A Mother’s Long Journey – II
The luck finally favors Suk Maya Rai, 31 of Jhapa-based Beldangi-II camp under Sector I/3-22 of seeing her children pursuing better and higher education, since she was resettled in Norway some months back.
The assurances given by the UNHCR before her departure from Nepal are almost met by the Norwegian government. “I have nothing to regret in opting for the option of Third Country Resettlement (TCR) but sometimes feel that I am bit late to come to this beautiful country”, says Suk Maya over a telephone conversation, which in her own words was to respond to illogical rumors in camps that she already committed suicide in Norway due to challenging life.
“Bhutan News Service (BNS) has a good public contact so please help me bring to public notice that Suk Maya is alive”, adds Suk Maya. Not to an exception Suk Maya also hammers with ‘irate’ words on the back of those elements responsible for floating such a fabricated gossip in camps.
Suk Maya’s hopes to begin a new life in Norway, in accordance with her interview to the BNS before heading towards Norway, seems reality-based ‘assumptions’ as she now feels more adjustable in the Norwegian atmosphere within a short span of time. One of the most-vulnerable and illiterate Rai’s families that reached Norway in January under the TCR program is the first-resettled family in this Northern European country having an estimated 99 percent literate population.
At a time when four of her children are going to a nearby school, Suk Maya and the eldest daughter seem busy attending language classes. Now, Suk Maya is at least able to answer Norwegians in their own language if they ask basic things such as ‘what her name is’ or ‘where have she come from’.
The challenging situation finally made Suk May’s family, where she is the leader after her husband had a second marriage, with her five children from 6-16 years old encouraged after the government managed them with a beautiful eight-roomed house. Suk Maya need not have to pay rental charge for this small-and-beautiful house, situated some 2,000 kilometers away from the capital city Oslo, until she is employed in a job completing her language classes.
Besides, the government has provided her family with 5,000 Krone (equivalent to US$ 980) per week to manage necessary expenses for living. Suk Maya neither has to bear the expenses for her children’s schooling nor does she pay for her language classes. “I am impressed with my children’s motivation and commitment towards their studies”, says Suk Maya, adding they are regular to classes and feel adoptable to the new setting.
“This amount is enough to run my family. We are soon applying for permanent resident of this country and when approved, the government will increase the amount supposed to be given to us”, adds Maya in a blissful style.
Suk Maya’s eldest daughter Sara, 16 says she enjoys learning Norwegian language. “It became quite tough at the beginning but now we have almost learnt basic techniques to communicate in Norwegian language”, Sara told Bhutan News Service while music on television continue playing on background. Sara immediately adds that she was just back to the room after her language classes and was watching a movie.
Suk Maya and Sara, who lacked experiences using mobile phones, now use it easily. The government has provided them with individual cell phones. “Is your cell phone’s caller ID screening my mobile number”, Suk Maya questions during the telephonic conversation. And, as soon she received the answer as ‘no’, she gave the number. “I think it would be better to note another number of Sara as well”, adds Suk Maya.
Despite having met all her family’s necessary requirements in this country, Suk Maya can’t stop making the tears roll down her cheeks when evoking her past days—either back in camps or inside Bhutan. Suk Maya cannot get updated on latest happenings in and outside refugee camps because she lacks skills in surfing internet.
“But I would be one of the first comers from Norway to return to my hometown Bhutan should the repatriation process starts under favorable condition therein with a guarantee of human rights and social security”, adds Suk Maya.
(This is a follow-up story. If you would like to see the earlier story on the same subject before Suk Maya’s departure to Norway from Nepal then please click at: A Mother’s Long Journey)