My dad and my mom left Congo in 1996 because of ethnic war, and I was born in the camp of the refugee NYARUGUSU in Tanzania. I spent all my life there before moving here.

I was one of the big fans of soccer in the camp of refugee and I was a soccer player too. My parent supports me to be a goalkeeper. I noticed I was too short to be a goalkeeper so I decide to be a player like others. One day when we play match, one of my friends told me if we were in Europe or United States this match it would be live on tv, and I agree with his idea. He did not stop there he continued saying:

“Life in the camp is the worst.”

I replied, “Why did you say that?

He said again, “We play soccer without eating nothing.”

I replied, “Your mom has no farm.”

He ignored me for that question.

After playing soccer, we went to the river to take shower. He told me, repeatedly, his exhaustion to live in the camp. His family got a chance to come here to the United States in 2016.
Later I called him and asked him, “What difference is there between camp life and the US?”

He said, “I really miss you. It is too cold here and I am not free to play because everybody stays at their house.”

I said, “Respect everything. Now you know the difference between a good life and a happy life.”

He said, “Say hello to all players in our team.”

We spoke many things. Later I went to the river again to play and wash clothes because tomorrow was school.

I got the chance to come to America too. I saw as he told me.

I called him when I got here. I asked, “You are already a big soccer player?”

He replied, “No, I was playing soccer at high school so now I am a big fan of basketball.”

I laughed aloud, and he asked me why I was laughing. I replied, “I thought you are already a big soccer player.”

He said, “I have no one to play with, all my friends play basketball.”

Now my friend is working, and he has already forgotten about soccer. What I found is a good place cannot buy happiness. Happiness lives in the heart and not in things.