My mother came to Switzerland as a refugee. We then moved to Germany 9 years ago, where we first lived in a refugee camp. After school I moved out, stayed in a youth center and then had my own flat since I finished my apprenticeship.
Where are you from?
I come from Angola. As we left the country, I was 15 years old. In Angola, there is very much corruption. My father died in war, and we did not have enough money to pay for school.
What do you esteem the most concerning your culture and origin?
I love the food and our traditional dance. The people in Angola are very open. Even if they don’t own anything, they are quite happy.
If you could choose freely – where would you live?
If I would have saved enough money to be safe, I would move to America. I have learned always to save a little bit of money and keep it for later. Even if it is not a lot, it is worth to do so. You’ll need it one day.
…your most important fellow(s)?
First of all, God is most important for me. Then of course my mother, my siblings and my grandma is very important for me.
What does your cultural background mean to you personally?
It means so much for me. I was born and raised there. I am very glad to be here, but Angola is my origin. A lot of things in our culture is done by choice, there aren’t too much rules or social codes so we feel very free.
Do you want to share some thoughts about living in a world of different backgrounds and cultures, i.e. anything you have learned about it?
The people in this country could learn from our people to be more kind and more open. This is very important.
