interviews with immigrants Mathilde

FROM ITALY TO FRANCE: A COMPLICATED JOURNEY

FRANKA

What is your homeland? Where do you live now?
I come From Bergamo in the North of Italy and I live in St Pierre d' Albigny at present.

How long have you been in France ?
Since 1950. I was 21 when I arrived.

Why did you leave your homeland ?
My mother died in Italy and my father remarried. I had sisters already settled in France. Among my sisters, one lived to Aigleblanche ( Tarentaise), I joined her.

What was your journey to France like ? Did you travel to France on your own ?
I made the journey by car and by train, alone. I was afraid because it was the first time when I left alone and I did not speak a word of French.

Did you find work quickly ?
Yes, My sister made me start work in a hotel as general help, I had to give her all the money which I earned because she accommodated me. Later I was employed at a doctor's, I did everything: the housework, the reception, the telephone, the secretariat … But I was not officially then declared these years did not count for my pension.

Why did you choose to France in particular ?
I chose France because it was not far from Italy and I already had relatives over there.

Do you enjoy living in France ? Have you regrets?
I like living in France, I have no regrets because when I miss Italy I can return to it very easily because it is not far from St Pierre D' Albigny, where I live at present.

Did you find it difficult to integrate into French society ?
The language barrier gave me problems of integration. Furthermore, I was young and without experience of life.

Today do you feel you more French or Italian?
I feel very Italian because I am attached to my homeland and its traditions. I am here but my heart is still in Italy.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

 


ALFRED

What is your homeland? Where do you live now?
I come From Cismon del grappa in Italy and I live in St Pierre d' Albigny at present.

How long have you been in France ?
My father Nicolo arrived in 1922, alone. My mother, my brothers and I joined him four years later. We were seven brothers and sisters among whom some people were born in France.

Why did you leave your homeland?
We wanted to escape from fascism (regime established in Italy from 1922 till 1945, established by Mussolini and based on the dictatorship of a single party.

What was your journey to France like? Did you travel to France on your own ?
We travelled by car and on foot with very few belongings.

Did you find work quickly?

First I worked as a laborer in a quarry, then as a mason. Finally I was employed by Vetrotex (a large company manufacturing glass fiber) in Chambéry. There was plenty of work at this time but often it was rather hard physical work.

Why did you choose France in particular?
We chose France because there was only a single border to pass. It was close to Italy and France embodied freedom.

Do you enjoy living in France? Have you regrets?
I love France. I was able to build a family and a house here, to work: I was a football referee. My life here satisfies me.

Did you find it difficult to integrate into French society?
In the first years we stayed among Italians, we did not mix. Then with time we were accepted.

Today you feel you more French or Italian?
I now feel more French but this does not mean I do deny my origins.

Mathilde DURET 1ES3