“Rispetto molto la scuola. Perché la gente non va a scuola? La gente si incontra e mi chiede: “Perché vai a scuola? Sono venuto qui per andare a scuola e dico: “Svuota la tasca e riempi il cervello, poi il cervello ti riempirà la tasca”. Ora vedo molte persone che hanno iniziato ad andare a scuola.
Ma ho visto gente partire da Palermo non appena hanno avuto i documenti. Non appena i documenti scadono, devono tornare qui. In questo momento la situazione è molto difficile. Devi avere un contratto di lavoro o andare a scuola. Ti chiedono molte cose, devi avere una residenza. Quelli che ritornano sono davvero persi perché devono ricominciare tutto da capo. Non sto dicendo che non dovremmo andare. La vita è un viaggio, non si smette mai di imparare. Non è sempre necessario rimanere qui, ma prima di partire bisogna pensare molto attentamente a ciò che si vuole, se si può ottenere o meno. Perché cosa succede se te ne vai e solo allora ti rendi conto che non è realizzabile – e se lo sapevi, non te ne saresti andato”?
Intervista con Mustapha F. a Palermo, il 12 giugno 2019
“I respect the school very much. Why don’t people go to school? People meet and ask me, “Why do you go to school? I came here to go to school and say, ‘Empty your pocket and fill your brain, then your brain will fill your pocket. I now see many people who have started going to school. But I’ve seen people from Palermo leave as soon as they had the documents. As soon as they expire, they have to come back here. Right now the situation is very difficult. You have to have an employment contract or go to school. They ask you many things, you have to have a residence. Those who return are really lost because they have to start all over again. I’m not saying we shouldn’t go. Life is a journey, you never stop learning. You don’t always have to stay here, but before you go, you have to think very carefully about what you want, whether you can achieve it or not. Because what if you go away and only then realize that it’s not achievable – and if you knew it, you wouldn’t have gone?”
Interview with Mustapha F., 12 June 2019, Palermo
Mustapha F. came to Sicily from Gambia. He spent several months in various reception camps until he arrived in Palermo. Since then he has been going to school in Palermo and learning Italian.
In Giocherenda’s biographical workshop, Mustapha talks about how important school is to him – but also about how difficult it is to live and stay in Italy.
Mustapha F. came to Sicily from Gambia. He had to spend several months in different reception camps until he came to Palermo. Since then he has been going to school, learning Italian and, like many others, working part-time (often several jobs and usually without an employment contract).
Fatima D. goes to school and receives training as a musician at the conservatory. Her future dream is to become a singer and musician. Her wish came about through a spontaneous encounter with a drum teacher who saw her playing the djembé.
Emmanuel comes from Ghana and has lived in Palermo since 1992. In the 27 years he has worked in various professions. Emmanuel could no longer pursue his profession as an industrial mechanic in Palermo and took a job as a night watchman in a flower shop.
Marrie S. talks about what love in the form of solidarity, support, and rescue means to him.
Yurdanus shares two recipes from her home country and tells her story of flight.
Why A. escaped Somalia
This is one of the crucial excerpts from Hannah Arendt’s essay “We Refugees” that she published in 1943 shortly after arriving in New York.
Kadija J. about the thankfulness for the support she received in Palermo.
Fatima D. tells of her escape through the desert.
Kadija J. on her reasons for coming to Europe.
Conversation with Giovanni from Ethiopia.