The reason I came here, to Reading? So many things have happened to me. Journalism in Honduras is quite complex because when you speak the truth you might fail or they can kill you; something beyond belief that happens. That is why all journalists flee the country. But that is not exactly the reason I came here.
A couple of years ago, in my area things had been very tough due to many ‘maras’ [slang meaning 'gang' from La Marabunta; roaring ants—friends protecting each other like ants] and gangs ruling the country and my colony resulting in daily deaths, massacres. I have seen in front of me the police fighting the gangs so I could not be there anymore.
A few years ago, my dad was outside the house when a car arrived with many hooded people. I thought it was the police. They entered a billiard hall almost in front of the house and began to shoot, taking the lives of all those who were inside, even the guys that were outside selling water, a guy in a motorcycle taxi. My dad was there and regretfully he too was shot and died.
Unfortunately, the anniversary when these 13 people died is tomorrow.
Regretfully, since then there have been other massacres - 5 people were killed; then another one, and so on constantly. A narco-state is practically running Honduras. And well, so many investigations carried out, so many massacres, deaths, and all.
In May last year, I went to the hospital as I was pregnant and waiting for my baby. And, well, the medical care is really awful in Honduras, it’s horrible. They insult you and treat you very badly. At my second hospital appointment, they were going to give me a checkup - an ultrasound of how the baby was growing and everything. Unfortunately, the care was terrible and they ended my baby’s life.
It was going to be my first baby … and I was 4 months pregnant.
I was shocked. I mean, I came for medical care, and was excited to see how my baby was forming and they killed him.
I was very scared to go back to the hospital. I was very scared and traumatized. Being pregnant in Honduras is chaotic. There is no medical care. Fatal.
I came here for medical help and, thank God, they carried out the medical procedure that I had needed following my miscarriage in Honduras. The truth is I did not even want to be near any hospital from Honduras. I did not want any health insurance because they treat you very badly. They treat you horribly. When I lost my baby, had the miscarriage and everything, I began to cry because I was in shock. I mean, it was to be my first baby and I was very excited. When I told them I needed medical assistance, they started yelling at me: “You look like an immature girl!”, “sit down”, “Why can’t you sit down?” No, because I want to know what happened to me. Don’t you see I’ve had a miscarriage? They treated me so badly instead of giving me support or, I don’t know, saying “everything is going to be alright”, or the baby… I mean, they did not give me any answers.
When I went to London, I bought a ticket and everything. I didn’t have any problems. I entered as a tourist, everything went well… Arriving at the airport, I didn’t really have any knowledge of anything, and the only person I could go to was my partner. When I called him, I asked him his postcode, thinking he would pick me up, but he just gave it to me and I had to get a taxi to take me - to my supposed partner’s.
I say supposed because I lived with him for a long time, 5 years in Honduras. When I arrived in London, at Kingston, he was living with his friends, two friends…
I stayed three days with him, but then he kicked me out. I had nowhere to go. Things that I don’t want to remember happened. I didn’t know where to go anymore. I was helpless. I was abandoned by the person who I’d lived with. He told me: “Search for another place, try to move along by yourself because you won’t have my support anymore.” He’d come here one month before me.
I was with my luggage on the street and didn’t know where to stay. I was going to sleep on a shopping mall street. I didn’t know what to do anymore. I had no family, friends, anything.
Suddenly, a Mexican guy approached me, saw me crying, asked what happened to me, and gave me his hand. He told me: “You can’t sleep on the street, you won’t wake up tomorrow, it’s too cold”
He said: “The police can help you. You can’t stay on the street. Women can get a lot of help. You can’t stay here”.
The police helped me a lot. They paid for a hotel for three nights and I left on the fourth day. They asked me if I had friends here or any family because they couldn’t keep paying for the hotel and gave me the option of going back to Honduras or asking for asylum.
After that, I talked to the guy who I’d lived with in Honduras. I told him to help me, just for this night, as that Sunday night they [the police] couldn’t help me because the three days of the hotel had already passed. The police had told me “try to look for another place just for this night”. I didn’t have an answer, I didn’t know what to do. I talked to the guy, he says: “I can’t, because I have a partner already. Find a way to solve it on your own”.
By then it was midnight, and I didn’t have anywhere to stay. Suddenly, one of the guys that helps out at a church called me and gave me somewhere to stay.
The next day, Monday, I went back to the police station and they paid for two more nights. After those two nights, they helped send me to Croydon to request asylum. This was January 12th.
At first, to be honest, I was little nervous. In London I would just walk, go out, explore, walking alone, exploring everything, but when I got here, I thought “now, how is the environment here? How am I going to use my cards…?”.
After so much happened to me, so many difficulties, sorrows, I didn’t want anything. I was very bad and Ernesto, my friend, has helped me in everything, in everything.
[What does she want to do when, if she gets, she stays in the UK.]
First, to study English a lot, to continue my journalism career, I would like to study for cinema. I love it.
[So let's talk about Oxford Road]
Super, it’s super, I love it. I love it a lot. Very good signs, respect. It is very clean. I like buildings that look historical, I always dreamed about being in a place like this.
