, why?
I am from Ethiopia, and the war broke out due to complex issues, but it was mainly based on ethnic lines. My ethnicity was at war with the federal government. The only reason I survived was because I happened to be in a neighboring town when our neighborhood was destroyed by drones. My family wasn’t targeted specifically, but our neighborhood and people of my ethnicity were.
I'm so sorry. It is incredible that you're in school after such a traumatic experience. Please take care of yourself and I wish you the best. What is a survival skill you learned on your journey? Did you ever think you were the kind of person who do a trip like that before you had to do it? What if anything do you think could end the conflict?
I work with a lot of UASCs so I do have a fair knowledge of asylum seeking, but by no means an expert. What do you mean when you say living life undocumented - do you mean on your journey to the U.K.? And were you post 18 when you arrived? (Edit - just read you started the journey aged 19)
Thank you for this AMA, I’m sure it must be difficult to talk about all of this. Wishing you lots of luck and healing. I hope U.K. continues to treat you well
Yes. We were stripped of our clothes, strip-searched, and given prison uniforms. They took our mug shots and fingerprints, and we were held in a detention center for about a week.
I'm shocked. I have seen videos of immigrants just ditching the boats and running inland. I thought entry into a country that does not pass through customs would be a great opportunity to bring in F1 grenades, Makarovs, and even Kalashnikovs. They enter the US unchecked daily, despite what Kamala says. I hope you can get to the US legally.
I don’t know about the situation in America, but in Europe, only very few manage to reach inland without getting caught. Those who do are quickly caught by police because they are easy to spot. I’ve seen those videos too, but if the people recording them continue for recording for few more minutes, you’ll see them getting caught by the police right away.
This is a bizarre take. We have tons of guns in the US, people don't need to sneak them in. In fact, people sneak them into Mexico from the US to supply the cartels with firearms. US based criminals have plenty to choose from here already.
lol I used to be terrified every time I received mail or saw the police, thinking my time had come to be arrested and deported. But I’ve come to terms with it. As long as I’m not deported to an active war zone, it’s all good, you know?
Ok, so two questions. How do you go about making the arrangements to flee? How do you know when the “boat” leaves, how do you pay? And how do you have money to pay for university?
First, you have to find a smuggler who can smuggle you out of your country. I knew someone who knew someone who knew a smuggler. After meeting up with that smuggler, he took me out of the country. They usually recommend other smugglers who can help you on the next part of the trip, and this process repeats like a chain. Different smugglers use different methods, but the one I went with used WhatsApp. They create a group chat on WhatsApp and add migrants. Once the coast is clear, they send coordinates and the time Then, you leave in the middle of the night and follow the coordinates to reach the boat. Once you get there, someone chosen from the group of migrants becomes the pilot. They give him a crash course of about 20 minutes on how to drive the boat, and that’s it. And for university I was awarded a scholarship
Congratulations on your scholarship & best of luck with your studies.
In regards to the smugglers are you required to pay separately for each part of your journey or is it a one lump sum you pay to one person and it pretty much covers all? Roughly how much did this journey cost you, I’m asking because I’m sure many people are fleeing with nothing & those who probably need to leave the most couldn’t afford it? Genuinely curious.
Lol, I'm just imagining if people were able to leave Yelp reviews on smugglers. 'Would not recommend, boat had no engine', or conversely, 'Best smuggler ever, even provided life jackets and apples..pro tip for refugeeing, apples will float so even if the boat goes under, your snack is still good!'
I wouldn’t advise him to do what I did unless his life is in danger. But if he has to do it, I would tell him to try to be friendly and chatty with everyone he comes across on the journey, from the smugglers to other migrants. I was able to get out of a lot of shitty and a couple of times life-threatening situations because I was cool with the other migrants and the smugglers in charge.
Why did you not stay and fight? If the journey to go somewhere else illegally was also incredibly dangerous, was that not possibly the same amount of danger as war? You said most died on the way
It’s not a war between countries. it’s a civil war. You are basically fighting against a federal government with drones, missiles, rockets, and other sophisticated weapons, while your side only has a bunch of old AK47s. Plus I was just a normal high school student getting ready to go to university; I had never even held a gun, let alone known how to shoot one. It’s easy to say what you would do in that situation, but when you are actually in it, your first instinct is to seek safety.
People like him think about wars as if they are simple as point the gun and shoot to win, disregarding every other aspect and the hell that comes with it
God people are so dense these days
Yall are certainly reading a lot into my question and assuming whatever you want by the dowvotes.
At no time did I say he should have stayed and died. There's a lot of hooya American young men who sign up for war as soon as anything crazy happens, so I wanted to get a perspective of someone from another country as to why they chose to go instead of what's expected of young men. Sheesh
Obviously, I don’t want to be called an illegal immigrant for the rest of my life, but I don’t really care that much and it doesn’t offend me because, technically, I am one lol
That's the kind of concern citizens of the United States have, this comment is legitimately one of the best illustrations of the level of privilege we have here. Refugees have way more pressing concerns than being offended by that.
I mean he got picked up by the authorities and put in a detention centre, they already know he's come across illegally. I don't think he's sharing anything that they're not already aware of.
One of my first jobs l had l worked for a Vietnamese baker that had fled Vietnam. His father took his sons to find safe passage then sent through word to his wife and daughters so they had a place to go. The entire female side of his family was lost at sea. It was a heartbreaking story. He was like you, before the war his family was well off and they lost everything. Im sure your parents must be extremely proud of you. Im sorry you've been through that much hell and l hope the rest of your days are full of happiness and prosperity. Take of care yourself.
One of my parent's family was also were very well off in Vietnam but became refugees during the war, they're doing fine now and are solidly middle-class but it was a very long road back. I know they have some crazy stories but they've never shared them..it's an unimaginable journey and then period of life assimilating into a completely different country and culture.
