Country of origin: syria
Year of settlement: 2018
Age on arrival: 41
City: turin
Gender: female
Language of the interview: Arabic
[i] Hello [name] .
[r] Hello, dear.
[i] Do you want to introduce yourself and tell us who it is [name] ?
[r] My name is [name] from Syria.
[i] How long have you been in Italy?
[r] It’s been a year and 8 months.
[i] Are you here alone or with your family?
[r] No, I came with my children before I was there my son is 3 years old who is here the least.
[i] Why did you come to Italy?
[r] We came through the Waldensian Diakonie. We left Syria, as you well know there is war, and the situation is tough there, we went to Lebanon. And my son had spoken to them about us, and we came here from Lebanon through the humanitarian corridor. My son arrived before me by sea. He was only 15 years old, he was with his uncle.
Did they come directly from Syria or did they also come from Lebanon?
[r] No, they went to Turkey and from there they came by sea.
[i] Did they escape Syria from the war?
[r] Yes.
[i] How were the conditions there in Syria?
[r] How do you know war and what you see on television is not like reality, not like those who live it.
[i] Of course.
[i] How long have you been saying you’re here?
[r] For a year and 8 months
[i] When you first got here, how did you find the situation here?
[r] In Syria I was a housewife but here the situation changed I became responsible for the house. The children do everything by themselves because my husband is not with me.
[i] Where is your husband?
[r] My husband was in Syria and is now in Lebanon.
[i] And why hasn’t he come with you?
[r] Because my husband was previously dispersed in Syria. And when he was found I spoke with the deacon here to bring him here. And then he went like Syrian to Lebanon by sea clandestinely. I tried to bring him here but unfortunately the conditions didn’t help me. Now I’ve applied for family reunification and let’s hope it ends well.
[i] Are you now in contact with him?
[r] Yes.
[i] And how about his situation there?
[r] In Lebanon life is dear beyond treatment, what we Syrians have experienced there is not like here. Treatment is dear to life and also sick.
[i] Who has what?
[r] His arteries are clogged and he needs the enlargement of the arteries.
[i] So you need surgery?
[r] Yes.
[i] And how do you live there? Does he work help him?
[r] No, his friends used to help him but they couldn’t help him forever now my son works a little and he always sends her a part of his salary I send her a little for medicine to spend and so
[i] What do you do here?
[r] I’m studying Italian and I follow my daughter the house and its responsibility
[i] So you’re committed to learning the language
[r] Sure, so much, I would like to learn Italian there are words that I know others you don’t know it’s not easy to learn the language from one day to the next
[i] Beyond the language, what are the difficulties you encounter here as an immigrant and, above all, as a refugee?
[r] We here live on behalf of Diakonia for 2 years and after 2 years we do not know what will happen to us but now I have no job I am responsible for my children my husband is not with me and to work you must know the language that not if you learn from one day to another
[i] Why do you say after 2 years you don’t know what’s going to happen to you?
[r] The house now we are here after 2 years where I go? I have to leave the house to the deacon, and to get another one you need money spent on the house and the children you live here and you know how it works
[i] Sure, so your distino is unknown after these 2 years that you host the association?
[r] Yes, they told us 2 years but afterwards I don’t know what to do
[i] Hopefully, well, do your kids go to school?
[r] They go to school
[i] How many kids do you have?
[r] I have 6 children 3 girls and 3 boys
[i] Do they all go to school?
[r] Yes
[i] How do you integrate and adapt to the European way of life? We know that there is a difference between Syrian and Italian culture, how do you live your daily life?
[r] Of course there is a lot of difference, but now we are in a European country we have to adapt we are following and respecting their laws their way of doing
[i] Right, can you preserve Syrian culture and traditions here?
[r] Absolutely yes, everyone to their own traditions customs wherever they go you have to respect it
[i] Do you live Syrian cuisine and music here in your own home and cook Syrian food?
[r] Of course, all our dishes are Syrian, I cook as if Syria were the same cuisine as that in Syria.
[i] Here in Turin you socialize with people who interact, have you made friends?
[r] Yes, of course, I have contacts with my neighbors, especially my little girls are with them a lot even I interact with them I like to talk to them but sometimes there are words that I do not understand
[i] So the problem is just the language?
