By Michela Gritti
For Abdullah O. El Bohessi, 21, the trip to Pembroke was more than a move. It was a long and difficult path toward safety, education, and a sense of purpose.
Abdullah grew up in Gaza, a small city by the Mediterranean that he describes as crowded, busy, and full of resilient people. Even though it is one of the most densely populated places on Earth, with about 2.1 million residents, “Life is like nobody is a stranger,” he said. “Every street you go, you know somebody.” Families are close, neighbors rely on one another, and people make the best of limited resources.
That closeness, he said, comes from living with constant difficulty. “From the time we are born, we are exposed to struggle and war, and that’s what made us closer,” he said. The Palestinian Territories were occupied in 1948, when many families, including Abdullah’s, were forced to leave their homes and villages. His family is originally from a village called Al-Sawafeer, which was depopulated during what Palestinians call “the Catastrophe.” His grandfather was displaced to Gaza, where he rebuilt his life and started a family. Later, in 1967, both Gaza and the West Bank were occupied.
Today, Gaza faces deep economic and environmental challenges. The economy depends mostly on agriculture, fishing, and small industries. Since water is essential for agriculture, the Israeli policy that limits water use has a heavy impact. “We literally have a quota for water,” Abdullah said. “But people still manage to adapt and make the best out of what they have.”
He describes Gaza as a place where even basic freedoms are limited. “It is like an openair prison,” he said. “Even the number of calories allowed into Gaza is monitored and restricted.” Gaza has no functioning airport, and travel requires special permission that is often denied. “If you want to travel, you need permission. You cannot just go for tourism. You always need a reason,” he said. The airport was bombed in 2001, and with no trains, people can only leave through Egypt or by passing north through Israel.
In 2019, Abdullah came to the United States as an exchange student for his junior year of high school. He lived with a host family in Rockingham, N. C., without knowing that they would one day become his safe harbor and his path to survival.
He was in medical school, studying to become a surgeon, when everything changed. “I was planning on going to the beach with my friends,” he said. “I woke up not knowing anything. People were screaming, and there were bombs. My friend told me to watch the news.” It was October 7, 2023, and war had just escalated.
Leaving Gaza can cost between five and twelve thousand dollars, money most people simply do not have. Only a few students, patients, or people with sponsorships can escape. Abdullah was one of them. “I had randomly filled out a form asking for permission to leave and never thought they’d accept it,” he said. “Five months later, I got the call.”
He was given only eight hours to prepare to leave for Egypt. With his family struggling to survive, he had no money to make the trip. His only option was to reach out to his American host family. “People from Gaza are stubborn and hate asking for help, but I did not have another choice,” he said. His host family immediately stepped in, sending him money and supporting him during his months in Egypt.
“The time I spent in Egypt was the worst of my life,” he said. “It was like wasting your life for nothing. From March to December 2024, I was living there doing nothing of value.” As an undocumented resident, he could not work. “People from Gaza love to be self-reliant. We do not want to ask for help, but I could not do anything there.”
During his exchange year, Abdullah had visited UNC Pembroke, where he met Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings. When he later returned to the United States, the chancellor encouraged him to apply to UNCP and to seek scholarship opportunities. The admissions office evaluated his transcripts from Gaza and was able to transfer his previous academic credits. Abdullah was also fortunate to earn a merit-based scholarship that helped cover his educational expenses. He said he is deeply grateful to the people who helped make that possible.
Even though this was his second time in the United States, it still felt like a cultural shock. Back home, electricity was limited to just four hours a day. After the war began, there was none. “Even just seeing the streets here was crazy,” he said. He recalls walking for miles to find clean water, sometimes having to drink dirty water when there was no other choice. When fuel ran out, people burned trash or plastic to cook canned food. “You realize that life is really unfair,” he said.
The health system in Gaza has collapsed, making medical care extremely limited. Abdullah said he lost many people, including both his grandmothers, because they could not get the help they needed. Many civilians lost their homes and now move constantly, carrying everything they own in a backpack. “Some people sleep on the street. Some sleep in tents, others in empty shops, and some even in graveyards,” he said
Keeping in touch with his family is difficult. Internet access is controlled and can disappear when the infrastructure is damaged. “Sometimes they bomb the main internet provider, and we have a blackout for a long time,” he said. “I just rely on WhatsApp. If I see two checks, I know they got the message. If I see one, I just pray for the best.”
Money is also a challenge. Banks and ATMs barely function, and no new currency enters. “People sometimes pay others extra just to get cash,” he said. Food is available but expensive, so families ration small pieces to make meals last longer.
Abdullah said that many Palestinians feel like they do not belong anywhere. “Everywhere we go, we feel like the world hates us,” he said. “We are being blamed for things we did not do, and that leaves us frustrated.” At UNC Pembroke, he said he has finally found direction again. “I have a goal now,” he said. “I want to keep studying and work toward a master’s degree and a PhD.” For him, education means independence and a chance to help others. He admitted that learning to ask for help has been hard, since in Gaza, people are taught to rely only on themselves.
Still, his host family continues to remind him that using the resources around him is part of moving forward.
He calls his host family his second family and said their love made everything possi-ble. “They are the main reason I survived,” he said. “Without them, I might have been bombed.”
Abdullah has also found support within the Pembroke community. He said students raised money to help his family move to a safer area in Gaza. “In less than two days, one girl and her community raised enough for them to transfer,” he said. That act, he added, showed him that small actions matter and that everyone can make a difference.
He said Gaza remains rich in culture, food, and music. “When I think of home, I picture family gathered drinking tea at my grandmother’s house,” he said. Those memories keep him strong and remind him that hope is still possible.
When asked if he still feels optimistic, Abdullah paused. “It is hard,” he said. “But seeing people speak up gives us hope. The more people speak, the more pressure there is for change.”
He ended with a message for students and anyone who wants to help: “People can make an impact,” he said. “Geography does not mean ‘no help’.”