Sono ormai già 3 settimane che 5 studenti stranieri, provenienti da 5 Paesi nel mondo, vivono un esperienza nel sociale qui a Pavia. Già accennato qualche articolo fa, in occasione dell’Anno del Volontariato, il CSV e AIESEC stanno portando avanti un progetto di valenza internazionale, “YOUTH SOCIALLY ENGAGED”. Giovani Socialmente Coinvolti, è proprio quello che sta accadendo a Irna, indonesiana, Gabriela, brasiliana, Nesrine, tunisina, Tamar, georgiana, e presto anche a Daniel, ghanese.
Non capita spesso di avere l’opportunità di incontrare ragazzi così intraprendenti, che decidono di allontanarsi da casa per vivere a contatto di un’altra cultura affrontando la lontananza da casa e gli stereotipi. Non è altrettanto facile poter affettivamente sapere cosa provano, pensano della nostra cultura, se il nostro sia o meno un paese ospitale e perché si decide di affrontare certe esperienze di vita, soprattutto perché a vent’anni. L’ho chiesto direttamente a loro.
Tamar – What kind of job are you doing in Pavia? Which is the difficulties that you are facing? What is the best things you are living during this experience in Italy? «I’m working for CPAS (Comitato Pavia Asti Senegal). I’m organizing multicultural events in Pavia with the help of CPAS; I’m translating texts for the organization from Italian to French language and I’m going to organize several lectures about Georgia, its’ culture, history, geographical information, politics etc. The only difficulty that I faced in Pavia is Italian language, I understand when I read but it’s really hard for me to understand a fast Italian speech. This is really a great experience for me since I started to speak better Italian, I got to know to the things that non-profit organizations do and to the way they do these things. I met wonderful people from Italy and around the world. I felt that I am able to do lots of things, so I’ll go back in my country motivated and encouraged to do more. I have learned to “fly higher”».
Irna – Irna, you come from a country really different from ours, what kind of cultural shock are you living? «I think I found not a shock, but new thing for me: usually in Indonesia we kiss the cheeks from left side to right side, here I found people kiss cheek from right side to left». What added-value this experience in social environment is giving you? «Positive value are they usually say greetings to people (chao) – I like that positive habbit (to greet people) and the way Italian preserve buildings, especially old building».
Gabriela – Why have you decided to live a social experience? how do you feel now, far from your family, from your culture, living with so other different culture? if you can have the possibility to say something to your brazilian friends about this experience, what would you say? «I decided to live this experience because besides all the benefits I will get to my carrier with this work, I always wanted to do something to help the world, at least a part of it that I can. I believe that if every person in the world does something like we are doing here, it would be really better, we would be able to do a huge change on people lives. Leaving away from my country, family, friends and culture is not being easy, but this whole experience will be totally positive for me in the end because I’m learning to respect the differences and this is very important to anyone. I would say to my friends that they should do the same! They should live a social experience also because it really changes you and what you think about the world».
giuseppina cuccurullo