[r] Yes the language
[i] You, who are here as an immigrant and refugee, what do you think is missing in this country and in this city to serve refugees?
[r] A little help for example I’m a refugee now we live in this house temporarily now we’re here after I don’t know where we’re going, there are so many things I can’t do or sustain as the house expenses when I think I’m afraid I don’t know after what happens to us tomorrow I end up in the middle of the road? I hope that from all the European countries, be they Italy or Germany, France or others, we Syrians or others who have war, now we are with them. We thank them for all their help to this people who flee from war, but Italy, according to what we have seen, is a poor country, as they say, has no support to help it to help refugees, now refugees here Syrians or others flee to another country, like Germany, say that if life is well there, it is more beautiful for those who help and support them, but we, here, who support us?
[i] So these are the difficulties faced by refugees here, especially those who have been here for two years and who after two years will block their aid?
[r] And so
[i] If you find homeless without work is a problem what do you want in the future?
[r] I hope my husband will join us, and I wish my children a good future in their studies since my arrival here in Italy is only to escape the war and for the future of my children and I hope to learn the Italian language and that my children can have a better future than the jobs all then and I hope that whoever it is I or another Syrian or whoever can realize his dreams.
[i] Hopefully well Did you think one day to immigrate and leave your country and live in a European country?
[r] No
[i] So if there wasn’t a war, wouldn’t you have left your country?
[r] No, I won’t leave my country.
[i] Do you think you might one day return to your country Syria?
[r] I think about going back to Syria but the situation there is tough, now I only think about the future of my children where their future will be I will be with them this the most important thing for me
[i] So in Italy or Syria
[r] Wherever you can build your future, you’re here.
[i] Of course I have another question.
[r] Please.
[i] You’d be willing to work, wouldn’t you have a problem with that?
[r] I have no problems, but unfortunately I have problems of greetings and beyond that I have 6 children who are a huge responsibility since I am still a minor the youngest is 7 years old I am not against work but the responsibility of home and children is a lot, beyond that there is no work not if you can find
[i] I’d like to ask you one more question.
[r] Please.
[i] Do you still have any relatives in Syria?
[r] Yes
[i] Are you in touch with them?
[r] Not often because they don’t have the internet and there is no communication because of the current situation.
[i] How long have you been out of Syria?
[r] It’s been 2 years since you 2 years
Did you tell me that your husband was sick, what was his health like, what did the doctors say?
[r] He needs surgery and my husband says nothing in character so as not to make me feel bad and have a burden on me there are documents explaining his state of health, the diagnosis of doctors and the medicine that is taking him.
[i] Why do you think you two couldn’t get together so far?
[r] I don’t know, for what reason do I not know?
[i] Did you ask the question of family reunion?
[r] Of course, and now I’m waiting for an e-mail reply.
[i] Did you say that your son came alone to Italy by sea when he was still a minor told you about the conditions of the trip and how he lived this experience?
[r] It was very tiring, apart from the fear, since he was very young, he was 15 years old.
[i] And how did you as a mother live those moments knowing that your son who is still a child and who escapes the war by sea and we know that those who travel illegally by sea have 2 chances or come alive or die in the sea as you lived these moments?
[r] Obviously as a mom with fear I was afraid every second every moment waiting for his news from my family because they were in contact with him but sometimes do not seek news I was very worried he suffered a lot especially in Syria then in the sea, I would not like to go into details hurt
[i] I know I guess, we know the war and what it brings with it, we can imagine how hard it can be
[r] True.
[i] And when he arrived in Turkey I was a little quiet, and then began the great concern that the passage from the sea suffered greatly from fear, they had a small boat and they were many people I did not see with my own eyes but according to what he told me was a terrifying thing
[i] Surely, when one does not know what his destiny will be and risks his life, it is a hard thing for both of you. Is there anything you would like to tell us you have more to add?
[r] I hope the whole world will help Syrian refugees and not just here or anywhere to support those who have war or hunger in their country I would like these people to be helped.
[i] Surely, we hope in good thanks [name] for your availability and for having answered my questions.
[r] Thank you.