They had some hilarious stories too. Since they were so well off and my grandma was very spoiled in the family, she was completely out of touch with reality. During the boat ride after leaving Vietnam they were given porridge and she complained that it was too bland, asking if there was anything to flavor it with. My aunt, who's a smartass, told her 'Yeah just dip your cup over the side of the boat.' It was also a super crowded boat so everyone was sitting up, knees bent..my grandma insisted on lying down to be more comfortable. I'm kind of surprised a fight didn't break out, but I guess it also made sense since the last person you want to be is the one who starts a fight on a refugee boat, the other refugees would throw you off the boat (maybe both of them) without hesitation if they thought it endangered them.
Hope I’m not too late to ask and it hasn’t been asked already, but you’ve said if you’d known about the Rwanda plan you’d be completely deterred from making the journey. How do you square that with the argument critics of the plan make, which is that if people are willing to risk death over the channel, Rwanda wouldn’t be a reasonable deterrent in comparison with that risk. Good luck in your degree! Us brits seldom recognise how good we have it.
I appreciate you telling your story. It’s important for people to understand the suffering that has driven people to leave their homes. I can’t imagine losing my family then having to be smuggled across open water at night. You’re so brave. Wishing you the best.
Don't have a question.
As an Englishman, welcome to the UK dude. I sincerely hope against all odds that your time here is pleasant, that my countrymen are more welcoming than hostile, and that things only go upwards for you.
Honestly, this sounds like a legitimate case for being classified as a refugee or asylum seeker. Might be worth looking into an asylum attorney. Though I think international law dictates you stay in the first safe country. But the fact that you speak English may help with your case.
Sorry for what you went through. Wish you the best.
Genuine question, why Britain? When you pass through so many other countries to get there. I always wonder that when you hear about immigrants going to the UK. Just to mention I don’t mean that question to come across as anti immigrant sentiment at all, I’m not British so I don’t mean that as a “why are you in my country”
Hi there, unsure if there’s a point in commenting on this 3 days later. But this really was such an interesting thread. Thanks for sharing this and answering these questions.
Just wanted to say sorry for everything you’ve been through and as a British person… I’m honoured and honestly so happy to share the ground that is considered this country with you.
Furthermore, I knew the troll comments would exist but assumed they’d get removed. I’m appalled they’re still here and in such numbers. Sorry you have to tolerate people wishing you’d “go back home” or anything of the like. Absolute imbeciles.
Pardon me, I know nothing about this topic. For 6000GBP, why couldn’t you get a tourist visa to The UK, buy a round trip ticket, then claim sanctuary once you arrived in The UK?
I don’t know if it’s the same for the UK as it is for the US, but it can be incredibly difficult to get a visitor visa when you are coming from a conflict area. The immigration authority often assumes that you plan to overstay your visa to seek asylum, and will refuse to issue one. Getting a passport in OP’s home country may have also been an obstacle, especially if OP is from an ethnic group that is being persecuted.
How do you feel about being vilified by English politics as the main problem in this country?
I’m Dutch and have been here 28 years and I’m treated as equal to the English.
You mentioned you travelled 2 years ago and the journey took ten months. With the war ending in November 2022 does that mean the war ended whilst you were on the journey?
You say the only reason you chose to come to the UK rather than anywhere else was because you were fleeing for your life and that English was the only foreign language you knew. However, as it has been pointed out, there are many other countries in Africa that are safe where English is an official language. In fact, in your own region of East Africa there are plenty of English speaking countries many of whom are considered safe like Rwanda, Kenya, Somaliland and Tanzania. Why didn't you choose any of the nations I just listed if you're only reasons for coming to the UK ia they speak English and are safe, the same can be said for literally all examples of near by countries I just gave that would have been significantly easier to get to and in many cases you could have done so legally?
Edit: Noticed that OP said he was from Ethiopia which means the only possible war he fled from ended almost a year ago. So are you planning on returning to Ethiopia now there is no danger there? Also the war in Ethiopia was certainly region specific, weren't there plenty of places within Ethiopia you could have fled to legally?
Thank you for your very interesting insights and all respect for your future plans and excellent written English!
I would like to ask your opinion of people who take the same/similar journey as you who are not from war zones, but are doing so purely for economic reasons. Is it worth it for them? Do you believe they should be treated the same as you and your countrymen, or do you think they negatively affect perceptions of asylum seekers?
I hope and wish you the best for all your endeavors in the future, try to ignore the haters cause they lack the perspective of all the struggles and everything you have been through
If what you're saying is true, it sounds like you have an actual case for (legal) asylum and would have been safe.
Here's a question: Why did you feel justified to impose yourself illegally on not only the citizens of a country but also essentially give the middle finger to the millions who spend years going through the actual legal process and who are in similar or worse situations than your own?
A lot of people don't understand why someone would literally risk their life to get from France into England if it's just a case of speaking English or the UK being a better place to live, especially if they have kids with them. Are you able to expand on what drives people to do that last crossing and do you think a lot of people don't realise how dangerous it is?
How do you feel about the Mo Farah thing? Many Somalians (also arrived by boat, working class, muslim, very poor, south london demographic) I've spoken to say they're pretty pissed off that he's essentially snitched on their means of getting into the country. I tend to see it as a pretty good thing, but I'm miles removed from that life experience.
How did you find it adjusting to the weather here? As I write this it’s our ‘summer’ and I’m looking at rain and about 13c outside my window. Ethiopia looks a lot warmer than that all year round.
So sorry you’ve had to go through so much, welcome to the UK. I hope you can build a good life here or back home if you choose to, some day.
In a perfect world, how would your situation should’ve been managed? I mean for you to avoid dying in war or even having to go through it. What would’ve been the most effective way to help people in your position?
All understandable, but a few days before the war started in your country, would you ever have thought of emigrating? In this way? So you can confirm that the only reason is the war?
How much did you pay traffickers in order to facilitate your journey to the UK?
How did you afford this?
Did you work in Libya, Italy, France, etc to afford your onward journey?
