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Letters

Another Day in Paradise

By
Noah

Noah, originally from Germany, writes from Brisbane Correctional Centre in Queensland.

‘Maximum Security (The Zoo)’ by Tony, 2022, acrylic on canvas, Boom Gate Gallery

Hey,

My name is Noah and I have been in BCC for seven months. My life in this place is limited. I have emotional fights with myself. It started with being angry, angry towards everybody, angry towards myself, angry towards the situation. Then follows the shock. For many days, I could not eat or sleep. I was nothing.

After the shock, follows the disappointment. It hurt so much. I was just a few months in Australia, my English wasn’t really good and nobody from my life before speaks to me. All the future plans and dreams are gone. They let me completely fall. I miss my children, everyday I pray for them, I think about our good times. This is something that nobody can take away from me. I miss my home country, Germany. I am so alone. I don’t know what is happening outside, I just have contact with LegalAid lawyers. That’s wild and sad.

Most people here are nice, everybody has his story, and it’s good not to know everything. I don’t judge and really, I don’t understand everything, as most inmates speak with really wild slang. Most of them don’t explain, they say it louder, which makes it difficult. In every place on this planet people can be an asshole, even in prison. This is not something that is new. People come and go. It’s the same every time.

Everybody has the same words, “another day in paradise”. I am not here to make friendships, but I am thankful for every support, every nice word and for everyone who wants to listen when I want to talk. I feel forgotten. Prison reflects you like a mirror, you regret every mistake in your life. Everything. And if you want, it brings you back on the right way.

Noah

P.S. A big shout to all prisoners and the team of “Australia’s National Prison Newspaper”. Thank you for all the support.

Hey,

My name is Noah and I have been in BCC for seven months. My life in this place is limited. I have emotional fights with myself. It started with being angry, angry towards everybody, angry towards myself, angry towards the situation. Then follows the shock. For many days, I could not eat or sleep. I was nothing.

After the shock, follows the disappointment. It hurt so much. I was just a few months in Australia, my English wasn’t really good and nobody from my life before speaks to me. All the future plans and dreams are gone. They let me completely fall. I miss my children, everyday I pray for them, I think about our good times. This is something that nobody can take away from me. I miss my home country, Germany. I am so alone. I don’t know what is happening outside, I just have contact with LegalAid lawyers. That’s wild and sad.

Most people here are nice, everybody has his story, and it’s good not to know everything. I don’t judge and really, I don’t understand everything, as most inmates speak with really wild slang. Most of them don’t explain, they say it louder, which makes it difficult. In every place on this planet people can be an asshole, even in prison. This is not something that is new. People come and go. It’s the same every time.

Everybody has the same words, “another day in paradise”. I am not here to make friendships, but I am thankful for every support, every nice word and for everyone who wants to listen when I want to talk. I feel forgotten. Prison reflects you like a mirror, you regret every mistake in your life. Everything. And if you want, it brings you back on the right way.

Noah

P.S. A big shout to all prisoners and the team of “Australia’s National Prison Newspaper”. Thank you for all the support.

This
letter
was originally printed in the
March 2025
edition of About Time.
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