Paula and Lilia both live in the UK. They both go to school, play a sport and spend time with their friends at the weekends, but their stories are very different. Paula is a migrant, but Lilia is a refugee. So what is the difference between a migrant and a refugee? Well, migrants are people that choose to move to a different country. They move because they find a new job, or they want to be close to family or friends, or because they like the country and want to live there. Refugees don’t choose to move to a different country. They leave their home country, because they don’t feel safe. They are afraid, because there is a war or because people want to hurt them. Migrants plan to move to a new country, usually for months or even years. They find a house to live in, the parents find new jobs and new schools for their children. They put everything from their old house into boxes and send the boxes to their new home. Refugees have to leave their old homes suddenly. They often have just a small bag with some clothes in it and maybe some money and their phone with them. Often, when they arrive in the new country, they don’t know the language or any other people that live there and they don’t have a place to live. So the difference between a migrant and a refugee is choice. Migrants choose to leave their home country and they can go back if they want to. Refugees don’t choose to leave their home country and they can’t go back there, because it’s too dangerous. They are afraid of what can happen to them there. In the end, it doesn’t matter if a person is a refugee or a migrant. When a new person arrives in our school or neighbourhood, it’s important to welcome them and offer to be their friend. After all, where we’re from doesn’t matter – it’s who we are that counts.