Visit to the Resettlement Centre for Refugees in New Zealand

Euniesther Vaurasi Room 17

Refugees are mothers, fathers, sons, daughters with the same hopes and ambitions as people around the world. But they aren't ordinary people. Refugees experience—horrific, catastrophic,tragic—events that cause them to flee from their home, leaving everything that they love. As an outcome, Glen Eden Intermediate Room Seventeen took a trip to go visit and observe the refugees staying at the Resettlement Centre. Subtle, hidden, quiet, the Resettlement Centre contains reddish-brown buildings with temporary homes designed for the refugees. As well as classrooms made to fit the residents living there. Only 1500 refugees are accepted from their country to New Zealand .

During Term one, Room Seventeen engaged in an inquiry project about immigration and refugees. We wrote three diary entries about immigrants of any ethnicity traveling to New Zealand. As well as writing about the different immigrants like Chinese, Dalmatian and Pasifika . Gratefully, our class was given the opportunity to visit the resettlement centre by Molly's mum Antoinette. Molly's mom has a high position working at the Resettlement Centre. I hope it wasn't difficult for Molly’s mum to let us have a trip to the centre, to learn more about the refugees. The centre is built behind a building far from the public road and eyes. Conveniently, this is ideal because the refugees can be safe and have privacy like it's their own home.

Anxiously, when our class arrived I felt overwhelmed and nervous to see all these refugees. My heart was racing. I didn't know why. Personally, I think it was the thought of how sad it was, how many horrific things that happened to these children. However, I got more comfortable as I started talking to them. There was this one boy named Aimen, who always seemed to like correcting others even though they were right, it was funny. When the children and our class went for a play outside, I saw so many smiles on the children's faces; I felt mellow, homely, comfortable. Feelings—gratitude and appreciation—swarmed around my body as it was almost time to leave the resettlement centre. I thought about what the refugees went through and how they must have felt; This made me humble. When it was time to say goodbye, I didn't want to. I felt too connected and homely to say goodbye. Overall I had an amazing time meeting the refugees. I would say my favourite part was probably playing with the children on the playground.

Refugees aren't ordinary people, they may look ordinary but they're not. Refugees go through so many difficult, horrific, terrible things that force them to leave their home. Having the opportunity to be able to meet the refugees, this experience was ecstatic. If I had the chance to do it again, yes would be the only word you would hear.

Lily Housley Room 17

Refugees are people forced out of their homelands as it’s unsafe. When a refugee decides to leave the UNHCR helps them flee their homes. They will find places that they can relocate. There are over 21 million refugees in the world today! In New Zealand there are around 35,000. The refugee centre can hold up to 260 refugees at a time. On Friday the 5th of March, Room 17 went to visit The Mangere Refugee Centre to learn about life as a Refugee in the centre. The Mangere Refugee Centre is a place where refugees will stay for up to 5 weeks until they can be put into a proper home. Every year New Zealand will take 1,500 refugees. In the centre, they have schools, apartments, a medical centre and a lovely cafeteria. In their school they mainly focus on learning English and preparing the children for a kiwi classroom.

The Mangere Refugee Centre started off as a WWII military camp before becoming an immigration hostel in 1953. It was renovated to become a Immigration reception Centre in 1979 to provide a program to help refugees settle into New Zealand. However, they did not start accepting refugees until 1987. Of course, settling into New Zealand isn't easy. Why did we go to the Mangare Refugee centre? We went to the Mangere Resettlement Centre because of our Term 1 inquiry. Our Term 1 inquiry was focused on the different immigrants in the 19th century. Molly, my classmate, her mum works at the centre and facilitated for our class to visit.

This experience was interesting and upsetting. These people have experienced things I will never experience. Some of them had witnessed horrific events before resettling. It was a privilege to be at this centre. Throughout the day I was having a mix of emotions. I felt tired and sad when we were watching a presentation, but happy while hanging out with the kids. Interestingly, they were all very friendly. They all looked very happy to see us since it was their first time meeting another school. While we got to hang out with the Refugee kids I felt happy to see that they were all happy and excited. They had been there for over a month.

Overall, it was a very interesting, yet grounding experience. Knowing what the process of being a refugee actually is, I feel happier realising how refugees get help after they leave. I enjoyed meeting the refugees and about hearing what they experienced. They all had interesting stories to tell and were very fun and kind. All of the kids were either friendly or shy. It was a privilege to be at the centre since school visits don’t occur. Truly, this was a unique place to visit. I would've never known about refugee centres if it wasn't for this trip. It is important to know about refugees.

Bibliography

Ben Schrader, 'Housing and government - Immigration barracks to workers’ dwellings', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/32388/mangere-refugee-resettlement-centre (accessed 15 May 2023)

NZ Red Cross (2023) Supporting Refugees

https://www.redcross.org.nz