Journey of an immigrant
For this work I chose an immigrant who is a friend of my parents. She comes from Italy.
Hello, can you tell me about yourself please?
Hello, my name is Laura, I’m forty six. I’m Italian.
When did you arrive in France?
I arrived in France in 1977, at the age of my 14.
Did you come to France with your family?
Yes I came with my mother and my two sisters. We went to join my father who had already lived in France for three years.
Why was your father already in France?
My uncle, was much younger than my father, and had left Italy during his adolescence with his parents. My father had stayed in Italy with my mother. His brother had found him a job that’s why he came to live in France. After 3 working years in France, my father had earned a lot of money, and we to join him.
Did you go there for better living conditions?
Yes because we lived in this period in the south of the Italy and living conditions were not good. Moreover we had no family in Italy. And my sisters and I did not know the family towards my father.
What was the journey like?
The journey… A long story! Very hard but not too long. We found it was difficult when we arrived here.
Can you explain?
Sure, it’s finished now and history! To begin with as I’ve already explained my mother my sisters and me, we did not have much money. We succeeded in taking the train from our small village in Calabria then to Cosenza and on to Milan. This trip took us a lot of time, 2 or 3 days, I don’t know exactly. Once arrived in France, we had no more money to take the train which went directly from Milan to France. But we had to go fast because my father was waiting for us at the border. We thus hitchhiked to Turin.
All four of you?
Yes, a truck took us. We were very lucky. Then to go from Turin to the border, we had to travel secretly because at this period many Italians were sent back. A truck driver took us in his lorry. I am going to stop speaking to you about the journey, because it’s not really interesting.
What were your first impression on your arrival here?
At the beginning it was very difficult because we did not speak French, but the inhabitants of our village were very welcoming.
Ok. Thank you for giving me your time.
Laura VOINOT 1èreES3
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