Peter Ngor
Age: 24
Region: Southern Sudan
I was seven years old when I left home. I was living with my parents, but when we were attacked, I
started running. I walked to the border of Ethiopia and Sudan, and then to Kenya, where I lived for eight
years. Travel was difficult because I didn’t know where I was going. I thought Sudan was the only place,
but my elders knew better and I followed their lead. I was scared because I didn’t know if my family was
safe. While in Kakuma, I received a letter that my parents and sisters were in Nairobi, Kenya. My father
passed on in 1993, but my mother and sisters are still in Nairobi.
The best things about the Kakuma refugee camp was getting an education. It was also difficult because
there wasn’t enough water or food.
I came to the United States on December 4, 2000. I arrived here with my cousin. There were six in our
group that came to Phoenix. Catholic Social Services met us at the airport and showed us our new
apartment. I was a bit nervous because I didn’t want to burn anything with the electricity. The United
States is a bit different than I thought it would be. I thought everybody was Christian and there was no
crime. Sometimes it surprises me the way Americans dress, especially women. In Sudan, the women
must cover their skin, but here they do not.
I like the United States because I have independence and I can do what I want. The opportunities are
real. I’ve also learned that sometimes making a decision on what to do is harder than starting what you
want to do.
I am going to Gateway Community College and I want to be a physician’s assistant.