1 00:00:01,288 --> 00:00:06,188 Success paths of young immigrants in higher education and the professional world. 2 00:00:09,687 --> 00:00:14,038 He came from Morocco. He has studied Psychology, Anthropology and Audiovisual Communication. 3 00:00:20,490 --> 00:00:23,096 The migration process in the case of my family 4 00:00:23,097 --> 00:00:25,618 was started by my father 5 00:00:25,662 --> 00:00:29,392 that at one time considered that Morocco 6 00:00:29,448 --> 00:00:33,320 was not the right place to continue 7 00:00:33,371 --> 00:00:37,450 with his career or his concerns 8 00:00:37,470 --> 00:00:39,318 or aspirations then. 9 00:00:39,348 --> 00:00:41,865 It seems that initially he went to Holland 10 00:00:41,892 --> 00:00:44,553 and could not adjust for a few months 11 00:00:44,591 --> 00:00:48,431 and then there in the town... In Arenys de Munt, 12 00:00:48,474 --> 00:00:50,615 where he finally ended up, 13 00:00:50,661 --> 00:00:54,312 he had a childhood friend 14 00:00:54,330 --> 00:00:56,672 who was from a town nearby 15 00:00:56,691 --> 00:00:59,262 And then he told him "Look, there's work here" and so on 16 00:00:59,290 --> 00:01:01,497 and he moved to Arenys de Munt. 17 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:04,882 The first relationships were with a neighbor who lived above us, 18 00:01:04,886 --> 00:01:07,307 Salvador, with whom I interacted. 19 00:01:07,338 --> 00:01:10,387 Then I didn't understand him, idiomatically, but we were kids, 20 00:01:10,429 --> 00:01:13,837 so to play, we knew how to play, ball or whatever. 21 00:01:13,849 --> 00:01:17,883 The first relationships were these. Then, when I got in school 22 00:01:17,923 --> 00:01:20,894 I met my schoolmates and so on. 23 00:01:20,936 --> 00:01:23,215 I think the difference was mostly 24 00:01:23,245 --> 00:01:26,053 centered around holiday cycles, somehow, 25 00:01:26,084 --> 00:01:29,259 in that they were parallel. You had to combine 26 00:01:29,265 --> 00:01:32,721 in quotes, the Muslim calendar 27 00:01:32,738 --> 00:01:36,778 with the Catholic or Christian calendar. 28 00:01:36,779 --> 00:01:40,262 So there it was made obvious through the performance 29 00:01:40,302 --> 00:01:43,183 the staging, the lamb festival, for example, 30 00:01:43,214 --> 00:01:45,759 Ramadan, etc., etc., you saw 31 00:01:45,778 --> 00:01:47,932 that this interfered... not interfered, but was... 32 00:01:47,952 --> 00:01:51,041 I don’t know, I remember when I started Ramadan, for example, 33 00:01:51,042 --> 00:01:54,124 of course, it was quite a different thing. 34 00:01:54,150 --> 00:01:57,037 It's like an additional challenge 35 00:01:57,067 --> 00:02:00,145 because we went on a field trip and I I didn't take a sandwich 36 00:02:00,152 --> 00:02:01,920 because I was in the middle of fasting. 37 00:02:01,921 --> 00:02:04,879 In adolescence, whether you like it or not, you start having other concerns, 38 00:02:04,893 --> 00:02:09,205 you start to realize that you come from another culture. 39 00:02:09,239 --> 00:02:10,805 That others also see you as different. 40 00:02:10,824 --> 00:02:12,944 In a way, in some ways, not all. 41 00:02:12,945 --> 00:02:16,024 Or I think also that a lot of times you feel different. 42 00:02:18,475 --> 00:02:20,243 The truth is that yes, I felt so accompanied 43 00:02:20,269 --> 00:02:22,891 If I have to be sincere. I even have fond memories of a teacher... 44 00:02:22,904 --> 00:02:24,608 Well, I have support of many teachers. 45 00:02:24,633 --> 00:02:27,922 As in one point when I had to decide whether to go to high school [post compulsory] or not 46 00:02:27,942 --> 00:02:29,538 for my difficulties in... 47 00:02:29,568 --> 00:02:32,123 Mostly at spelling and writing mistakes. 48 00:02:32,147 --> 00:02:34,574 In that I made a lot of mistakes, and still do. 49 00:02:34,599 --> 00:02:35,952 I had some teacher that said 50 00:02:35,977 --> 00:02:38,856 "geese. Maybe starting post-high school is not in your best interest because..." 51 00:02:38,857 --> 00:02:42,160 "At selectivity [SAT equivalent] they value spelling a lot..." 52 00:02:42,197 --> 00:02:45,062 "It penalizes you..." while others gave you their support. 