S.'s story, Ethiopia
My dream is to study. Studying is my life.
Hello! What is your name, where are you from and how long have you been here in Romania?
I am S., I am from Ethiopia. I have been in Romania for two years*.
*CNRR NOTE: S. arrived in Romania in 2019. The interview took place in 2021.
Why did you leave Ethiopia? What happened there?
I left my country because of my religion. It affected me personally, being a Christian and living in a Muslim community. This is the reason why I left my country. I am referring to the extremist groups in the area, not the entire Muslim community.
Are you Christian?
Yes, I am an Orthodox Christian and I come from an area where Orthodox Tigrayans traditionally tattoo a cross on their foreheads. I have this cross tattooed on me and because of this, all those who hate our community know exactly where I am from. This has made living in my country very difficult. I left Ethiopia because of persecution.
What is the situation in Ethiopia right now?
The situation in Ethiopia is very bad. A genocide has been committed against the minority Tigray population. Ethiopia, one of the largest countries in Africa, is collaborating with foreign enemies such as Eritrea, Somalia and others to commit a genocide against minorities. At this point more than 10,000 people have died.* I don’t have the right words to explain… people are starving. Humanitarian corridors are closed… starvation and rape are being used as weapons against the Tigray population.
*CNRR NOTE: The interview with S. took place in 2021. Meanwhile, it is estimated that the war in Tigray has killed up to 600,000 people.
Have you managed to contact your family members who are still in the region?
I have not contacted them in the last hundred days, but I know that one of them fled to Sudan, and one of my cousins was killed by Eritrean troops in Ethiopia. I have no contact with them, but my city is being destroyed and bombed by Eritrean troops.
What were your first impressions when you arrived here in Romania?
I came to Romania in the winter, when there was snow. I was impressed by the snow, because Africa is mostly an arid area. I was also impressed by the kindness, solidarity and hospitality of the Romanians. This is what I discovered about Romania and it impressed me.
That's great to hear. I know you've traveled a lot around the country, tell us a little about the places you've visited here.
Yes, I've traveled to many cities in Romania. First I went to Galați, a beautiful city, with beautiful people. They took me around their villages, invited me all the time for bottles of wine on weekends. They helped me not only financially, but also morally. Brăila and Galați are close cities. I was also in Iași for a few days and in Ploiești. I was also in Prahova and at the saltworks: a wonderful architectural and historical place. I worked in tourism and in Băile Herculane, Orșova, Severin. I've been to several places, but right now I can't remember them. However, I like living in Timișoara, it's a beautiful city and now it's my favorite.
That’s wonderful. Tell us about your professional experiences, please.
I studied electrical engineering, but in Romania I did unskilled work. I worked in construction, in hotels and in gas stations.
What were your studies in Ethiopia and in what field?
I studied electrical engineering and computer science in Ethiopia, but I left my country without documents. I don’t have my degree with me at the moment and I can’t get a job here. I tried to enroll at the University of Timisoara, but I don’t have a degree recognized by the Ministry of Education, so it’s not possible for me to continue my studies.
So, you weren’t able to continue your studies here in Romania because you didn’t have your original degree. Can you help us understand a little better why refugees face these challenges in terms of bringing documents and having them recognized?
What people don't understand about the refugee situation is that they left their country to save their lives, they left because of persecution. When they leave, refugees only think about saving their lives, they don't think about taking all their documents with them. I personally left all my documents. I have nothing. I try to explain this to the people here, but they don't understand, because they see it as an illegality.
Apart from the ones mentioned, you probably faced other difficulties and challenges. Please share some of them with us.
Inspectorate rejected my case. I was very scared, because if I was sent back to my country, I would be killed. I have nowhere to stay there and my family is in danger of death. Being an asylum seeker is very stressful and you always feel the fear of deportation. You don’t sleep well and you have to keep your morale high all the time.
I appreciate the fact that AIDROM and CNRR encourage us, help us, advise us on what to do. I appreciate the Romanians because they understand my situation. They help me more than the government does.
Tell us a memory you have from your experiences here in Romania, please.
I remember a lot of things, but some of them are my experiences in Galați, where I used to go to church on Sundays and holidays. The priest would sometimes take me with him to the church and cemetery in the villages. We would celebrate together, and they were very impressed, because I was the first black person they had seen face to face. They took me inside their home, gave me a bottle of expensive wine, paid for my food for days at a three-star hotel. I was very impressed. This is one of my most beautiful memories. I respect these people very much. They are special to me, they are my second home. I am certainly proud to say that I am from Galați. A kindness that you cannot find anywhere else in the world – this is the special thing that I found in Romania.
You probably have dreams and hopes. What do you focus on to stay optimistic, what thoughts do you have about the future?
My dream is to study. Studying is my life. I want to study computer science or electrical engineering. I want to volunteer, participate and help people, but now I am vulnerable, so my dream is to continue and study and build a life for myself in Timișoara.
Thank you very much, S.! Thank you for this interview.
This story is part of the “Human Stories” collection, which illustrates the voices of refugees in our country and their unique experiences. The interview was audio recorded in 2021. AI illustrations by Alexandra Chilom.