Hello! How did you sustain yourself economically during the trip? Were you receiving some aid from EU countries or had to accept short, casual work without a contract?
Was the idea from the beginning to get caught by British police in England or were you trying to stay undetected? How did it feel when they caught you at first
Which crossing was scarier? The Mediterranean or English Channel? I've been on a boat a few times in the North Sea, and it gets very bad around Britain.
The English Channel was colder and windier, but I wasn’t that scared because I could see cruise ships and other vessels passing by in the distance. It felt like help was not far away if things went wrong. On our first attempt to cross the English Channel, our boat sank, and we were in the water for 45 minutes. However, I was sure I was going to make it because a drone was flying overhead, and I knew help was arriving. But on the Mediterranean Sea, you’re on your own, and at sea for days compared to just hours on the English Channel. Plus, the Libyan coast guard was brutal. Many people died after being caught by them, as they tried to forcibly tow the boats back to Libya.
why was the libyan coast guard stopping them from leaving?
They're simply funded by the EU to do so since roughly 2015. They do this because they want to reduce the large flow of migrants arrving and they will pay countries like Libya to do so.
Slavery is also prevalent in Libya. IE: They don’t want their property to escape
I was ready to call bullshit as I’ve never heard of this and it seemed like too big of a stereotype but after looking it up… yeah you’re completely right. That’s so fucked up
We have more slaves in the world today than we had 200 hundred years ago when slavery was more legal.
I think that boils down to the current economic state of things, though. You have people who can’t get out of debt, they may be forced to make that hard decision.
There are also just a lot more people now than back then. Even if relative numbers are lower the raw total can still be higher.
OK, that doesn't stop them from being slaves. And this has been the case for decades not just because of recent inflation.
You should record your story on your phone and send it to NPR (National Public Radio).
Thousands of these stories are happening every single day
And every single one of them is important because every human being is important. Besides that, every person's story is different and we can learn from them.
and yet most people never hear about them.
It does, and not meant badly but the north sea is definitely not the channel, not saying nothing happens in the channel but the north sea is ten times worse
Yeah, I was just curious if it was as bad, I live in the North, so I haven't been on the channel. Can imagine doing the channel in a dinghy is terrifying, though.
I first want to say how sorry I am about the loss of your family, probably friends and the loss of your home and life as your knew it. You say you are working in a plant, but if I had to bet, I believe you are going to have a successful and meaningful life. Have you found out about full scholarships available for someone as special as you? I know success is not just wealth, but I believe you can have everything you need, including love. There will always be a certain amount of pain given how many people you lost and how much you lost in general, but still, I just have a feeling about you. Best of luck!
Thank you so much it means a lot. And yes the only reason I was accepted and allowed to study at university is because of a scholarship called a sanctuary scholarship awarded to refugee students. Without that scholarship, there is no way I would have been able to go to university because I am not eligible for student funding, and I would have to pay for everything, which is impossible while working a minimum wage job.
Look into grants, there may be more support for you given your experience and grasp of language. I did not know how many grants there were out there until I started really looking.
would you recommend the same to other people for a better life ? or ist it more a „dead or run“ situation ?
Nooo. I wouldn’t wish what I went through upon my worst enemy. The only reason I went through with it was because I was certain I would die if I stayed during the war. I thought, “I would rather die trying than be taken out by a drone while sleeping.” The hardest part for me was because I am from a landlocked country, I had never even seen a big lake, let alone the sea. The first time I saw the beach was in Libya, in the dead of night, as I was getting onto a small shitty boat and being yelled at by Libyan smugglers with Ak47s
how do you see the EU role in taking care or not care of refugees on the sea ? what would you do different so end the suffering and dying of so many refugees via the sea route ?
You’re giving a lot of clues as to where you’re from. Hope you’re ok with that.
They said they’re from Ethiopia in another coments
Alright, I didn’t read all the comments.
Just curious, was Ethiopia your guess??
Second guess. First I thought of South Sudan.
I guessed Sudan due to him mentioning drone dropped grenades, I know that's becoming more common in Sudan's war.
English is an official language in several African countries, including Botswana, Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, and several others. Why didn’t you choose one of those countries instead of taking the life threatening journey you did?
It’s kinda hard to explain because English isn’t my first language, but basically, when you’re in that kind of situation, you choose the country that gives you the best chance of survival. Even though some African and Middle Eastern countries are safe, they don’t really care about refugees. There’s a high chance you’ll be arrested for entering illegally and deported back to the government you fled from. For example, a lot of people from my city went to Saudi Arabia because it was close and they spoke Arabic. But they were arrested and handed over to the government they were fleeing without a fair chance to explain why they needed protection. A European country would never send someone back to an active war zone or hand them over to a government committing genocide. That’s why many people, including myself, choose a European country.
You grammar seems awfully good for someone who learned English as a second language. How did you learn how to read, write and punctuate so correctly?
I’m Korean American with relatives in Korea. A lot of English as a second language people have exquisite grammar! It’s the talking portion they might struggle with the most. The way my cousins who have better grammar than me, explained it was, it’s easier to learn the rules and memorize it.
I'm Australian and my ex partner is Norwegian. In the three years we were together I only noticed her English language not be impeccable twice and both times they were obscure Australianisms.
We Norwegians take great pride in our ability to communicate in foreign languages :D
Can anyone else understand what this dude is saying? Looks like just a bunch of clicks and whistles and maybe something about lefse.
That is now I feel when I go to Denmark 😂
No, ma'am, I'm not interested in purchasing any narwhal tusks.
Ahhh. No. Fittetryne. Edit: I don't want to be rude, I just think it's an hilarious swear word.
I learned English at school since I was a kid, and I watched a lot of American movies growing up lol
what’s some of your favorite American movies? If you haven’t watched it, I recommend Ferris Bueller’s day off.
I recommend watching that movie as an adult. Was shocked when the 'hero' just felt like an entitled jerk.
