Warsan Shire once quoted, “No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark.” This quote refers to refugees, as they are forced out of their homeland by foreigners because their lives are endangered. In the novel De Niro’s Game by Rawi Hage and the article “ ‘Torture, murder, fighting': Syrian refugee in Oswestry talks about the life they left behind,” the protagonist and the Syrian refugee both wanted to leave their own country. By fleeing, they faced countless challenges, such as escaping a corrupted warzone, starting a new life, and leaving their family members behind. The refugee crisis is a nightmare for those affected by it, as one must surpass numerous difficulties …show more content…
The sensation of living alone without the presence of any family members in a foreign country is disturbing, and often times one would wish to return back. In the novel De Niro’s Game, the protagonist got lost in the streets while navigating around and adjusting to the unfamiliar place. “I walked on, and lost myself in the crowds sitting in small cafes perched on the edge of the pavement. I walked on for hours, and no one looked me in the eye, though I looked directly at every single person who crossed me.” (Hage, Page #204). This section shows the difficulties of adapting to a completely new and distinct environment. Another difficult problem that Bassam and the Syrian refugee had to overcome was the language barrier. They both entered a new country with limited understanding of the foreign language and had to have the aid of others in order to meet their basic needs. Furthermore, it proves that they both require immense help of others in order to survive. Starting a new life in another country also brings up the need of money. The protagonist and the Syrian refugee were lucky in a way that they both had someone that was willing to give/lend them money. In Bassam’s case, he had an existing family member where he emigrated to, while the Syrian refugee had the money donated to him by friends and colleagues. However, as a result, both of them had to get use to spending less and to buy only what they