How do I pass my time?

Everyone who is an asylum seeker knows that it is not an easy life. If you have suffered violence your confidence is taken away and life is not the same as it used to be before you had to leave your country.

Many asylum seekers suffer from depression and post traumatic stress disorder. I am lucky that I am able to receive counselling from the Medical Foundation for the Victims of Torture. Every two weeks I go to see my counsellor, who helps me to deal with my trauma. I realised how much I need his help when he was away for a month and I became very downhearted. I was relieved to be able to see him again last week.

But another thing that has helped to give me more confidence and more structure in my life is the opportunity I have of volunteering on our local steam railway. Because I am a mechanic by training I enjoy the work of helping to maintain the engines – and the other day I was shown how to drive a locomotive. The other people who work there are very friendly and I look forward to the two days I spend at the engine shed.

Once a month I meet up with an MCC group for shared worship. MCC stands for Metropolitan Community Church, which caters for the needs of GLBT people.

When I can manage to, I get the early morning coach to London and attend the UKLGIG meeting where advice and support is given to gay, lesbian and trans gender asylum seekers in the UK. I find these meetings very helpful, and I do like the chance to meet other people in a similar situation to myself, even though it means catching an overnight coach home again – and being very tired the next day.