53 00:02:45,063 --> 00:02:47,806 I remember a teacher, Nieves, 54 00:02:47,831 --> 00:02:49,698 she taught Spanish, 55 00:02:49,716 --> 00:02:52,027 I remember that at Reys [Catalan Christmas tradition], or Christmas, 56 00:02:52,059 --> 00:02:53,817 she was always giving me calligraphy books 57 00:02:53,818 --> 00:02:56,647 So I would exercise... So my calligraphy was readable. 58 00:02:56,648 --> 00:02:59,581 The friends I have now are my lifelong friends. 59 00:02:59,625 --> 00:03:01,478 We know each other since we were 6 or 7. 60 00:03:01,495 --> 00:03:04,186 Then, you keep them. And yes, really, often, 61 00:03:04,212 --> 00:03:07,120 I when I go to Arenys de Munt I spend more time with my friends 62 00:03:07,140 --> 00:03:09,570 than with my family. 63 00:03:09,571 --> 00:03:11,275 It's a very intense relationship. 64 00:03:11,276 --> 00:03:14,789 They were friends... Those were links we were setting out from 65 00:03:14,817 --> 00:03:18,699 proximity. We went to the same school. 66 00:03:18,700 --> 00:03:20,729 We went to the same class. 67 00:03:20,761 --> 00:03:22,232 And we were in the same neighborhood. 68 00:03:22,271 --> 00:03:25,458 You could establish links with some people or others 69 00:03:25,481 --> 00:03:29,567 and you chose or had a give and take relationship, in a way 70 00:03:29,599 --> 00:03:32,125 I think the fact of where I was 71 00:03:32,165 --> 00:03:35,145 was the least important. Perhaps now that I'm older 72 00:03:35,159 --> 00:03:38,681 and possibly in some contexts 73 00:03:38,716 --> 00:03:42,624 I am a minority share or a folkloric quota 74 00:03:45,925 --> 00:03:49,723 I started psychology and the thing is that 75 00:03:49,724 --> 00:03:52,062 at the second year of psychology, I think it was, 76 00:03:52,063 --> 00:03:55,642 I thought, "Why don't I go to history of art, because this is just not..." 77 00:03:55,674 --> 00:03:58,474 "This is not exactly what I expected in some way" 78 00:03:58,508 --> 00:04:01,851 In the end I gave up. I spoke with someone who told me 79 00:04:01,868 --> 00:04:04,035 "Damn, history of art is a little..." 80 00:04:04,060 --> 00:04:05,839 Especially here in Catalonia there is a lot... 81 00:04:05,882 --> 00:04:07,700 I even thought of going to Granada, where I had some friends. 82 00:04:07,701 --> 00:04:09,566 Maybe enroll in history of art and such, but no. 83 00:04:09,573 --> 00:04:11,340 I ended up staying in psychology 84 00:04:11,371 --> 00:04:14,220 Then I became interested by anthropology. At third year 85 00:04:14,246 --> 00:04:18,515 I began my studies in anthropology with psychology simultaneously 86 00:04:18,534 --> 00:04:21,603 I also met... Initially 87 00:04:21,641 --> 00:04:25,565 I interacted with a small group of students 88 00:04:25,581 --> 00:04:29,381 The brightest from the academic point of view. 89 00:04:29,382 --> 00:04:31,659 And slowly I started to open up. 90 00:04:31,685 --> 00:04:33,603 Initially I was reluctant 91 00:04:33,604 --> 00:04:36,546 because I met those who are currently my, say, city friends. 92 00:04:36,566 --> 00:04:38,797 I have town friends and city friends. 93 00:04:38,825 --> 00:04:42,758 I was very reluctant. I saw there was an approach 94 00:04:42,773 --> 00:04:45,921 but I saw them like the typical handsome guys 95 00:04:45,940 --> 00:04:48,575 So posh and just not... 96 00:04:48,576 --> 00:04:51,042 And finally I met them and my own prejudice 97 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:54,210 was limiting me to not interact with these people 98 00:04:54,242 --> 00:04:56,469 who are now some of my best friends. 99 00:04:56,470 --> 00:04:59,008 I was very interested in psychology, anthropology interested me 100 00:04:59,009 --> 00:05:02,841 but from anthropology to audiovisual communication 101 00:05:02,872 --> 00:05:05,896 there is a break. I saw anthropology was very academic. 102 00:05:05,918 --> 00:05:08,602 I saw it would be a good tool to disseminate 103 00:05:08,603 --> 00:05:11,067 the whole more anthropological issue, in quotes. 