Name:Tesfalem Alai

Gender:male

Age:24

Area of study:sociology and social work - degree program

Career goals:To serve my poorest section of community and especially those part of society who experience long year exile and now are in acute need of rehabilitation.My primary goal therefore is going to apply the education i have gained throughout my academic career in the university in such
section of society.

Where I live:Asmara,the capital city of Eritrea,one of the smallest nation in the horn of Africa which had gotten its independence from ethipia afteer 3o years struggle.Asmara is a small town embelished by ancient Italian architectual buildings.Its historical buildings and monuments date back with the Italian colonization of the country for almost 50 years. My home location in the town is situated in its suburbs and i enjoy its beautiful clima and cleaness.

Where I grew up:I was first born in village and grew up in Asmara until i was 6 years old.Then i left to ethiopia due to the war in that period.So,I had passed my entire age in Addis Ababa,the town of Ethiopia.Therefore,I had done my elemntary ,junior,and secondary schools in Addis Ababa until I was deported by the ethiopian government in 1998.Since i had not completed my highschool in Addis Ababa,i had to continue my education in Asmara,from grade 10 and now i have been living in Asmara since late 1998.

My family:Fortunately, all my families are here with me and they were victim of deportation as I was deported.I have three sisters and two brothers and I am the second son to my father and mother.

Outside interests:Infact,i don't have per se that i consider my self to have a talent.But I do like to appreciate the art/works of other people and act to be like them.I enjoy chatting with different people and so loving Music.When I get break time,I also want to read fictions and other storytelling books.

How do I see myself contributing to society?:I am planing to have a detail study of refugee community especially when they are returned from exile after long years.I want to see these people are reintegrated and rehabilitated fully without problem.For this reason, I had chosen my senior essay title to be"Challenges to the rehabilitation and reintegration of Eritrean returnees from the Sudan".To do my study,I had to go to the place they are resettled and identify the major problems they are encountering based on their prioritization.And I found the course given by proffessor Nancy Farwell,i.e."Empowerment Practice with Reugees:Transitional Identities in communities in transition Eritrea,Horn of Africa,and the USA", very helpful to do my research.Thanks to her!