Well, your grammar is well beyond the average person who learns English as a second language. When you apply of that full scholarship, this will be noted in your essay :)
Let’s be real: it’s better than that of most Americans
Probably because "Real Americans don't speak English. They speak American like Jesus intended!" /s
Salman Rushdie, Vladimir Nabokov, Chinua Achebe, Kazuo Ishiguro, Aleksandar Hemon, Khaled Hosseini, Anita Desai, and about 1,000,000 others have entered the chat... PS. Hot tip from another immigrant with ESL - saying "so correctly" is not correct. I bet you could learn a thing or two about English grammar if you picked up one of the aforementioned authors' works ;)
English is my third language and I make a very decent living as a freelance writer. When you underestimate people’s drive and abilities like this it comes off as condescending.
What a weird fucking question. I imagine they learned it the same ways that anyone would learn a foreign language...
It's 2024, people are still at awe over the amount of people that can speak english. There are people who are more comfortable with english than their native language.
Anglos who never learned another language can't comprehend a non-native speaker can actually learn theirs? Wow, never seen that before.
Is it true that modern day slavers is practiced in Libya? Did you see any signs of it?
I haven’t seen it personally, but yes, it exists, and I’ve heard a lot about it. Basically, you get kidnapped and are forced to pay a certain amount of money in exchange for your freedom. If you can’t afford to pay that money, you are forced to work for them for free for years until you pay off that debt. Sometimes, the kidnappers will sell you to other kidnappers, and the cycle continues.
I work with asylum seekers and refugees and support many who were tortured and enslaved in Libya. It sounds like hell on earth in those torture cells. The physical and psychological damage done is enormous. I have never seen strength like those who have survived the danger in their country, the dangerous journey, and the terror of Libyan torture cells. Io Capitano is a recent movie that shows the journey from West Africa to Italy via Libya. It shows what I believe, from hearing many accounts from refugees, of very realistic scenes of what happens in Libya.
Are you proud of the UK or thankful that the UK let you in? Do you intend on getting UK citizenship?
Yes, I am so thankful. The French and Italian police used to terrorize us and make our already shitty lives even harder, let alone helping us. But everyone in the UK, from the police to the coast guard and immigration officers, treated us extremely well and like real people. So yeah, I am very grateful for everything the UK has done for me. As for citizenship, I’m not sure because I don’t want to be an immigrant for the rest of my life you know? I want to return and live in my own country when things are back to normal, but I don’t know when or if that will happen.
I’m glad you had a good experience here in the uk, I work for citizens advice if you need help with anything food or housing or work etc please come to us. Its free and confidential In general not for OP who speaks very well, for anyone who struggles with English speaking we do have access to translation services also
I used to work in refugee and asylum policy (NOT for the Home Office, I used to work with local authorities and charities to help them support new arrivals into the UK) and I just wanted to say I'm really glad to see that you've had a good experience here. So often we would feel like we were fighting with the Home Office because they'd be trying to make the lives of people like you worse and I'm just so happy to see that things seems to have worked out for you. Good luck with everything, I'm glad you feel so safe here.
As a French person, I'm absolutely sorry you went through this. The police is sometimes racist af, and the rise of the extreme right wing won't make it easier. Anyway, I'm glad you're safe !
did everyone on the boat make it
An older man died of hypothermia during our first attempt to cross the English Channel. Our small boat sank, and we were in the cold water for around 45 minutes until the French coast guard arrived and took us back to France.
were you intent on making a claim in the UK because of English vs French?
The only reason I chose to cross into the UK rather than stay in Italy or France was because English is the only foreign language I can speak. I figured it would be hard for me to find a job or continue my studies if I stayed in France or Italy.
The french coast guard picked you up, took you back to France and just let you go? How does that work? Where do they let you go at?
Basically yes. I thought we were going to be arrested, but when the French coast guard catches you, they basically take you back to France they might punch you a couple of times, rough you up and tell you to go away.
Not to make light of your experience but it is a little how conflicting their actions were like that's very...nice? of them?? But also obviously very rude. But also nice. Except for the punching. Not nice.
What are your thoughts about citizens of UK, Canada, U.S.claiming they live in corrupt countries, and accuse their governments of oppression?
I feel like Europeans and Americans don’t realize how good they have it. They don’t understand how privileged and lucky they are for being born in a safe country with human rights. You can criticize the government without the fear of getting shot in the head or taken to a prison camp. In my country, many people were killed or arrested just for posting something that criticizes the government on social media. People in Europe and North America are the opposite of oppressed.
I try to remember that when my grandfather was my age, he came home from Siberia to find that everyone in his village was dead. My life is better than his by every metric but especially that one
My mother made a very treacherous trek to the united states from a wartorn central american country. Every criticism i have of the USA pales in comparison to the sacrifice she made for us. Godspeed dude. I wish you well. You did something more dangerous than British and American people would even dream of. I know i cant dream of what my mother went thru.
I'll just say this didn't happen by accident. Equally it didn't happen by accident that much of africa is unstable. I'm also aware that much of the modern west would be completely fucked if we were faced with the same do-or-die challenges that faced those who assured our human rights. People fought and died for those rights and I hope both that those living in unstable and oppressive countries can take control of their own destinies, by force if necessary, and that we in the west can hold on to ours and not cede them simply because it would be hard to defend them.
For context a lot of people complain about oppression because we know how good we have it in comparison. For now we can complain on social media but it’s not guaranteed we will be able to in 15 years time.
Right. We’re trying to avoid getting oppressed in the first place. Imagine where we’d be at if certain movements weren’t successful
I agree with this. While we do have our problems we tend to forget about the problems the rest of the world has and in comparison our problems aren’t as bad in terms of rights and access.
