SU_T_37

[i] Welcome, [name].
[r] Welcome, my dear.
[i] Can you introduce yourself and tell us who you are?
[r] My name is [name]. I am from Syria, from the Daraa province.
[i] Since when have you been here in Italy?
[r] I have been here for a year and eight months.
[i] Are you here alone or with your family?
[r] No, I came with my children. My son, [name], was here before me. He has been here for about three years.
[i] How did you come to Italy?
[r] We came on the road to Faldesa. We left Syria. You know, the war and the conditions we were in. We went to Lebanon. My son [name] was with them in Lebanon. We went to the humanitarian corridors. My son, because he went before me through the sea. He was 15 years old. He and his uncle.
[i] Did they come from Syria to Italy? Or did they also pass through Lebanon before coming to Syria?
[r] No, from Syria to Turkey. From Turkey, you know, through the sea.
[i] Did they come fleeing from Syria from the war?
[r] Yes.
[i] What were the conditions there?
[r] You know, you don’t see it on TV. On TV, you only see the nature and the conditions we were living in. It’s not like what you see on TV.
[i] Yes, of course. How long have you been here?
[r] I have been here for a year and a half.
[i] A year and a half. When you came to Italy for the first time, how did you find the situation?
[r] It was normal. In Syria, I was a housewife for the children. But here, the conditions have changed. I became responsible for the children. I left and came here alone. I left because my husband wasn’t with me.
[i] Where is your husband?
[r] My husband was in Syria. Now he’s in Lebanon.
[i] Why didn’t your husband come with you?
[r] Because my husband was in Syria at first. Then when he showed up, I talked to him. He’s here in Dakounine. I wanted to bring him here. Then he went to Lebanon, you know. It’s also a smuggling. It’s not regular. It’s Syrian. I tried to bring him here, but the conditions didn’t allow it. Now I’m organizing a family gathering. God willing, it will work out.
[i] So you’re in contact with him now?
[r] Yes.
[i] How did they put you there?
[r] They put me there because I came to Lebanon. The conditions are expensive and they don’t treat me well. You know the conditions there in Lebanon. All the Syrians who lived there are like us here. The treatment and living conditions. He’s also a little tired.
[i] What does he have?
[r] He has cysts in his arteries. He needs to expand his arteries.
[i] So he needs surgery?
[r] Yes.
[i] What does he do there? Does he work?
[r] No. First his friends helped him. Then you know, his friends don’t always help him. Now I have my son [name]. He works. They send him a percentage of what he works on. They just send him his father’s medical expenses. That’s how it is.
[i] What are you doing here?
[r] I’m studying Italian. I’m taking care of the kids. I’m also responsible for the house.
[i] So you’re putting in a lot of effort to learn the language?
[r] Of course, a lot. I love learning Italian. There are some words I know and some I don’t. It’s not all about memorizing Italian in a day or night.
[i] What are the difficulties you face here? As immigrants and as refugees?
[r] We live here. We’ve been living here for two years. Then we’ll take our fate. I’ve been here for nine years. I have no job. I don’t have children. I don’t have my husband. I need to learn the language. I can’t learn it in a day or night.
[i] How come you don’t know what to do after two years?
[r] I live in the house. Where else can I go? I have to leave the house. The house needs rent. It needs money. It needs money for the kids. You know. You live here and you know.
[i] Of course. So you don’t know what your fate will be after two years. The fate of the organization that hosted you.
[r] We didn’t talk about it for two years. But I don’t know what my fate will be.
[i] I hope for the best. Do your children study here?
[r] Yes, they do.
[i] How many children do you have?
[r] I have six children. Three girls and three boys.
[i] Do they all go to school?
[r] Yes, they all go to school.
[i] How do you try to adapt to the European lifestyle? We know that there is a difference between the two cultures. The Syrian culture and the Italian culture. How do you live your days here?
[r] Of course, there is a big difference. But as you say, we are in a European country. We have to adapt to them. As you say, we follow their customs. We follow the laws that they follow.
[i] Of course. Do you maintain the Syrian culture and customs here?
[r] Of course. Wherever you go, everyone has their own traditions. Wherever you go in the world, you have your own customs and traditions. You have to follow them.
[i] What about the Syrian food and music? Do you live here? Is the Syrian food available in your house?
[r] Yes, of course. All our food is Syrian. When I cook at home, it feels like I am in Syria. The food that I cook here is the same as the food that I cook in Syria.
[i] Do you communicate with people? Especially the Italians, especially Torino. Do you make friends with people?
