The family was welcomed by most locals with indifference and occasionally violence
The family was welcomed by most locals with indifference and occasionally violence. Oscar’s eldest brother was attacked in a library near their first home.At primary school, Oscar was bullied and ostracised. He quickly learnt to speak with a local accent as a defence mechanism. It worked.”This kid in my school, he teased me, he keeps calling me names and that,” says Oscar “But I know a bit of Geordie now …
Y’all reet man!”With a cherubic face, ready wit and youthful cheekiness, Oscar is growing to become a very confident young teenager. He also has a natural footballing talent.Last year, he was selected for a Newcastle United youth training camp, winning medals for “most improved player” and “best attitude” His love of the local team is complete. Chelsea might have a billionaire Russian owner, “but we’ve got Alan Shearer, he’s a good striker”, says Oscar.At the Children’s Society project in the west end of Newcastle, Oscar is in his element He laughs and jokes He’s among friends and he revels in it. Here, surrounded by other young refugees from across the globe, he feels completely at ease.Around 50 young refugees attend the twice-weekly youth club sessions run by the project. They can surf the internet on its computers, play pool or table football, listen to music, dance, or simply play games.Regular trips are organised, allowing the children to escape their everyday lives. This summer they went on a National Trust residential weekend to learn about the environment, and took a trip to Flamingoland, a local theme park, which, said Oscar, was “cool”.Confidence-building sessions are also held, focusing on problems such as bullying and racism at school – an all-too-common occurrence for children who have already fled persecution.”Almost all of them experience racism,” says Roxanne Roknabedi, one of the project workers “It’s part of their daily lives. They worry it will affect their immigration status if they complain.”But despite all the family’s problems, Oscar has real affection for Newcastle.”I’m very safe here,” he says “But I don’t like the weather When the winter comes, I don’t like it It’s too cold.
In Bolivia, it’s hot, hotter than London.”The charity has made a vast difference to the whole Rodriguez family. “They help us being safe, being happy, the family happy,” says Oscar “And they work for us, for all of us They help us.”. Think the most exciting thing was finding the world’s oldest condoms,” says Vincent van Vilsteren. “They were in Dudley Castle and were made from fish bladders in the 1640s.