On a recent tour of the Joel Nafuma Refugee Center in Rome, I had the chance to see what life is like for many of the refugees who have fled to Rome in search of asylum. I learned that ‘seeking asylum’ is a term used for refugees who have either escaped or were forcibly displaced from their home country and are now seeking protection and safety in another. Upon hearing that, I was flooded with immense sympathy for all those in that situation. I can’t begin to imagine what they’re going through. But then I realized, at a core level, maybe I can. Every human has the same desires: to be accepted, to feel understood, and to find a place we can call home.
I feel like that’s what I’ve been trying to do since the moment I arrived in Rome for my spring semester. As excited as I was to come to Italy, I still struggled with feeling lost and like an outsider. This made it difficult for me to enjoy my time here. I wanted to go out and explore, but I also wanted to stay in bed and hide. It wasn’t until I made some friends here that I was able to relate to that things started to change for me. Once I made those connections and started engaging in work that I enjoyed, it was then that I finally started to feel like I belonged here. Like, maybe I could be happy here after all.
From what I saw at the center, it seems the same is true for many of the refugees too. When I first heard I’d be going to the refugee center for one of the Culture and Identity Envoy excursions, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I assumed, at the very least, that it would likely be a somber and disheartening experience. However, much to my surprise, it was actually the opposite! People there were smiling, having fun, and genuinely seemed happy to be there. It was beautiful to witness!
When refugees make it here, they usually have very little, if anything at all, left to their name. No one would blame them for feeling depressed or bitter, and maybe, when they first arrived, they were. Although there are still many hardships ahead of them, they’ve still found a way to be grateful for where they are and what they do have: a sense of belonging within a community. It helped remind me of how monumental the ‘little’ things in life actually are.
Now that they’re connected with the refugee center, they’re surrounded by people who care about them, as well as people who understand what they’re going through. They’re provided with breakfast each morning, access to clean clothes, a bathroom to use, and classes to improve their lives. They have the chance to learn Italian, practice their interviewing skills, and also learn how to sew so they can mend and preserve their clothing. What they’re really given, though, is hope!
Although times are tough now, they won’t always be. I believe things can, and will, get better! If refugees can find joy in their current circumstances, surely we all can! In fact, I believe that it’s by facing and overcoming adversity that we give our own life meaning. What makes it easier, and more worthwhile, is being willing to ask for help, connecting with others, and finding a way to contribute to your community. I hope we’re all lucky enough to find these in our lives!