I met a refugee from Eritrea

I've not been well so have been hiding under the covers the last few days but am finally ready to share my story from Wednesday!

I was in Manchester and called for a car to take us back to the train station.  Driver collects us (three of us) and one my colleagues asked where he was from.  He said a small country in East Africa called Eritrea.  I said, "Hey, I know you guys.  You are the only other country in the world who gets taxed on worldwide income other than the USA."  He and I had a laugh.  He asked what I knew of the country and I said my knowledge is very elementary and basic.  Same colleague asked how he came to live in the UK.

Well, then I finally heard a story from a refugee.  He decided to leave and saved as much money as he could, left with the clothes on his back.  Walked for 6 days to Utopia.  Took 32 days to cross the desert of Sudan.  Various transport of planes, trains, and automobiles before finally making his way to Calais.  He crawled into the underbelly of a lorry crossing to Dover and made it to the UK.  Applied for political asylum and was granted it.  He has been in the UK for 12 years (iirc) now, has a wife, and three British born children.  His parents and siblings are all still in Eritrea.  Just an incredible story.

He then asked about my story and I said "Came for work as a skilled worker, met a boy myself, married now with two kids.  Cost me about £7,500 to stay here."  He thought MY story was crazy.  LOL!  But all of us in the car had a good laugh about how he and I are dirty immigrants mooching off the system, when in reality we are both hard workers giving back to the economy.

Anyways, just wanted to shared my feel good story about a refugee who escaped a politically corrupt country, literally risked his life for a better future, has it  - and is working his tail of to give his kids a great life.   

Beautiful.

That is a nice story.  I bet hiding under a truck must have been terrifying. 

That is a nice story.  I bet hiding under a truck must have been terrifying. 

And that was just a tiny piece of the story!

One of my friends in the US was the child of Cambodian refugees who resettled in the US. Her grandparents and other family didn't make it out, she wasnt born at the time. Hearing the stories are just... Unbelievable. I've always felt the world needs to do more for people fleeing violence & instability. I'm glad your driver was able to make it to safety and has found a better life here

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Amazing! Most of us have no idea what people like him have endured. We've all got it so easy. Bless him! And I'm so glad the UK government gave him political asylum. He is brave for doing all that he did to have a better life and I believe he deserves it. Thanks for sharing this. It inspires me. 

I've seen a few programmes about the realities of immigrating somewhere as a refugee.  These people go through incredible hardship for a *chance* of being able to live somewhere safe.  And oftentimes, they are forced to leave immediate family members behind in the place they are escaping from.  Their stories are humbling; thanks for sharing his!

Also, regarding Eritrea and taxation, that's the main thing I know too.  I bring it up whenever anyone is surprised that the US taxes on worldwide income for citizens, even totally non-resident ones.  Wow, are you the only ones?  Nope, we share that privilege with Eritreans.

What an amazing human he is.  Thanks for sharing that story. The world is sh*t at helping refugees. 

Late to this thread, but sounds like you got to hear a really amazing story Makes you really appreciative of the things you have when you hear from people in those types of situations.