14 in Calgary, CN and thinking about running away (Please Respond ASAP)

[notsureaboutit14]

So I'm 14 years old and living in Calgary, AB. I'm a guy, and I'm thinking about running away to the U.S, and possibly going to Europe from there.

First off, I'm thinking about running away for a number of reasons they are 1. Weather here is awful 2. My "friends" (the people I talk to at school) are extremely racist towards me (I'm Pakistani) and they love insulting people who aren't white or Christian 3. Due to the problems listed in reason 2, I think I may be depressed. I checked and I fit all the criteria for it (suicidal thoughts, loneliness, bouts of crying, lethargy). I went to see a doctor with my parents, but the doctor said I wasn't depressed. 4. My parents won't talk to me about my problems, whenever I bring it up they just get angry. 5. I have no other resources to help me. I've tried Kids Help Phone, a doctor, my parents, a trusted adult but it didn't work. 6. I don't see a future for myself here.

I'm also wondering about a few things. 1. Would I be able to enter the U.S alone by plane? If not, then how else? I also need someone's opinion on the idea of me leaving home. I'm mentally ready, I know where to go for shelter (foster homes), I know how to contact my parents and I would have about 400-600 dollars by the day I plan on leaving, which is sometime in early February. The only people that would care if I left home would be my parents/family, and that's the main thing that's holding me back. I want to leave all these problems behind and get a better life, but they want to stay in Calgary, no matter how many times I try to convince them to move. I'm pretty sure they'd be really distraught if I left home, but a part of me is telling me to leave the city and get a better life.

[ccsmod1]

RE: 14 in Calgary and thinking about running away

Hello,
Thanks for reaching out and sharing your story. It takes a lot of strength to reach out for help. Our primary concern at the National Runaway Safeline is your safety. Depression is a serious issue. If you are feeling suicidal and hopeless, please pick up the phone and call:

National Suicide Helpline: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)

We are here to listen and support you in any way that we can. It sounds like you have been through so much. We are sorry to hear that you are facing discrimination, hatred, and harassment at school. Nobody deserves to be bullied. It sounds like you might have become depressed. It is understandable that you would be having these feelings. If you need someone to talk to now, please feel free to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or you can reach us every day between 4:30pm and 11:30pm CST for our live chat on our website, www.1800runaway.org.

Our services are based in the US, and we are not legal experts, but we will try to answer your questions as best as we can. Running away across international borders comes with many risks. You will need a passport in order to cross into the United States. International Borders are highly regulated, and it is possible that if you are filed as a runaway that you could be stopped at the border and made to return home. Most airlines, bus lines, and passenger trains have a minimum age for traveling without parental consent and unaccompanied minor procedures, so you might not be old enough to get on a plane. You will not be able to get into a foster home without your parents being contacted, at which point you might be forced to go back home. Runaway shelters are also usually required to contact parents either immediately or within 24-48 hours.

It sounds like you have put a lot of thought into this. It was smart of you to contact us. You said that you will have some money available when you leave. While $600 might seem like plenty of money, it might not last very long, or even be enough for your transportation costs. Have you thought about how you would survive once you run out? Or what you will do if you get into a bad situation and need help? Running away is a big decision, and it doesn’t always work out as planned. If you need some help figuring out if your plans are realistic, give us a call.

There may be some options that could improve your situation that you haven’t thought about yet. Have you thought about looking into switching schools, or seeking counseling? We could talk to you about what resources you might have. We are looking forward to hearing from you again soon, and we wish you the best of luck.