My Journey
by A Community Member, PA, USA
Read by Akita and Anu
I was born in a small village in the south of Bhutan. I was the Lhotshampas, Nepalese ethnic minority in Bhutan.
मेरो जन्म दक्षिण भुटानको एउटा सानो गाउँमा भएको थियो। म दक्षिण भुटानी नेपाली भाषी अल्पसंख्यक वर्गकी एक जवान नारी थिए।
I was brought to the camp in Nepal by my parents at the age of six months. We had a little food to eat and lived in the bamboo hut in the jungle.
मलाई मेरो बुबा आमाले छ महिनाको हुँदा नेपालको शरणार्थी क्याम्पमा ल्याउनु भयो। हामीसंग खानेकुराको अभाव हुन्थियो र हामी बांसको झुपडीमा बस्थियौ।
I went to school in the camp, up to the 5th grade. Then, I quit.
मैले क्याम्पको स्कुलमा पाँच कक्षासम्म पढे अनि छोडे, धेरै केटीहरु स्कुल जादैनथे।
After quitting school, I started doing some jobs like weaving and making hats, scarves, and sweaters to get money/wages.
त्यसपछि मैले सिलाई बुनाईको काम गर्न थाले टोपी, मफलर, स्वीटर आदि बुनेर पैसा कमाउन थाले।
When I was 25 years old, I was informed to leave the camp and come to the U.S., the country I dreamed of.
म क्याम्पमा २४ बर्ष बसे। पच्चिस बर्षको हुँदा मेरो सपनाको देश अमेरिका आउन भनियो।
It was a wonderful evening before the day I left the camp. Many of my relatives and friends gathered in my hut. We did not sleep the whole night. I was of course very happy, but sad of leaving my friends in the camp.
क्याम्प छोडने अघिल्लो सांझ रमाईलो भएको थियो। मेरा धेरै नातेदार र साथिहरु मेरो झुपडीमा भेला भएका थिए। हामी रातभर सुतेनौ। वास्तवमा म धेरै खुसी थिए तर साथी र क्याम्प छोडनु पर्दा दुःखी पनि थिए।
Early in the morning, at 6:00, I showed my pass and entered the IOM bus with my children and other Nepali people. I waved goodbye to the people in the camp. I did not cry, because there was nothing and no hope in the camp.
बिहान ६.०० बजे मैले प्रवेशपत्र देखाई मेरा नानीहरु र अरु मानिस सहित आइओएमको बसमा चढे। मैले हात हल्लाउदै क्याम्पका मानिसहरुसंग विदा लिए, म रोइन किनकी क्याम्पमा केहि थिएन, नत केही हुने आशा नै।
In the bus, I was only thinking about my children’s life and future in the U.S. I was sure that my children’s future would be bright, we would be safe, and we would get all the facilities. I was quite excited. We were happy to arrive in the U.S. Everything is different. The U.S. welfare gave us the food account and the bus ride pass. I no longer worry about there is little food for children. There is an apartment for my family to live. The apartment is all good here, warm here, and safe here.
गाडीमा चढेपछि मैले मेरा नानीहरुको अमेरिकामा सुनौलो भविष्य संबन्धी मात्र सोचे र मलाई विस्वास थियो उनिहरुको भविष्य सुनौलो हुनेछ साथै हामी सुरक्षित हुनेछौ र पानी विजुलीको सुविधा मिल्ने छ। म धेरै उत्सुक थिए। अमेरिका आइपुग्दा हामी धेरै खुसी भयौ। सबैथाक भिन्दै रहेछ। अमेरिकी सरकारले हामीलाई खान बस्न र गाडीमा यातायात गर्न गाडीको पास समेत उपलव्ध गरायो। मलाई नानीहरुका लागि थोरै खाना छ भनेर कहिल्यै चिन्ता भएन। हामीलाई सुरक्षित र न्यानो बस्ने बासको व्यवस्था थियो।
But there, in the camp, everything is just, just living only.
तर क्याम्पमा भने सबैकुरा बाँच्नका लागि मात्र थियो।