SU_T_36

[i] Hi, [name]. [r] Hi. [i] Do you want to introduce yourself and tell us who you are? [r] Yes, of course. My name is [name]. I am a student of Economics University in Turin. I am 26 years old. Sorry if I speak half Italian and half English because my Italian is not very good. [i] No problem. Where are you from? [r] I am from Azerbaijan, from Baku, the capital city. [i] How long have you been here in Italy? [r] I am here already one year and a half, from September 2017. [i] When did you come to Italy? Did you come alone? [r] Yes, I came alone, without my family, without knowing anyone. So it’s the first time. [i] How was the first time when you came here and saw this country totally different from your country of origin? [r] First of all, when I came, of course, I had some cultural shock. It means like I see that people’s characters are different. But in general, I feel that people are very warm characters. They always try to help you. If you ask some question, they’re always ready to help you. And even from the first day when I came here, I didn’t have any internet, any map for finding the place where I am living. And I asked the first person which I see in the street, and they take my baggage and carry it to the hotel and help me. And from that day, I really fell in love with the city I love. Not only the city, because I like so much Italian culture. But I never dreamed that I would live in the place where I like so much. [r] So, we can say that you don’t have any problem of integration, in the sense that you don’t have any problem of socializing with people, since they are so available to help you and explain things that you can’t understand. [i] Because I find them also very warm and always ready to help you whenever you ask something. And for this reason, I feel myself already like Italy is my second home. [i] So, since Italy is your second home, would you like to stay here forever or would you like to go back to your country of origin? [i] To be honest, I prefer to stay because I feel myself here more free, more, how to say, because in my country we have a bit limits for women for working or I don’t know, for many things, which in Italy it’s, how to say, the men and women are the same. I mean, you can do whatever you want, I mean, you can work in good work and also in my country, but here I feel myself more close to Italian culture for everything. That’s why, of course, if I find a job which I like, I prefer to stay. [i] And how do you live these limits in your country of origin, since there is a bit, let’s say, the fact that you are a woman, which creates problems? [r] Yes, it depends. Not problems, but for example, women can’t work in all type of work, of course. For example, in my country you will not see a woman who drive, for example, train or who drive bus. We have women drivers, also my mother is a driver, but she drives for going to work. But you can find a woman in the job, which you will see in the man. It’s special for men, special for women. And I prefer, but when it’s all the same, I mean, it’s balanced. And in Italy I didn’t see this difference, so I find it very good. [i] Do you think these differences are based on gender? [r] Yes, I think yes, because I see much differences between women and men in my country, which I don’t see in Italy. Because of, I mean, if you are a woman you can’t do this thing, you can’t go alone this place, you can’t work in this work. And for example, your father always try to, how to say, tell you don’t do this. But fortunately my family is not like this. I have very modern thinking family. So they were even happy when I said that I will study abroad in Europe. And they also will be happy if I will find my job here and stay here. [i] So we can say that the open-mindedness of your family helped you to come here and live your experience. But what kind of work do women do in your country, since there is this limitation? [r] For example, of course women can work in office works, but mostly, for example, the men prefer that women work like teacher, like doctor. Or more the work where only, how to say, your collective is only women. And they prefer that you don’t go to the collective where work much men. And maybe men are more jealous. This is one of the reason. And for this, yeah, for us the word mentality, it’s very, how to say, very famous word. And in everything which women do, your family will tell you that this is not our mentality, this is not our mentality, you can’t do this. Or it’s shameful for us and the things which in general it’s normal to do. Yeah, but thanks, now it’s more improved and improved, but I hope after maybe 30-40 years it will be completely different. [i] And here in Italy, in Turin, how do you live your daily life? How does your day go? How do you live it? [r] My day starts from, of course, wake up very early because I study at university and I should go to my lectures every day, five days in a week. And after it finishes, it depends on the day, and it finishes, for example, at five or six. And