Two years ago, I became a father. My girlfriend and I had a son, and when we were at the hospital, a nurse came in and asked us what he was going to be called. We said something she understood as Mathias. She wrote the name down in Danish in the papers, and this is how he came to be called Mathias. I like the name, because it is used in Denmark and Eritrea alike.
My world changed in many ways when our son was born. I went on from being a refugee, who might return one day, to seeing Denmark as my homeland. Our son will grow up here as a Dane, and through him I have become more Danish. I make an effort to get to know the Danish system and create a life here in Aalborg for my girlfriend, Mathias and myself. But I still feel that inside our flat there is a small piece of Eritrea, while Denmark is outside. I build bridges between the two worlds by seeking knowledge about the society from TV, going to school and work. I have only just started at Tech College to train as an electrician. But I need an internship, so if you know any? I also work at a launderette, so I am busy from 8 am to 8 pm every day. It is a bit tough sometimes. But I still try to schedule it so that most days I can bring Mathias to day care on the way to school. Back in Eritrea, I was an anthropologist. It has given me a great interest in society and people, and this curiosity has helped me to get to know Denmark a lot faster.
32 / male / in a relationship / student / Aalborg / from Eritrea / came to Denmark in 2014 / residence permit 2015