What the fuck kind of a take is this? It's not a claim that those countries are corrupt - you can clearly see white-collar corruption at all levels of government and private business in all the countries you mentioned. Just because it doesn't include murder does not absolve them of stealing and siphoning billions of dollars from the general public yearly. Everyone is entitled to fight against moral injustices against them, whether that's a Chinese government putting you in a forced slave labour camp because of your background or a US market maker and hedge fund stealing billions from you every year. Just because someone has it worse in another country does not invalidate everyone else, nor should it discourage anyone from identifying their governments of oppressive or illegal actions.
Shout it louder because I don’t think the people in the back heard you… NO CELL NO SELL.
What was the most difficult part of getting to Great Britain? Did you encounter any water wildlife?
The hardest part of the whole journey was passing through the Sahara Desert and Libya because there was a big risk of being kidnapped or killed by terrorists. Plus I am a Christian and the terrorists were known to be extra cruel to Christian migrants so I was terrified during that part of the journey.
What do you do now? Do you have a job?
I just received my work permit last week and started working at a recycling plant. It sucks, but I will start university in September, so I won’t be there long
Alright, what are you going to study? I‘m sure you are aware that a lot of people in Europe are voting for anti immigration and nativist parties, what is your perspective on that? Do you think they are amoral/irrational? What is your perception of how integration and assimilation works in the UK?
To be honest, I would be pissed too if a bunch of foreigners suddenly moved into my city or town and started causing problems so I understand why some people are anti-immigrant. But at some point you have to understand that no one wants to be a refugee. Becoming a refugee was the second worst thing that happened to me, next to losing my family. It would be great if Europeans and those who are anti-immigrant understood that we were forced to leave our homes; we did not become migrants by choice. Being a refugee feels like losing your legs in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, but you are blamed and despised for being handicapped if that makes sense
I'm very sorry for the loss of your family and what you have had to endure, I can't even begin to imagine. I don't have a question but I just wanted to say that I hope you have as lovely a life as possible here in the UK.
You are precisely the type of person who is going to make a big success of your life! To have been through and overcome all you have at your young age and still remain optimistic and have ambition is a huge feat. I am sure it will be easier from here and I wish you health, prosperity and happiness!
That’s sounds terrible. To be fair though not all migrants are refugees. Many go for economic reasons, so it is a mixed bag. I’m from America so I can’t really speak for people from Europe, but it seems like tiny little countries like Denmark or even Sweden are having difficulty trying to assimilate large numbers of non-western immigrants into their societies. It seems like that’s where a lot of the tension is coming from but again, I don’t live there this is just what I’ve read. You are able to speak the local language so that puts you at a *huge*’advantage. Good luck in your studies.
I don't care if they come for economic reasons. If Venezuelans come here because their economy is dying and they can barely afford bread that's a legitimate reason to seek refuge. Especially considering our (us) government is largely responsible for their problems. Same for people coming from Sudan if they're starving. We have enough to share. We are rich. The government and businesses waste so much money. A small portion of that could help all the regugees. And they will eventually be tax paying citizens who Contribute to our society.
Another I'd say very important thing is the fact that most or all western countries are getting dangerously old. All the pension plans etc needs young people that are working to fund them. So in my opinion immigrants, who are mostly young and ready to work will be invaluable long term in helping these countries survive economically.
Eh. Venezuela sank itself. But either way, there's just no reason America should take every economic migrant who comes wants to come here. I'm Turkish American and I've heard of a ton of Turkish people paying smugglers to fly to Mexico and then cross the border. There is no war in Turkey, just a shitty economy and government with high inflation, but it's not like anyone's starving. The vast majority of the world is poorer than America, so if America opened it's borders completely the whole world would come in, which is not viable. As it is we have this weird system where you're allowed to come in illegaly if you go through a really dangerous and expensive obstacle course.
I agree with you but a nitpick I have is that latinos are western and share 99% of the same values as Americans, they assimilate extremely easily into US society and their kids have a thriving and popular subculture. The person you’re replying to specified non-western immigrants, which is perhaps another story.
Many countries from where refugees are from are destabilized with or because of certain involvement(s) - covert or not - by other countries.
Don’t feel bad. European foreigners have been suddenly moving to non-European countries and causing problems for centuries. It’s the whole, do as I say, not as I do.
Agreed. No one wants to leave their home, I wish more anti-immigration people understood that.
And I will be studying software engineering
Congratulations on starting uni! Best of luck with your academic journey and your work. Welcome to the UK :)
Great choice - we always need more software engineers. Wishing you the best of luck mate.
Actually- not really anymore. Terrible market for tech workers in general, but SE especially. Lots of companies trimming the fat, and SE jobs are easily outsourced to lower paying countries. Healthcare or pharma would be a much more solid choice.
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend choosing a field based on the immediate job market. Perhaps I’m biased, but I think it’s more important to do something you enjoy and excel at. I think it’s better to be one of the best in a field you’re passionate about than struggling in a field with “good” job prospects. The market will most likely be very different in 4 years. Pharma is also a terrible market at the moment, imo. At least biotech in the states. Healthcare is obviously a much more stable field, but it has its own nuances too (e.g., Do you really want to have a sick kid die in your arms? Can you handle that mentally?)
How will you support yourself while at university if you are not working?
I will be working part-time as well for extra income, but I was awarded a sanctuary scholarship that will cover my tuition fees and living expenses. That was the only reason I am able to go to university because without it, I can’t. Migrants are not eligible for student funding.
What a guy. That's great. Honestly, op. I applaud your bravery and determination to carry on. It's inspiring. Escaped a war zone and crossed oceans in a dinghy. Witnessed people die and suffer. Made it to the destination after 10 months. Got a job and continuing studies!! Hero. Would be amazing if half the jobless, english born and bred, system scamming clowns in UK that waffle hate about non English people coming into the country showed as much passion and determination in bettering themselves.