after I go to my Italian course, now actually I am going to Italian course to learn in Italian language because for me it’s very important. And thanks to my teacher [name], who have to say motivate us to learn and have to say to want to know Italian much better. Yes, now actually I speak, but I am ashamed. [i] So we can say that you are quite followed, in the sense that your teachers help you. [r] Yeah, of course. In general, when I came here, I have barrier with language, so that I have courses in my country also for Italian language. But here I didn’t find good courses, that’s why I didn’t continue to learn. But after one year, when I found [name] and our school, I mean, my life completely changed. And now I am very motivated to learn and speak and have to say, now every day I try to learn new things. I try to watch films only in Italian, read books in Italian, work on myself. [i] So, let’s say, having friends, Italian friendships, that helps, let’s say, to integrate well, to have relationships to be able to feel as if you were in your country of origin. Your culture, the culture of your country of origin, how do you live it here? I mean, did you bring it with you, your culture of origin, maybe in food, music you listen to? [r] To be honest, not so much, because I like, even from my country, I always prefer to eat more European food than our country food. Yes, but those that, I have to say, our food is also very good, but I always prefer to something more light, more, because in my country food is a bit more oily. We prefer rice with more, much oil, or, for example, always eat carne meat in every food. But here I learn how to eat everyday pasta also, and pizza often. But, I have to say, but I like, in general, I prefer Italian food also, I don’t like, to be honest, Asian food, for example, or Chinese, or Indian, for me it’s much more spicy. But I like Italian food because it’s more simple, but you feel yourself not hungry after eating, for example, pasta. [i] So we can say that you prefer Italian food because it’s, let’s say, less complicated, it’s simpler. [r] Yes, yes, because for me it’s simpler because I’m not a big fan of cooking. [i] Do you cook something, some Italian dish in particular that you like? [r] Yes, for example, in my country I always make tiramisu, yes, and here, now to be honest, because I don’t have so much time for cooking, maybe for this reason I don’t prepare something more difficult. But in future, I think yes, because before in my country I was free and I can do whatever I want, some tiramisu, cheesecake, I don’t know, different type of lasagna. [i] Can you tell me if you have any hobbies, something like sport, I don’t know, that you practice here in your free time? [r] What I am doing here? [i] Do you have any hobbies? [r] Yes, yes, my hobby is music in general because I graduated from music school, from class of piano. And here, unfortunately, I don’t have piano, but we have pianoforte in Porto Nova, so sometimes when I have time I go and play for myself. And in general I like to visit some concerts, for example, yesterday I went to concert of Georgia, which was in Alpitour, and I enjoyed so much. And also here I like to visit also football matches when I have time, when I see the Torino team play with Bologna, or I don’t know, with Venezia, I like to go and watch football. Yes, but in general my hobby didn’t change, I mean, it is the same like in my country. [i] Excellent. Can I ask you, why did you choose Torino? [r] Because from the beginning, to be honest, I preferred to study in the center or mostly in the south of Italy, because I like, I don’t want to make a difference, but I prefer the south of Italy to the north. And also I feel that culture is more close to us. But because I didn’t find any university in south of Italy, I decided, okay, I will choose a place which is more calm and where I can feel myself more in good environment. And I see that for this reason the University of Turin is very good also for education and also for job. In future you can find job for economist, it’s good to find a job or in Turin or in Milan. So I said, why not, I can take my education in Turin University. But after I also start to love Turin also very much. But anyway, whenever I visit other cities of south, I understand that I am more south person than north. [i] Yes, we know that Turin is a beautiful city, with many colors, many ethnicities. What plans do you have for your future? Once you finish your studies, what do you plan to do? Or where do you plan to live? To build your future forever, maybe? [r] Everything depends on, first of all, on job for me, because if I find job here, I want to stay here. But maybe after I change my career and move a bit to center or to south of Italy. And south of Italy, how we say in English language. But if I don’t find, I try to make my career here, but I want to work in the work which will be interesting for me. For example, I am not a person who can sit, I don’t know, 20 hours in one office and not move. I prefer more