“This place there is no Friend here” ~ Santino (Close friend of Peter)

Peter Nyarol Dut was one of the ‘Lost Boys of Sudan’ chosen to emigrate to Houston in the United States of America in 2001 as part of the USA’s asylum program for refugees. Peter had hopes and dreams for a better life in his new homeland, which he felt was like going to heaven. However he faced many challenges as a newcomer to the USA and struggled with life in a new, strange country and to assimilate with people who are hostile towards him. Peter had to cope with a new living environment; he had to live in an apartment in a city when he used to live in a small hut in a community village, learn to use electrical appliances such as ovens, stoves, fridge, garbage disposal, and live in a black neighborhood where violence was rampant. He changed his dressing to look American by wearing baggy jeans. He had to adjust to American foods and to buy them in the grocery store and learn to use the transport system. He found that money ruled his life, as he needs money to pay rent, food, get a car and send money home to his sister.

Peter’s hardest obstacle was the language; although he spoke English people had difficulty understanding him because of his different accent. He felt isolated from the white people and African American people who don’t accept him because he has darker skin than the African American and their customs were different. He had to cope with differences in culture; for example, body contact between men is inappropriate behavior in America, whereas in Sudan they are used to holding hands. He had to live with social prejudices; white people think that all black people are violent, rough and gangsters. At his job in Wal-Mart, the manager put him to work getting shopping carts in the hot car park just because he was African and should be used to the heat.

Peter felt lonely as he did not have many friends and found it challenging to make a connection with the American people because of these differences. The reality of living in America is very different from what he had dreamed of in the beginning. He did not give up and was not willing to accept this difficult life.

Peter decides that he wanted a better life by getting an education. He moved to Kansas and enrolls in High School and at the same time he worked at night to support himself. He fought for his right to have a higher education; when he visited his guidance counselor to talk about taking the ACT exams, the counselor felt he was not capable because he was black. Peter showed him his written essay about his life that greatly impressed the counselor who then helped him. He made a greater effort to have new friends with American people and tried to adapt to the American way of life. He readily mixed with the Americans and learnt from them how they lived, their habits and culture. A friend from school showed him how to use the wheel in pottery class and also introduces him to her friends. He also joins the school basketball team and goes to parties with his friends. Peter's experience in high school, where he made friends helped him gain a place in an American community.