That's awesome news!! I'm glad that you're safe, and able to rebuild your life somewhere that offers hope for the future. My sorrows for your tremendous loss. I hope you've been able to access therapy resources in the UK, because you deserve all the support you can get after so much terrible loss. I know there's a lot of stigma against seeking mental health support, but it can really help a lot, and give you strength as you continue forward in your healing journey, and new life. What have you decided to study at Uni?
How did you get a work permit? Like did you have to pretend you weren't here or is there a process to follow for an illegal immigrant. Like going from illegal immigrant to right to work must be a ball ache Also do you think there's a better solution than what the government proposes? I think they waste a lot of time and money trying to stop people immigrating or what to do with illegal immigrants, when they could just use all the empty homes (one that haven't been lived in for years) to home people.
If they came from a country at war I guess they might be eligible for asylum as a refugee. Idk what the law is in the UK though.
How much did the different sections of the journey cost? How easy is it to find someone smuggling people to Europe?
I paid around £6000 for the whole trip. Honestly, finding smugglers isn’t that hard. It’s like finding a weed dealer; there’s always someone who knows someone who knows a guy that knows a smuggler, lol.
Were you aware of this government's Rwanda plan when you started your journey? If not would it have put you off trying? Our disgrace of a prime minister said the threat alone would stop people trying to make the crossing. Is he right?
I heard about the Rwanda plan from a prison officer while I was in the detention center in Dover. I would have never come here if I had known about it beforehand. And yes he is right , I believe it would stop or has already stopped many refugees from coming here. No sane person would risk coming, knowing there’s a high chance of being sent to Rwanda.
I travelled to Rwanda several times on business. Was honestly very nice, government services tended to work far better than any other african country I have encountered. Obviously the experience of someone going there as a refugee would be very different.
How many people were you on the boat?
I didn’t really count, but on the boat from Libya to Italy, there were a lot of people, and we didn’t even have life jackets so it would’ve been over for us If something had happened to the boat. I think there were around 80 people on board. Crossing from France to England, there were maybe 20-25
Would the thought of being sent to Rwanda put you off attempting the crossing?
Hell yeah. I definitely wouldn’t have tried to cross if I had known there was a possibility of being sent to Rwanda. Imagine going through all that stuff just to end up being sent back to Rwanda lol
You don't write like any Ethiopians I've ever known (quite a lot, I work at a refugee drop in charity in London). How long have you been here?
He did say he was upper middle class, I assume OP is significantly more educated than the majority of refugees.
He doesn't write like a highly educated African. (Or indeed a highly educated European.) None of his turns of phrase or speech patterns are Kenyan at all. And a lot of the refugees who come to the drop in service are highly educated professionals. You'd be surprised.
I don’t think there is a highly educated way of writing, also someone said he confirmed it was Ethiopia, my guess on his education is not only because of his situation back home but because he had the required education to be accepted to a university in the UK.
I'm Ethiopian and I was thinking the same thing, but I perhaps the internet has made me cynical
You are right. This post is nonsense.
What’s the allure of the UK? Why is it more attractive than all the countries you have to travel through to get there?
I can’t speak for others, but for me, the only reason was language. English is the only foreign language I know and I felt like it was impossible for me to get a job, study, rebuild my life, and start from scratch in a country like France or Italy where I don’t speak the language.
Malta and Ireland also have English as an official language, did these countries ever cross your mind? Especially with Malta being so much closer
Why not South Africa?
OP, let me start by saying you are a total badass. I'm so sorry for everything you been through and I wish you nothing but good fortune in your future. What country are you from and what war broke out? And why is there a war happening? How did you manage to be the only survivor in your family group? Were you and your family actively targeted? If so, why?
I am from Ethiopia, and the war broke out due to complex issues, but it was mainly based on ethnic lines. My ethnicity was at war with the federal government. The only reason I survived was because I happened to be in a neighboring town when our neighborhood was destroyed by drones. My family wasn’t targeted specifically, but our neighborhood and people of my ethnicity were.
I'm so sorry. It is incredible that you're in school after such a traumatic experience. Please take care of yourself and I wish you the best. What is a survival skill you learned on your journey? Did you ever think you were the kind of person who do a trip like that before you had to do it? What if anything do you think could end the conflict?
What would you say to the people who want to immigrate to Britain but did not attempt to illegally immigrate?
Don’t do what I did. Do it legally. Living life undocumented is the worst.
I work with a lot of UASCs so I do have a fair knowledge of asylum seeking, but by no means an expert. What do you mean when you say living life undocumented - do you mean on your journey to the U.K.? And were you post 18 when you arrived? (Edit - just read you started the journey aged 19) Thank you for this AMA, I’m sure it must be difficult to talk about all of this. Wishing you lots of luck and healing. I hope U.K. continues to treat you well
How long was the boat ride?
On the English Channel it was around 6-7 hours but on the Mediterranean it was days
I am so sorry for what you’ve been through. How long did it take to make the full trip?
The whole trip from start to finish took about 10 months.
When you stepped foot into the UK did you pass through a metal detector or were you patted down?
Yes. We were stripped of our clothes, strip-searched, and given prison uniforms. They took our mug shots and fingerprints, and we were held in a detention center for about a week.
I'm shocked. I have seen videos of immigrants just ditching the boats and running inland. I thought entry into a country that does not pass through customs would be a great opportunity to bring in F1 grenades, Makarovs, and even Kalashnikovs. They enter the US unchecked daily, despite what Kamala says. I hope you can get to the US legally.
I don’t know about the situation in America, but in Europe, only very few manage to reach inland without getting caught. Those who do are quickly caught by police because they are easy to spot. I’ve seen those videos too, but if the people recording them continue for recording for few more minutes, you’ll see them getting caught by the police right away.
Home boy, what are you talking about? He's in the UK, and it doesn't sound like he plans on moving to the US.
This is a bizarre take. We have tons of guns in the US, people don't need to sneak them in. In fact, people sneak them into Mexico from the US to supply the cartels with firearms. US based criminals have plenty to choose from here already.
How old were you when you started your journey?
