Archives (11th February 2018): A waiting game continues

01/12/18 02:55

Tahir’s interview with the Canadian Embassy is done, and now we are waiting for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to get in touch with him and invite him for the medicals. We hope it will not take too long, but there is no indications on when we should expect it. All this waiting gives me a major stress. Even though I am aware that his case appears to be optimistic, I would really like it to be over, the soonest possible. Tahir’s life has been in a mess for so many years, and he deserves that things will turn around and that he would be able to become more independent, and in charge of his own destiny, rather than needing to make compromises that limit his aspirations. Tahir is okay here in Thailand, and there is nothing that he misses, when it comes to daily, basic needs. However, this being written, his situation does not allow him to develop his professional skills, or to fully follow his dreams. In a way, he lives in a golden cage, where he survives comfortably, but is not fully in charge of his destiny. This is not an easy situation to be with for anyone. Yes, I know that many people - also here in Bangkok, including his own community, are in a much worse situation. Nevertheless, I dream for the day to come, however selfish it sounds, when he is granted his right to settle in Canada and his refugee ordeal is over. I will miss him terribly, but will also be the happiest person on earth to see him taking the plane destined to Toronto.

The other day, I was thinking about his potential prospects in Canada. If he makes it there, it will surely be exciting, but also difficult. Settling in a new country is always complex. Surely, there will be lots of exciting experiences: learning new culture, meeting new friends, getting to know his new country. But then, there will be frustrations too: needing to catch up on so many levels, needing to make decisions on how involved he wants to be with his community versus embracing and opening to people from other communities and cultures, dealing with loneliness and homesickness. There may be financial worries, and many other challenges, Despite all these, I hope that he will be allowed to go trough all these exciting and frustrating stuff, free from a fear of hatred for whom he is, or he is not, not needing to worry about not being considered ‘legal’. He deserves it this privilege the same way that all the other human beings do.

So the waiting game continues, while we keep our hopes for his future high.

On another note, I am preparing for my work related travel to Mongolia. I will be travelling to Ulaanbaatar, and then to the eastern part of the country next Sunday. While in Mongolia, we will be looking at the impact of the project that we support and that is meant to help the nomadic communities of herders to better cope with severe winter weather hazards (known as dzud).

Updates and news

Archives (11th February 2018): A waiting game continues