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"Displaced" Podcast Review

By Natalie Moe //

This episode of the podcast "Displaced" focuses on the data behind refugee experiences, combined with personal anecdotes from a refugee to educate on what the reality of life as a refugee is like, specifically in America. The refugee hosted on this episode came from the Congo, and he explained that due to his affiliations as a political activist it was not safe for him to live in his country, so he had to make plans to leave his country as soon as he could. A concept they explained as an explanation for why so many refugees must come to America, is that sometimes those coming from countries with conflict cannot move to neighboring countries because the conflict spills over into those countries as well.

In the podcast, they explained that during the process of coming to a new country, refugees are often under extreme stress. First of all, they are most likely in a completely new place that they have never been to before. Additionally, they must go through the processes of registering to become a refugee, finding a job, often learning a new language, and finding a place to live.

On top of all of these stresses involved in starting a new life, the process to register as a refugee is very lengthy. This is where they provided estimates as well as the length of time it took the individual on the podcast to register. They explained that in most cases, you first must register for an appointment, this can take up to four months. Then after that you get an interview, which will take another few months. Then for up years you can be waiting to get rejected or approved to be a refugee. For the individual on the podcast, this process took him two and a half years.

In addition to these difficulties, it is harder because many refugees arrive in America viewing it as a land of opportunity, but the system and hurdles in place can make it very difficult for them to succeed.

I would recommend this podcast episode because it was very educational, giving lots of examples as to what life for a refugee may generally look like, both based on data and personal stories.

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