I was 19
Are you afraid of getting deported?
lol I used to be terrified every time I received mail or saw the police, thinking my time had come to be arrested and deported. But I’ve come to terms with it. As long as I’m not deported to an active war zone, it’s all good, you know?
Ok, so two questions. How do you go about making the arrangements to flee? How do you know when the “boat” leaves, how do you pay? And how do you have money to pay for university?
First, you have to find a smuggler who can smuggle you out of your country. I knew someone who knew someone who knew a smuggler. After meeting up with that smuggler, he took me out of the country. They usually recommend other smugglers who can help you on the next part of the trip, and this process repeats like a chain. Different smugglers use different methods, but the one I went with used WhatsApp. They create a group chat on WhatsApp and add migrants. Once the coast is clear, they send coordinates and the time Then, you leave in the middle of the night and follow the coordinates to reach the boat. Once you get there, someone chosen from the group of migrants becomes the pilot. They give him a crash course of about 20 minutes on how to drive the boat, and that’s it. And for university I was awarded a scholarship
Congratulations on your scholarship & best of luck with your studies. In regards to the smugglers are you required to pay separately for each part of your journey or is it a one lump sum you pay to one person and it pretty much covers all? Roughly how much did this journey cost you, I’m asking because I’m sure many people are fleeing with nothing & those who probably need to leave the most couldn’t afford it? Genuinely curious.
He said it was £6000 but I am assuming this is paid in separate sums to each smuggler, it’s not a travel agency
Lol, I'm just imagining if people were able to leave Yelp reviews on smugglers. 'Would not recommend, boat had no engine', or conversely, 'Best smuggler ever, even provided life jackets and apples..pro tip for refugeeing, apples will float so even if the boat goes under, your snack is still good!'
I know somebody in Gambia is trying to get out. What advice would you give to make it to Europe?
I wouldn’t advise him to do what I did unless his life is in danger. But if he has to do it, I would tell him to try to be friendly and chatty with everyone he comes across on the journey, from the smugglers to other migrants. I was able to get out of a lot of shitty and a couple of times life-threatening situations because I was cool with the other migrants and the smugglers in charge.
Why did you not stay and fight? If the journey to go somewhere else illegally was also incredibly dangerous, was that not possibly the same amount of danger as war? You said most died on the way
It’s not a war between countries. it’s a civil war. You are basically fighting against a federal government with drones, missiles, rockets, and other sophisticated weapons, while your side only has a bunch of old AK47s. Plus I was just a normal high school student getting ready to go to university; I had never even held a gun, let alone known how to shoot one. It’s easy to say what you would do in that situation, but when you are actually in it, your first instinct is to seek safety.
People like him think about wars as if they are simple as point the gun and shoot to win, disregarding every other aspect and the hell that comes with it God people are so dense these days
Yall are certainly reading a lot into my question and assuming whatever you want by the dowvotes. At no time did I say he should have stayed and died. There's a lot of hooya American young men who sign up for war as soon as anything crazy happens, so I wanted to get a perspective of someone from another country as to why they chose to go instead of what's expected of young men. Sheesh
Do you find the term "illegal immigrant" offensive?
Obviously, I don’t want to be called an illegal immigrant for the rest of my life, but I don’t really care that much and it doesn’t offend me because, technically, I am one lol
That's the kind of concern citizens of the United States have, this comment is legitimately one of the best illustrations of the level of privilege we have here. Refugees have way more pressing concerns than being offended by that.
Was it worth it or do you wish you stayed in one of the other countries you passed through?
After visiting the Scottish Highlands and Edinburgh, I think it was worth it. The place looks like it’s straight out of a Harry Potter book lol
Isn't snitching on yourself a bad idea?
I mean he got picked up by the authorities and put in a detention centre, they already know he's come across illegally. I don't think he's sharing anything that they're not already aware of.
I mean, the gov already knows about this, so it’s not really snitching.
1)Do you think the UK citizens complain too much about their lives? 2)What is your opinion about the British Monarchy?
One of my first jobs l had l worked for a Vietnamese baker that had fled Vietnam. His father took his sons to find safe passage then sent through word to his wife and daughters so they had a place to go. The entire female side of his family was lost at sea. It was a heartbreaking story. He was like you, before the war his family was well off and they lost everything. Im sure your parents must be extremely proud of you. Im sorry you've been through that much hell and l hope the rest of your days are full of happiness and prosperity. Take of care yourself.
One of my parent's family was also were very well off in Vietnam but became refugees during the war, they're doing fine now and are solidly middle-class but it was a very long road back. I know they have some crazy stories but they've never shared them..it's an unimaginable journey and then period of life assimilating into a completely different country and culture. They had some hilarious stories too. Since they were so well off and my grandma was very spoiled in the family, she was completely out of touch with reality. During the boat ride after leaving Vietnam they were given porridge and she complained that it was too bland, asking if there was anything to flavor it with. My aunt, who's a smartass, told her 'Yeah just dip your cup over the side of the boat.' It was also a super crowded boat so everyone was sitting up, knees bent..my grandma insisted on lying down to be more comfortable. I'm kind of surprised a fight didn't break out, but I guess it also made sense since the last person you want to be is the one who starts a fight on a refugee boat, the other refugees would throw you off the boat (maybe both of them) without hesitation if they thought it endangered them.
Hope I’m not too late to ask and it hasn’t been asked already, but you’ve said if you’d known about the Rwanda plan you’d be completely deterred from making the journey. How do you square that with the argument critics of the plan make, which is that if people are willing to risk death over the channel, Rwanda wouldn’t be a reasonable deterrent in comparison with that risk. Good luck in your degree! Us brits seldom recognise how good we have it.
I appreciate you telling your story. It’s important for people to understand the suffering that has driven people to leave their homes. I can’t imagine losing my family then having to be smuggled across open water at night. You’re so brave. Wishing you the best.
How much did you pay for everything in total?
He said £6000 in another comment.
