The 10 Pages:
10 Things You Should Know about Refugees
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In this e-book, we each want to share one thing that has changed our perceptions of refugees while being a part of PAGE. We have included 10 things you should know about refugees. We also created this e-book because we feel very passionate about equal opportunities for higher education. High school refugee students face barriers in pursuing college in the United States, and we want to alleviate some of the burdens by launching this e-book project.
**All proceeds from this e-book will help high school refugee students fund their college application process! |
Padlet Activity
Christmas Cards
Christmas Project Proposal for Afghanistan Refugees
How has your perspective on refugees changed since being a member of the PAGE group? What was your biggest “a-ha” moment?
One of my biggest “a-ha” moments since joining PAGE and learning about refugees is the fact that refugees help out in the community’s economy more than we think. After reading the “8 Things About Refugees” e-book, I got to understand how important refugees actually are in our communities. I always had this idea that refugees come to the United States or other developed countries to gain help and to obtain better status. Some part of that was not wrong, but I totally undermined the amount of help refugees actually were. It was crazy to me that refugees contributed more than $63 billion in tax revenues, which helps out the economy of the United States.
Before the PAGE group was introduced in my life, I always thought refugees were people from the middle east. I had a very conservative and ignorant view on refugees. However, after the PAGE group started and I was being informed about what being a refugee truly means, my mind was blown. I immediately felt so amazed and glad I could find out what refugees really were and that they are regular people just like all of us just with different conditions in their life. My biggest a-ha moment was when I found out that there are some famous people that I know (celebrities) that are refugees. I was so bewildered and happy to find out that there are so many refugees doing so many great things for the world. Refugees are people too and the PAGE group has helped me grow closer to the proper knowledge of refugees.
Until today, many countries have produced a lot of refugees. Refugees have a hard time with their lives-they have a lack of necessary supplies, they have to leave their home and sometimes they even have to part with their family. The book is a story about refugee children who overcome hardships and their hopes for finding a new home.
This book touched my heart by telling me about the lives of refugees. There are three children in the story-Josef, Isabel, and Mamound. Josef is a German boy running away from Nazis. Isabel is escaping from Cuba and Mamound is fleeing Syria because of the civil war. They have a lot of tribulations on their journey for the safety. The war takes a lot from them-their family and hometown. But they cannot afford to stop to cry because they know that if they stop their journey, their lives will be at stake.
The saddest thing is the fact that they are all just children-children who are supposed to smile and be happy with their family. However, the indifference and selfishness of the countries which don’t accept refugees are making it impossible for children to have normal daily lives like other children in the world.
This book made me think of many things, especially conflicts and refugees. Some people tend to generalize refugees and think that they are drain on the society. However, refugees are just like us-people who are living a normal life before being forced to leave their country. Especially now Afgan refugees are becoming a big issue globally, so we should think about the way to help them and accept them with open mind.
To refugees, I want to tell them I really empathize with their hardships and as the saying goes, ‘Every cloud has a silver lining’, their hard time will come to an end. Cheer up refugees!
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word, “refugee”? At first, I just considered refugees as poor people. They are unlike us, they lost everything; and since I am living such a nice life, I should help them. I guess deep inside my mind, I felt a sense of superiority to refugees. I told my friends and family how we should help refugees, out of sympathy. However, now, I am supporting refugees with empathy. I really try to understand how hard it has been for them, fleeing from their own country, and trying to support their dreams. Refugees are not different from us ; they just had bad luck. So in other words, I am living a nice life out of good luck. I came to realize this important but simple truth by an article that I read a few months ago. The article was about the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It was about a refugee athlete. His name is Aram Mahmoud and he plays badminton. “When I am playing badminton I can just have fun and forget any or all the problems I had before.” This quote really came to me. I realized how refugees are just people who have their dreams and goals. I felt ashamed of myself for separating refugees from me. However, I am going to change. I want to support refugees and be a friend to them. As people say, better late than never.
One of the most memorable moments during P.A.G.E was when Jenny told us about the refugee student she teaches. Honestly, I do not remember her name and what country she was from but I remember that her family came, however, her dad was still left behind. I do not remember what happened, however, it made me aware to always be careful about talking. Mentioning things that may seem obvious such as events happening with family and friends can hurt someone even though I had no offense because things that seems obvious to me can be something that is not obvious to others. Also, it was interesting to hear the cultures of her country. It was cool and interesting to look at the different colors and the designs. If there is a chance, I would also want to meet a refugee and talk with them. In sum, one of the most memorable moments during P.A.G.E meetings was when Jenny told us about her refugee student.