[r] Yes, of course. Even my neighbors. My children. Especially [name] and [name], my young daughters. We mix a lot. I like to talk to them, but sometimes there are words that I don’t understand.
[i] The problem is the language. You are here as a refugee and a political refugee. What do you think is missing in this country, in this city, to serve the political refugee? What is missing? What should be done?
[r] I am a refugee. I live here temporarily. I don’t know how to help refugees. There are a lot of things that I can’t do. I don’t have a place to live. I don’t have a place to live. I live here temporarily. I don’t know where I will be tomorrow. I will be on the streets. I don’t know where I will go. I don’t know what will happen to me in the streets. I hope that all the European countries, Italy, Germany, France, or any other country, whether we are Syrians or people who are in war, we are all here. We thank them for helping the people who are in war. But Italy is a poor country. As they say, there is no financial support to help the refugees here. The majority of Syrians go to other countries, like Germany. They say that there is a better life there. They have better conditions. They have someone to support them. But here, who will support us?
[i] Of course, this is a problem that every refugee faces. Especially those who stay here for two years and then leave. They find themselves without a home or a job. This is a problem. What do you wish for the future?
[r] I wish for my husband to be with me. I also wish for my children’s future in education. I came here to Italy because of the war. I am afraid for my children’s future. I wish to learn Italian. I want my children to learn and have jobs. This is what I wish for. I wish that everyone, whether I am Syrian or not, can achieve everything they want.
[i] God willing.
[r] God willing.
[i] Did you ever think that one day you would leave your country and live in a European country?
[r] No. No.
[i] So you wouldn’t leave your country if it wasn’t for the war?
[r] No, I wouldn’t leave my country.
[i] Do you ever think about going back to your country, to Syria?
[r] I think about going back to Syria, but I think about my children’s future the most. I think about their future, and I find a suitable place for them. I will go with them.
[i] Whether it is Italy, Syria or any other country?
[r] Any country. No matter where you go, you will find a suitable place for your children’s future.
[i] Of course. I have a question for you. What can I say? Do you have a problem working?
[r] I don’t have a problem. But you know, I am not in a good health condition. And I have children, all of them are handicapped. My youngest daughter is 7 years old. I don’t have a problem with that. But I have a problem with my children. And I don’t have a job. I am looking for a job, but I don’t have a job.
[i] I have another question for you. Do you still have any relatives in Syria?
[r] Yes.
[i] Do you still communicate with them?
[r] Rarely. Not directly. There is no internet connection. I don’t have any additional information.
[i] How long have you been out of Syria?
[r] I have been out of Syria for 2 years. 2 years.
[i] What can I ask? You told me that your husband is very sick. Is he sick? How is his health? What does he say?
[r] He needs surgery. It’s wrong. It’s normal for my husband not to talk. He doesn’t want to put pressure on me. That’s how I feel. And there is a lot of evidence, like the prescription you sent me, and the medication.
[i] Why haven’t you been able to reunite with him yet?
[r] I don’t know. I don’t know why.
[i] Did you ask for a family reunion?
[r] Of course, I did. I am waiting for his reply to the email. So that he can send it to me.
[i] Yes.
[i] What can I ask you? You told me that your son came here through the war, through the sea. He was still young. If he told you, what were the conditions of his travel? How did he live this experience?
[r] It was very hard for him. He was afraid. You know his age. He was 15 years old.
[i] As a mother, how did you live these moments? You know that your son is still young. He fled the war. He is traveling through the sea. We know that he is traveling through the sea. There is a possibility that he might not make it. How did you live these moments?
[r] As any mother, I was afraid for my son. I was afraid every minute. I waited for news from my family. I used to call them. There were no phone calls. I was very worried about him. He suffered the most in Syria. On the way to Sweden. He suffered there. I can’t talk about it. You know.
[i] We know about the war. We can imagine how hard it was.
[r] When he arrived in Turkey, I was at ease. Then the biggest worry happened. The sea crossing. He suffered a lot. He was afraid. There was a small boat. Many people were on it. I didn’t see it with my own eyes. But from what I heard, it was terrifying.
[i] Of course. You don’t know what will happen to him. He might go on an adventure. He might not make it. It’s very hard. It’s not his fault. That’s true. Do you have anything to say to us? Do you want to add something?
[r] I wish from all the people to help the Syrians. Whether we are here or in any other country. Support and help to the people of war, hunger and starvation. I want them to help the people.
[i] Of course. I wish you all the best. Thank you for being here with me. Thank you for your efforts.
[i] Thank you.