5 years ago, a terrible 21- year civil war ended in Sudan. This brutal civil war caused by many political reasons had first started in 1983, causing more than 4 million displaced people. Many tribes living in Sudan have suffered displacing, or forced migration. Among the people who were displaced, there were at least 20,000 young boys and girls who trekked all the way from Sudan to Ethiopia then to Kenya to seek refuge from the bloodthirsty war, fierce animals and starvation. These children are called 'The Lost Boys of Sudan'. Some of these 'lost boys' have gone through stepped migration, moving from the refugee camp in Kakuma where they lived for about 11 years to the USA to get an opportunity for a better life. To them, going to America was supposed to be a great blessing, as they would be getting all they dreamed of. Peter was one of the few "lucky" 'lost boys' who have been migrated to the USA for a better life and future. But to their dismay, their futures were still full of conflicts.
As he flew from Kenya to America, Peter was full of hope. He was certain that this place he was going to was a heaven on Earth. It was known to be a place full of hope, education and great opportunities. He would have a job, earn money to send to Sudan, receive an education and fulfill his dream. But soon, he realized that his dream wasn’t reality. When he arrived in America, he was hit with countless conflicts. One was money problems. Not all the lost boys who went to Houston, America, were able to get a job and earn money. But the ones with a job had very little pay, just enough to pay their rent and support themselves. Their lack of education made it very hard to get a better job with a higher salary. But they had to send money over to Kenya, because their friends at the refugee camp were suffering more than they were because of the lack of everything. They were desperately in need for money and were depending on the lost boys with jobs to help their lives improve. So Peter and the other lost boys couldn’t afford to use money in unnecessary things. But some people would rob their money from the boys or cheat on them because they didn’t know the culture well and weren’t very well educated. Another type of problem was in cultural differences. A lot of things that were normal back in Sudan were looked at in a different light in America. The boys had a hard time fitting into the stereotypes of America without giving up their own culture. Because of this, some boys rejected the American culture as they valued their own culture more but some boys gave it up to fit into their new world.
Peter suffered because of all the conflicts during his first few months in Houston, America. He also suffered money problems and cultural conflicts, experiencing a great amount of loneliness as it was hard finding real friends who could help him out in hard situations. Also, in Houston, he wasn’t able to get a free high school education, something he had always wanted. So he decides to move to Kansas City, where he could get a free high school education. In Kansas, Peter enrolls in a high school and starts his senior year. In school, he makes new friends whom he can trust. He also starts going to church, where he meets many more people who he can depend upon. He slowly starts fitting into the American culture and finds a level where he can balance both cultures so that he fits in but doesn’t forget who he really is.
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