The Highs and Lows of Life in America

From the documentary "The Lost Boys" thousands of boys were forced to leave their homes, forced migration, because of a fierce civil war between the Northern and Southern parts of Sudan. Once at a refugee camp in Kenya the orphaned boys lived their lives there until their name was picked to be sent to America to start a new life. These boys were promised a better life where they can gain an education and make money to support their families back home, but once in America they don't find what they have been told to be true.

One of the Lost Boys followed in this documentary was named Peter. Peter was sent to America with no family to work and gain an education so that he can come back to Sudan to support his family. Once he arrived in Houston, Texas he shared an apartment with a few other Sudanese refugees. Peter found it very hard to live in this environment for a few reasons. First of all because the apartment was in a low cost housing area with only bear necessities. This meant that the area was very cramped which was especially hard for Peter because the area soon became very unhygienic. Another reason he found it hard to live in this area was because of the security. While living in the apartment the door was forced open by robbers and their money was stolen from them. Peter decided to leave Houston and go to Kansas where he would share a house with more Sudanese refugees but not only because of the living environment,

Peter also left Houston because he felt that he wasn't achieving what he was sent to America to do. First of all Peter was sent to America to gain an education. While in Houston Peter could not find a school to get into because of his age. Peter didn't have much money so he couldn't pay for college and was to old for high school but learnt that he could go to Kansas and they would be able to get a new birth certificate and get him into high school. Peter was also sent to America to make enough money so that he can support his family back home. When Peter was in Houston he had a job but it was a minimum wage job so he decided he needed more money so he went to Kansas to find a better job. Even though Peter was able to get into high school and make a little more money for his family back home he still had a very hard time adjusting to the culture.

Both Peter and Santino had a hard time adjusting to the culture but Peter found fitting in easier. Even though Peter found it easier he still had some problems. Once Peter moved to Kansas he made friends of different races and he also liked a girl from the US. Peter made some friends and was invited to gather with some of his friends, which were all Christian, who all participated in a religious gathering but Peter found it hard and decided not to participate. Peter also found adjusting to the American culture hard because he is unsure of how things work. He doesn't have a girlfriend because he doesn't know what to do but he does capture a bird for a girl he likes which would be a sign of affection in Sudan but the girl is confused about why he caught her a bird.

Though Peter is beginning to adapt to life in the US, he has yet to fully accustom to the new culture and lifestyle. Peter begins to find life easier and is beginning to become part of the US culture.