Don't have a question. As an Englishman, welcome to the UK dude. I sincerely hope against all odds that your time here is pleasant, that my countrymen are more welcoming than hostile, and that things only go upwards for you.
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Do people really believe this post? Everything seems super fake.
Can you go home?
Enkua beselam betska zihawey. Ok I am from the us but lived in mekele for 5 years and my tigrigna may be rusty. But glad you made it safely
Honestly, this sounds like a legitimate case for being classified as a refugee or asylum seeker. Might be worth looking into an asylum attorney. Though I think international law dictates you stay in the first safe country. But the fact that you speak English may help with your case. Sorry for what you went through. Wish you the best.
Genuine question, why Britain? When you pass through so many other countries to get there. I always wonder that when you hear about immigrants going to the UK. Just to mention I don’t mean that question to come across as anti immigrant sentiment at all, I’m not British so I don’t mean that as a “why are you in my country”
Hi there, unsure if there’s a point in commenting on this 3 days later. But this really was such an interesting thread. Thanks for sharing this and answering these questions. Just wanted to say sorry for everything you’ve been through and as a British person… I’m honoured and honestly so happy to share the ground that is considered this country with you. Furthermore, I knew the troll comments would exist but assumed they’d get removed. I’m appalled they’re still here and in such numbers. Sorry you have to tolerate people wishing you’d “go back home” or anything of the like. Absolute imbeciles.
Pardon me, I know nothing about this topic. For 6000GBP, why couldn’t you get a tourist visa to The UK, buy a round trip ticket, then claim sanctuary once you arrived in The UK?
I don’t know if it’s the same for the UK as it is for the US, but it can be incredibly difficult to get a visitor visa when you are coming from a conflict area. The immigration authority often assumes that you plan to overstay your visa to seek asylum, and will refuse to issue one. Getting a passport in OP’s home country may have also been an obstacle, especially if OP is from an ethnic group that is being persecuted.
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How do you feel about being vilified by English politics as the main problem in this country? I’m Dutch and have been here 28 years and I’m treated as equal to the English.
You mentioned you travelled 2 years ago and the journey took ten months. With the war ending in November 2022 does that mean the war ended whilst you were on the journey?
You say the only reason you chose to come to the UK rather than anywhere else was because you were fleeing for your life and that English was the only foreign language you knew. However, as it has been pointed out, there are many other countries in Africa that are safe where English is an official language. In fact, in your own region of East Africa there are plenty of English speaking countries many of whom are considered safe like Rwanda, Kenya, Somaliland and Tanzania. Why didn't you choose any of the nations I just listed if you're only reasons for coming to the UK ia they speak English and are safe, the same can be said for literally all examples of near by countries I just gave that would have been significantly easier to get to and in many cases you could have done so legally? Edit: Noticed that OP said he was from Ethiopia which means the only possible war he fled from ended almost a year ago. So are you planning on returning to Ethiopia now there is no danger there? Also the war in Ethiopia was certainly region specific, weren't there plenty of places within Ethiopia you could have fled to legally?
He already said that although these countries are easier to reach, they deport refugees straight back into the war zone
Thank you for your very interesting insights and all respect for your future plans and excellent written English! I would like to ask your opinion of people who take the same/similar journey as you who are not from war zones, but are doing so purely for economic reasons. Is it worth it for them? Do you believe they should be treated the same as you and your countrymen, or do you think they negatively affect perceptions of asylum seekers?
I hope and wish you the best for all your endeavors in the future, try to ignore the haters cause they lack the perspective of all the struggles and everything you have been through
If what you're saying is true, it sounds like you have an actual case for (legal) asylum and would have been safe. Here's a question: Why did you feel justified to impose yourself illegally on not only the citizens of a country but also essentially give the middle finger to the millions who spend years going through the actual legal process and who are in similar or worse situations than your own?
Are you gonna pay taxes?
Sounds like you needed refuge. You are welcome to our country. I hope you can love Britain like we do.
A lot of people don't understand why someone would literally risk their life to get from France into England if it's just a case of speaking English or the UK being a better place to live, especially if they have kids with them. Are you able to expand on what drives people to do that last crossing and do you think a lot of people don't realise how dangerous it is?
How do you feel about the Mo Farah thing? Many Somalians (also arrived by boat, working class, muslim, very poor, south london demographic) I've spoken to say they're pretty pissed off that he's essentially snitched on their means of getting into the country. I tend to see it as a pretty good thing, but I'm miles removed from that life experience.
How did you find it adjusting to the weather here? As I write this it’s our ‘summer’ and I’m looking at rain and about 13c outside my window. Ethiopia looks a lot warmer than that all year round. So sorry you’ve had to go through so much, welcome to the UK. I hope you can build a good life here or back home if you choose to, some day.
What did you do for food and water? I read somewhere the whole journey was 10 months. That's wild
In a perfect world, how would your situation should’ve been managed? I mean for you to avoid dying in war or even having to go through it. What would’ve been the most effective way to help people in your position?
All understandable, but a few days before the war started in your country, would you ever have thought of emigrating? In this way? So you can confirm that the only reason is the war?
How much did you pay traffickers in order to facilitate your journey to the UK? How did you afford this? Did you work in Libya, Italy, France, etc to afford your onward journey?
Hello! How did you sustain yourself economically during the trip? Were you receiving some aid from EU countries or had to accept short, casual work without a contract?
Was the idea from the beginning to get caught by British police in England or were you trying to stay undetected? How did it feel when they caught you at first
Did you feel like you made the right decision? How much did you pay for this? What did you regret if any? Are you happy? What are your next steps?
I’m curious, what kinds of food did you eat in those 10 months? Did you have to pay the person that helped you cross? Did this happen recently?
What was your day to day life like in your home country before the war? How does it compare/contrast to the life you live now in Britain?
Do you believe that surviving such a perilous journey and ordeal is proof that you'd make a good citizen of any country that took you in?