SU_T_44

[i] Hello [name] !

[r] Hello

[i] How are you?

[r] Good, good.

[i] Can you tell us who [name] is?

[r] So I introduce myself I’m [name] I’m 26 years old, I’m from Pakistan, I’m working as a cultural mediator, I’m in Italy looking for 4 years I came directly here to Turin, I made some steps, but after 3 months I found myself here in Turin.

[i] When you were in Pakistan what were you doing?

[r] In Pakistan I studied about 12 years in Pakistan, I did the first two years of meaninglessness, after that I had to leave my country.

[i] Can I ask you why, why did you choose to immigrate, why did you choose Italy precisely?

[r] I practically had problems with my father’s family, for this reason I had to leave my country while I was studying, I could not finish my study in Pakistan, and then precisely I never thought of coming here to Italy, because I was in Greece, I was also in France, but then luckily I found myself here in Italy

[i] When you first arrived here in Italy, do you remember it? How was the impact? From a boy who comes from a totally different culture, who is in Europe?

[r] Practically here in Italy when I arrived in 2015, to apply for asylum and went to Trento, where I did not feel so good, nor bad, because I slept outside I had no place to sleep, I had no food, so difficult enough that moment, then after that I happened some things that did not go well there, I had to go to Verona Brescia, Bergamo, then in the end someone suggested me to come here in Turin. But the first impact before reflection that Turin made me, as soon as I got off at Porta Nuova, I went to Via Romo, there I immediately thought this is a city that I like this is a city where I can realize my dreams, I can realize everything I thought before.

[i] Have you come to the right place?

[r] A very right place at the right time.

[i] Since you arrived here 4 years ago, have you managed to return to your country or not?

[r] Luckily, yes, I just came back from Pakistan, and practically after having made the request, before arriving also to the commission I had told some things there too in commission That I had some problems less bad I had already solved, they recognized me as an international port but they recognized me for humanitarian reasons, because all the things I did before, for this reason they gave me the permission to stay, which allows me to stay here in Italy.

[i] When you returned to Pakistan after all the years you did here in Italy, how did you experience the first day in Pakistan? after the distance above all

[r] About 6 years later I returned to Pakistan, the first day in Pakistan I stayed all day at home, because I was shy to leave my house, and I did not have the network that there was before not having the friends that I had before, not knowing new people, the boys were minors first, then they grew up, not having a friendship in the neighborhood I stayed a few days at home Was the way to say that I am I was very comfortable, even in my house, even for it was a different culture,

[i] You heard I’m going to stagnate at your house, did you get the feeling you’re different at your house?

[r] Essentially it was like that, practically as I said before, I felt like I was a stranger in my own country, a stranger in my own house.

[i] And how did you solve this problem, obviously to overcome at least that?

[r] In the end I didn’t know that there is my family there, my cousins who can help me then create another new network, so slowly things went well, the reflection I had was that, now more than anything else I don’t like to be there in Pakistan the network I created here in Turin is that my life,

[i] So in Turin you’re quite inserted, you had a good integration?

[r] Yes, I would say yes, because all the opportunities I had to build my life, let’s say less, are well integrated.

So [name] don’t you have the idea of coming back, one day to your country? Forever, you prefer to stay here?

[r] I absolutely always thought I’d be here. Because all of the work I’m doing is activated, I don’t think it makes sense to go back to Pakistan after having created a new future.

i] We’re talking about the Pakistani culture, have you managed to preserve it, or a part of this culture living here in Italy with a different culture?

[r] I would say yes, some aspects of Pakistani culture have remained within me, and that I have not yet managed to overcome, but of course I have already overcome things. Now I am a mix of the two cultures your daily life is lived in Italian or Pakistani, for example at home cooking music, how are you oriented, are you Pakistani or Italian?

[r] I would say half of it, because in the morning I get up I don’t like the breakfast I used to have in Pakistan and then I have Italian breakfast, I go to the bar.

[i] Can I ask you how the breakfast in Pakistan?

[r] Actually the Pakistani breakfast is eating a piadina, with butter and Pakistani tea this was, and now I don’t like it so much I don’t know…

[i] Do you prefer capuccino and briosce?

[r] Exactly this is my breakfast, and then I take out lunch, I make with Italian food some kitchens I would always like to taste a new kitchen, and then the dinner I make Pakistani

[i] In your circle of friendship in your circle there is the Pakistani community, do you have relations with the Pakistani community or not?

[r] Exactly I have good relations with the Pakistani community, because a year ago I founded a Pakistani association called the Pakistani association of the piedmont I am the founder and president of this association, so for this reason I have to be present in the Pakistani community to solve their problems, to feel just one of them.

[i] Have you ever had the requests from the Italians who, out of curiosity, want to eat a typical Pakistani dish?

[r] Of course I had, because having so many Italian friends not only Italians but also other origins, often ask me when you make us taste a typical Pakistani dish every now and then we organize dinners, last night we also organized a Pakistani dinner with my friends.

i] Let’s talk now about Italian cuisine now we are orienting ourselves on food, have you learned something Italian?

[r] Unfortunately I don’t, I taste very willingly but I don’t learn, I did a baking course I learned how to make bread, so I know that job very well, instead other things not so much

I ask you a question that is a little far from food, this mass of immigration we also call phenomenon of these guys who come here with boats risking their lives what do you think of this thing here?

[r] So practically this phenomenon was created I don’t know, just to see that these guys here are a danger to the other community where they are going, like if the guys arrive here in Italy, they say that these guys who land here is a danger for society, in reality it’s different, it’s really different, because they are not the danger, they have problems where they were before because if I had to leave Pakistan it was for a reason, because I had some problems with my family, and I had no chance to go, and I didn’t think I had to go to Italy now the same happens with others, like now these that are in Libya, there are many places in Syria that I can indicate, and there the lives of people are in danger. Then we just have to see from another eye, think from another head that these guys if we give them a chance even small they can integrate very well And what does this do us ? will bring us a bright future, bright. and this can also serve the Italian society.

[i] And on the part of the Italians what can be expected, what is missing to welcome these young people well, also helping them to have a good integration that can serve both them and Italy as a society as citizens.

[r] According to yes, we are welcome here in Turin, it is a very welcoming city, but in the other city this thing of welcome, of integration between two cultures between two companies is lacking. Obviously also in Turin there is a lot to improve, especially where I live in that area there, the no there is the minimum percentage of integration, I use this word that I do not like to use this area died for me, having other areas friendships with Italians also other stagnant of other countries, I have seen areas like the barrier zone of Milan everyone says is a dangerous area, but in my opinion is a well integrated area

[i] So we must still interact with these people and not isolate them, not help them to take the path of delenquence, because they feel really isolated not accepted there is no opportunity to find work only that way?

[r] Exactly so,

[i] And what do these guys then tell them? What advice then give to help them orient themselves to integrate peacefully?

[r] The advice I can give to everyone generally not only the Pakistanis, because as I said I am present in the Pakistani community, that you have to get out of your culture a little bit, if you stay in your culture you can never integrate, and this also applies to the Italian society, if you stay only within your culture within your limits at this point there will be no integration. So everyone must come out inside his shell, he must overcome his limits, so you see this person who is coming at least greet him I ask where you come from, what you are doing, so it communicates.

[i] So the best thing is to have a human relationship and have more communication? As they say you don’t know the person you don’t know his conditions who prompted them to do some so not then judge him.

[r] That’s exactly how it is,

[i] I thank you, thank you for answering my questions, I wish you good luck for the future.

[r] Thank you very much to you.