active work. [i] You are an active person, so you can’t stay still. [r] Yes, I remember even in my city, in Baku, I never work just in one work. I always try to move to different places, to be volunteer in different parts, in different organizations. And here also, for me the one barrier is Italian language. [i] Is it worth to return to your country of origin? [r] Yes, why not? I also, of course, I love my city, I love my country. But we have also problems with finding good job for future. And for this reason, just have to say, I don’t know if I prefer to return or I prefer to stay. Everything depend on time. We can’t predict what will happen. For example, I can tell today like this, but tomorrow everything can change. That’s why I can’t say for sure, but I will be also very happy if I stay. And if I return, I will also try to make my life in much better way, to change it. [i] Another question, since you don’t have problems to live here, to build your future, so you don’t have a problem to be an immigrant. Have you ever felt like an immigrant? In the sense, maybe also, I don’t say treated badly, but they made you feel not part of this country. [r] To be honest, for example, at university, in the beginning I feel because, for example, my students, group mates, they are 90% Italian. And when they speak with each other in Italian, you feel a bit, how to say, for their team. [i] Sorry, the circle. [r] Yes, the circle, but after one year, when I find also Italian friends, and how to say, I start to communicate with Italian people, for me everything changed. Now even my friends are more Italian than, for example, friends from my country. In general, I spend 90% time with Italian people now, and now I don’t feel myself. Even it changed my life, I become more active, I start to improve my Italian language, not so much, but anyway, for me now I feel more comfortable. [i] Anyway, it takes some time to learn, let’s say. [r] Of course, of course. [i] Just have the will. Your family, what do they think about your choice to stay here forever and build a future? [r] My family never tell me what, for example, to do, where to go. In this case, they always trust me and tell me, if you feel yourself happy, for us we are happy whenever you are happy. That’s why they say, if you like to stay there, we are happy. If you prefer to go somewhere, we are even more happy to see you. But everything, they give me always freedom of choice. And for this reason, I never have any affection from their side that, no, you can’t do this, you can’t do that. So, of course, I miss my family, it’s normal. But now, because I know that I did this choice and I should finish my university, because the first reason which I am here is my study. And after this, whenever I want, I can visit my family. [i] So, for the moment, think about your studies and then, let’s say, in the future, we’ll see. Did your family visit you here in Italy? Let’s say, they came to Italy, they saw Turin. [r] Unfortunately, no, because it’s a bit hard with my country to get visa and to resolve this type of problem. It takes much time. And now I am studying, I don’t have also so much time, for example, for travelling or to show them some places. But after I finish university, I will help them also to come to visit me and see the place where I live. Because, of course, for them it’s interesting. [i] Of course, it’s natural that they come to see where their daughter is. Let’s say, the first time you came here in Italy, you called your family. What did they ask you? [r] First of all, when I came here, my mother was very much disturbed because Italy is the first country which I visited in all my life. I mean, I never visited any other countries and it was first place and also alone. For my mother, it was completely shock. And she called me, she couldn’t believe where are you. But unfortunately, at that time, my internet, of course, numbers, this type of problem. I called directly from hotel, that I am in hotel, I am okay. But first one week, I was also in shock. And my family also. That’s why my mother called me every day five times. After this, she reduced it to three times. And now, thanks to God, I call her one in a week and she is also happy. But I try to contact every day, of course. But before, of course, they were so much disturbed. My grandmother, my mother, they called me so much time. But they know that my character is like this, that I never afraid of anything what I do. And if I do, I try to put much courage to this thing. And I decided that I will not disturb them. Even if something happen, if something disturb me, I never will tell. I try to resolve my problem by myself. And now, for this reason, I feel myself more independent and happy. [i] For parents, it is important to know that their children are well and that they are following their choice. And that they feel independent, because it is a very important thing. Thank you for your availability and thank you for answering my questions. [r] Thank you so much for the interview. Thank you.