We are originally from Congo but we lived in a refugee camp in Burundi for ten years. Leaving our country to live in a refugee camp was not easy at all. So, when we found out that we will be leaving the camp to come here, we were very happy.
The first thing we experienced here was the bad weather – we arrived in November and we couldn’t believe how cold it was here! This was different from where we were coming from.
I recently started working at a factory packaging food which gets sent to shops. I work mostly night shifts. I am very happy at work. I would be happy doing any job – but this is a good job. If I learn English, it would be great for me. If my English was good, I would be able to get another, more permanent job and do what I want freely. It is so important to learn English.
Back home we learnt some English but it was not a lot. I started going to an adult learning centre here but one day a week is not enough, but I will start proper English classes in September.
What is great about English people, is that they never laugh at you. They never laugh at me if I say something wrong in English. They tell me that my English is good and they encourage me to speak. So, I don’t feel shy about trying to speak English.
One of the things that makes me really happy is this house. Every time I sit here and I look at it, I say ‘wow!’ On top of that, seeing my children go to school makes me very happy.
Back at home, sometimes we struggled to get the food that we want – but here, we no longer have to deal with this kind hardship.