Alor Akuei Alor
Age: 26
Region: Central Sudan
My hometown is Abyei In Bahr al Ghazal. My four sisters and one step sister are still alive. One of my
step sisters, one step brother, and four of my brothers have passed.
I knew about the war when I was young because my cousins were involved with the army and my uncle
was a sergeant. I went to military school where I learned how to count, write, and read. It was hard
because you had to study a lot.
I was eight and a half when I left my home. I moved throughout Africa a lot. My uncle and I drove
though Katoria, Rumbek, Torit, Kapoeta, Bor, Palptake, Narus, Kaktuma, Nairobi, Welda, and Ipo. In
Kakuma, I stayed in a house with my uncle for five days.
I came to the United States on November 27, 1993. I knew that when I came here, I would get a good
education and go to college.
I achieved my high school diploma and I am now earning a degree at Paradise Valley Community
College. I am studying business communication, computers, reading, English, and math.
The most difficult thing about living in the United States is that I don’t have my family with me. I hope
my family is still alive in Sudan. I want to do something good for my parents. It’s my responsibility to
know my parents still have a name.
What I like best about living here is that I am independent. I can make my own choices. I go to school on
my own choice. I am a happy camper. I don’t have to hear anybody tell me what to do. It is my life and I
control it. Although there is freedom here, people of colored people still face racism and refugees still
face discrimination for not speaking the language or being familiar with the culture. We should be
judged for who we are.
I would like to someday go home, resolve problems, and help my family, as well as finding a job. If I
return to Africa, I would like to be a basketball coach. I am a nice person so I can work with people
easily.