Bergum Mottak

My experience with refugees, through a weekly visit to a refugee camp, has been a unique activity.

I will always remember my first visit to the camp; a slap from reality inside the good-looking Norwegian society. Refugees defined it as a prison; in technical terms, it hosts refugee claimants that wish to be accepted by Norway.

Our commitments there range from English lessons, table-games, outdoor sports, or simply talking. This is how I got to know about their stories: from Afghanistan, Iran, and Armenia; of around 17 years of age; arriving to Norway after moths travelling.

For us, it is a challenging and shocking activity that requires a big effort, especially emotional, by keeping the enthusiasm and good humor throughout the hardest moments.

However, the reward is always greater: seeing these young men having fun with a basketball game, the confidant smile of a woman while you play with her kids, or having a girl on your lap while you teach English through the drawings of a book, is not comparable to any effort that we can make. It has also helped me to become a more confident person, sympathetic and appreciative with the luck that I had in life.