Romeo was 15 years old when he was forced to leave Afghanistan due to the persecution of his people, the Hazaras. They were being targeted by the Taliban, and so he had to flee his country to reach safety. His mother and three sisters are still in Afghanistan. It has been over five years since he has seen his family, and he says that he misses them dearly. Romeo has been transferred around Indonesia three times. For two years he stayed in Tanjung Pinang; then, he lived in Makassar for 3 years; finally, he moved to the Jakarta area around the beginning of July, 2019.

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One of the struggles Romeo has faced while living in Indonesia is the inability to work while waiting to be relocated. Refugees are not allowed to work and earn money while they stay in Indonesia. Another is that he is not supported by the IOM (International Organization for Migration), so he is struggling to figure out how to provide for himself. Currently, he is able to survive with the support of some friends.

 

Romeo’s hobbies include CrossFit and photography. In the future, he hopes to be a personal trainer. While he waits in Indonesia, he hopes to start training people at a park near his current residence. He wants to help people become stronger and have healthier bodies. When asked why he likes photography, he said that it is because when you take a picture and then look at it, it can tell a lot of stories. And when you look back on the pictures you have taken, they hold many memories you can reflect upon.

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He hopes to be placed in Canada one day, because he heard that the people are kind,  and that Canada is a beautiful country.