Interview with refugee student!

Our today’s interview is going to be with Palestine refugee Mehdi, who is

studying in our school now. He came here from the capital of Palestine as a
refugee with his family.
And now we are going to take a short interview with him, here in one of the
classrooms of our school. We are going to ask some interesting and serious
questions about his past life, to see how his life has changed.

Interviewer: So Mehdi can you tell us a little bit about yourself and about your past life?
So I was born in Palestine’s capital, East Jerusalem in a small house. In the past, I was not so
poor, my father was working as a mechanic and my mother was working in a pharmacy. Also I
don’t have any siblings. After I was 12 things started to get worse. A violent war started in
Palestine, which became large-scale. My parents decided to leave this country to escape
danger. After 2 weeks they could get a visa and we safely same here to Sweden.
Interviewer: How would you describe your past life?
Before the war it was pretty quiet, I was going to a local school. Everything was great there, my
education was excellent. We had some difficulties, but this did not prevent us from living in
peace.
Interviewer: So as I see you had a good life before, how did you feel after deciding to leave your
native country?
Well, it was really hard, all of my friends stayed there, I even don’t know what happened to
them. The government there is not even giving asylum to refugees. But I was not very sad, I
knew that I would have changes in my life, I was already ready for this! Yes, I was not scared,
but my parents were, perhaps because they were more worried about the future, they didn’t
know what will happen if we will leave our country.
Interviewer: Could you please describe how did you get here to Sweden?
So it was really hard to get here, really hard! But thanks god we have a relative, who is working
in the embassy in Palestine, through him we could get visas and tickets and could get here as
soon as we could. And also I see there are a lot of immigrants here in Sweden.
Interviewer: How would you describe your life here in Sweden?
It is pretty good. This country is very beautiful and clear, in a contrast with Palestine. And I am
starting to love it more and more! Now I am 15 and I am going to go to university after 2 years. I
could find here some friends here. Yes, it was really hard in the begging, we couldn’t get used to
this country. And it was tough for my parents for finding a job here, but I wish we are here to
stay.
Interviewer: I am glad that you are having a great life here, after tough times. Thanks for
participating in my interview! Goodbye!!!!

Interview by Jahid