Refugee in Quarantine

My name is Hassan and I am from East Africa. For the past six years I have been living in Malta. I arrived in Malta by boat from Libya as a refugee. I have been granted asylum in Malta so I can study and work. I really like technology and am currently studying software engineering. I also enjoy sports (especially Mixed Martial Arts), music, history and traveling.

This is me a few days before we started quarantine. I am in Dingli, which is on the southwest coast of Malta.

Here I am days before the lockdown with some of the residents from our house.

I live in this house for students that is run by the Salesians of Don Bosco. There are about 13-14 residents and two Salesian priests. The Salesians are a Catholic-based organization that helps the youth and anyone who is in need of assistance, no matter their beliefs or nationality. I'm really happy about living here.

Drissa is one of the residents and is celebrating his 23rd birthday in the middle of the pandemic. Drissa is an LGBTQ activist.

Samatar is playing a game called Pubg. From the window, you can see a traditional Maltese balcony that is protected by the law. You can build or change the inside of your house, but you cannot change the balcony, whether you like it or not.

Father Savio, one of the priests in our house, is streaming a Catholic mass on Facebook, from the chapel in our house. Churches are now closed.

This road is called Triq-Rodolfu and it is in the town of Sliema. I took this picture during a weekday when it is usually packed with people and traffic. Since the pandemic started, it has been empty.