Refugees From Home

When refugees are being forced out of their homes, their lives are turned inside out. When they find a new home or can return to their original home, their lives go back again. A universal refugee experience is fleeing your home and having to find and adapt to a new home and a new way of life. Ha is being forced to leave her home, and she has to find and adapt to a new home and a new way of life. This also means that Ha has to adjust her attitude if she hopes to adapt to this new life. Before Ha flees her home, she was very stubborn and outspoken. In the poem “1975: Year of the Cat” Ha says “But last night I pouted when Mother insisted one of my brothers must rise first in the morning to bless our house… I decided to wake before dawn and tap

They are being forced away from everything they are used to, and they have to adapt to a new life. For example, the article “Refugees, Who, Where, and Why” states: “Refugees share small huts that are made of tree branches, mud, and plastic sheeting. Food and water are provided, but they are rationed. A hospital and several clinics provide health care, but these are overburdened with many patients; most refugees are sick and malnourished when they arrive (Gevert 11).” This evidence shows us how refugees go from living in normal houses and having food and water to having to share houses with others and their food and water being rationed. Most of them aren’t used to this, so their lives are being turned inside out as they try to adjust to this new lifestyle. “We climb on and claim a space of two straw mats under the deck, enough for us five to lie side by side. By sunset our space is one straw mat, enough for us five to huddle together (Lai 63).” The refugees have to share mats on the boat so there is enough room for everyone, and everyone has to cram together. Most of these refugees are used to living in homes that have enough room for their whole family, and now they have to deal with being crammed together on a

The “Children of War” article says: “How does life here compare to life in Bosnia? It’s good now. It’s not as good as Bosnia, but better than Croatia. I lived under Communism for 14 years. Nobody knew I practiced religion. And then suddenly they tried to kill me because of religion. Here, I don’t have that problem anymore (Brice 26).” Emir is saying how he would’ve been killed for practicing his religion in Croatia, but here in America he can freely practice it without having to worry about it. The poem “1976: Year of the Dragon” from “Inside Out and Back Again” says “This Tet there’s no banh chung… Mother makes her own... As with every Tet we are expected to smile until it hurts all first three days of the year, wear all new clothes especially underneath, not sweep, not splash water, not talk back, not pout. Mother thinks of everything (Lai 257-258).” Even though they are living in America now, Ha’s family still celebrates Tet. This is an example of them freely practicing their culture and religion in the United States, just like they did in