SU_T_53

[i] Hello[name] !

[r] Hello to you

[i] How are you?

[r] Well, well enough, well enough

[i] Welcome

[r] Thank you.

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

[r] I am [name] , I’m from Guinea conakry.

[i] How many years have you been here in Italy?

[r] I’ve been here now for 2 years,

[i] Why did you choose to immigrate? And why did you choose Italy precisely?

[r] Because in my country there are so many things that are not right, and not then to make a demonstration against the government, if you do they kill you, there are so many bad things to say

[i] So you were forced to leave your country so that you wouldn’t feel good, and then you wouldn’t have to express yourself?

[r] Yes

[i] What were you doing there in Guinea?

[r] In Guinea did the work of worker (asphalt on the road) I also drove the big cars.

[i] When you first came here, how was the trip?

[r] It’s not easy to tell this journey, even to my worst enemy I can’t wish this journey, to make this road here. I didn’t know it was like that. Then I didn’t feel well in my country, so it’s fate.

[i] The first day you came here to Italy, did you come directly to Turin or were you somewhere else?

[r] No, the first time I was in Trento, I did two or three weeks there, then I came here to Turin.

[i] They brought you here but you were in a reception center?

[r] Yes, in Settimo Torinese, I was there for two three weeks.

[i] How have these days been that you lived there?

[r] Well .

[i] Since you came to us today have you managed to fit well into this society?

[r] Yes, yes I have no problems with the Italians, I feel very good with them as if they were at home, but it is not easy life, however I feel good.

[i] What are you doing now, working or studying?

[r] Yes, I’m doing both together, I did the civil service in the Italian Red Cross for a year, after that I did the civil service in the community of Santa Giulia.

[i] How do you feel about working here among your Italian colleagues?

[r] Good are good comparisons of me are very kind

[i] You’ve never had any problems with any confrontation, where they made you feel unwanted or you felt like an isolated stranger?

[r] No, no one has done this to me so far, and I hope it continues.

[i] [name] Have you been able to return to your country since you came here?

[r] No,

[i] Why?

[R] In my country I don’t say I won’t go back there because I’m Guinean, but it won’t be right now, maybe after 15 or 20 years.

[i] So much?

[r] Maybe before I come back a lot of things will have changed.

Do you still have a family in Guinea?

[r] No, but I have a twin in Libya, she’s married there, I only have her. I lost my parents.

[i] I’m sorry, and how you feel away from your half, because we know the twins

[r] Every now and then I think of you and you do the same thing, but thank God that you are married, however we often feel to change ideas.

[i] Have you managed to preserve the culture of Guinea or not, in the sense that you are taking it with you? your own culture of your country?

[r] It’s very different, but for me the most important thing is to understand the Italian culture I’m from Guinea I know my culture well, so for me to understand how things work here to understand well, is currently my goal

We know that two cultures are quite different, at the beginning how did you experience this diversity? How do you live in a Guinea of Africa, one of Italy and Europe? How do you live this thing here?

[r] Mamma mia! It’s not easy but to know the things here you have to get closer to the locals

[i] Now we talk about your everyday life your days as you live ? for example at home the kitchen, the music you listen to is African cuisine and music or are you used to Italian music?

[R] I would say A mix, because now I have a belly problem I don’t eat rice, I eat salad, pasta, pizza. And I listen to Italian music to understand the language

[i] So you want to open yourself up to this Italian culture, to learn a little more?

[r] Yes, of course.

[i] Have you ever had an affair with Italian friends if you have one and they ask you to cook something typical of your country?

[R] I have many Italian friends but you know it’s not easy, if you don’t know someone well, inviting them is not easy, you have to know us slowly, until you know each other better.

[i] Do you have any hobbies, do you practice any sports in your free time?

[R] No, but when I was in my country, yes, but not here.

[i] Why?

[r] Because my head is very busy, I think a lot about other things.

[i] And what did you do in Guinea, what did you play?

[r] Yes, I used to play football.

[i] We know as soon as we talk about Africa it’s football.

[r] Yes, but not much.

[i] We can call this phenomenon that, immigration, this mass of immigration of these young people, what do you think? These young people who come by sea?

[R] In my opinion, if you see us Africans we leave to come here, it’s not to say that we just want to see Europe, I have to look for money in Europe, it’s not true, the reality here there are always problems, that’s why you see so many young Africans who come here, I left my country I was small, I was certainly working but my age did not allow me to leave. That’s why I said at the beginning not even to my enemy I do not wish to go down this road. We did it thanks to God who saved our lives, because it was destiny.

[i] There are people who have lost their lives. And what do these guys have to do to give them as advice once they are in Italy, what do they have to do to integrate well and fit well into this society?

[R] I tell him the first most important thing is respect, you have to respect people in any position. The second you have to go to school, because to understand how things work you have to study, to understand the language. Because in my country I didn’t go to school but I worked, I didn’t study French either, but I worked with the French, that’s why I speak French, I studied Arabic. When I arrived here I said life isn’t so easy, I went to school to learn things.

[i] It is important to study and open yourself up to the world as well. Can I ask you [name] what are your dreams? your goals? when you came to Italy or even when you decided to come to Italy what did you dream of finding and realizing?

[r] My goal was not to arrive in Italy, when I left my country it was because I didn’t like the things that happened there, I said to leave. Luckily I arrived here my goal in Italy, first is to integrate, if you are not integrated then not do something good, and then after I will come what to do with God’s help.

I can ask you since you came here you’ve seen other cities or not.

[i] Yes, but not of the big cities, also the last time with my teacher we went to the mountains for the first of May, there were many people.

[i] Would you like to travel around Italy a bit?

[r] Yes, I would, because I like Italy. I say this because I don’t have anyone here, but they have given me accommodation, when I’m sick they take care of me, they sent me to school. So the country that does all this you can’t help but thank it, it’s so much, you can’t say all that then respect those who did this to you, and then do that for example the civil service to help them is a duty, because what they did for me I can’t pay them. even if I become president I can’t pay them, because it’s thanks to them that I’m alive, they saved my life, so I thank the country

[r] So we can say that you are very grateful is the way to thank Italy as you say, all that it has done for you want to do so much volunteer work civil service, to help and a way for you to say thank you for what they did to you. For my part I say you’re a good example of immigrant boys above all who come here in a clandestine way, but by sea they have a great desire to love this country and also say thank you for all you’ve done. For my part, I thank you for your presence, for having answered my questions and I wish you a good future.

[r] The same to you. Thank you.