104 00:05:11,091 --> 00:05:13,574 Or how to apply anthropology to something more related to dissemination 105 00:05:13,599 --> 00:05:16,861 Or as if... Currently, in the project I am part of 106 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:18,983 That excites me very much, which is an ethnography 107 00:05:19,009 --> 00:05:21,109 on the homeless in Barcelona 108 00:05:21,153 --> 00:05:25,921 I start from anthropology but with the visual tool. 109 00:05:25,954 --> 00:05:28,515 We are making a documentary based on that. 110 00:05:28,516 --> 00:05:31,492 I was interested in social marketing 111 00:05:31,521 --> 00:05:36,653 and I'm in themes... Studying advertising 112 00:05:36,695 --> 00:05:39,750 I often say, "Look, I stop here" 113 00:05:39,776 --> 00:05:42,401 but I don't have a specific concern on how to develop 114 00:05:42,419 --> 00:05:44,639 my professional career in doing a concrete thing. 115 00:05:44,671 --> 00:05:47,961 I think it's... Right now it's unfeasible. 116 00:05:47,979 --> 00:05:52,159 In an era where everything is changing, globalized 117 00:05:52,194 --> 00:05:55,147 what we must address is needs, and not create them. 118 00:05:55,148 --> 00:05:58,581 One way to address needs, and not create them, 119 00:05:58,582 --> 00:06:02,304 is to be a multifaceted person and say "hey, we are missing this here" 120 00:06:02,311 --> 00:06:04,488 "Here people need this." 121 00:06:04,495 --> 00:06:08,563 But from a particular discipline you are drawing the line on what what they need 122 00:06:08,564 --> 00:06:11,621 and what not, and what society needs. 123 00:06:11,655 --> 00:06:12,936 Where do you work? 124 00:06:12,962 --> 00:06:15,611 I'm in social services 125 00:06:15,612 --> 00:06:18,343 working with homeless people 126 00:06:18,344 --> 00:06:22,063 and now I've started a whole project with Vall d'Hebron [a hospital] 127 00:06:22,069 --> 00:06:24,378 with trans-cultural psychiatry unit 128 00:06:24,379 --> 00:06:26,954 which is also linked to more cross-cultural psychology... 129 00:06:26,955 --> 00:06:28,793 A research... Etc., etc. 130 00:06:28,794 --> 00:06:32,873 I'm in two fields, a social field and a more clinical field. 131 00:06:32,951 --> 00:06:34,999 The gaze of the other 132 00:06:35,024 --> 00:06:39,640 I remember one day when I was accompanying a user 133 00:06:39,659 --> 00:06:42,468 to a homeless care center. 134 00:06:42,469 --> 00:06:45,039 And the professional didn't know me. 135 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:48,217 Then she said "stand in line." I say "no no, I called you before" 136 00:06:48,241 --> 00:06:50,554 Because they thought I was a homeless person also, 137 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:52,229 coming to ask for a seat. 138 00:06:52,266 --> 00:06:54,132 Gaze changes depending on the context. 139 00:06:54,133 --> 00:06:56,861 However in a more academic, or giving a talk 140 00:06:56,879 --> 00:06:59,303 for example, I was collaborating with a project that was 141 00:06:59,310 --> 00:07:01,663 some talks, some debates... The gaze is very different. 142 00:07:01,664 --> 00:07:04,582 The context is what determines the gaze. 143 00:07:04,583 --> 00:07:07,510 In some contexts I am the "smart morito" [deriding word for muslims] 144 00:07:07,511 --> 00:07:12,641 and in some others I'm just a "moro" [used as a catch-all for african muslims] 145 00:07:12,642 --> 00:07:16,570 The stigma is present, constant. Going up the subway stairs 146 00:07:16,571 --> 00:07:20,272 you see a 20 years old girl that looks at you... 147 00:07:20,273 --> 00:07:23,346 Automatically, looks at you and moves his bag to the front. 148 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:28,771 Or a lady on the subway with lots of bags and you try to help her and she look at you... 149 00:07:28,790 --> 00:07:32,719 In broader contexts, the label, or the stigma of... 150 00:07:32,726 --> 00:07:38,952 Your phenotypical traits, so people easily puts a label on you. 151 00:07:38,974 --> 00:07:43,997 My parents have always encouraged and have insisted in that we keep 152 00:07:44,026 --> 00:07:47,585 not only our culture but also the language. 153 00:07:47,586 --> 00:07:50,986 And for me the language is leading to many job opportunities 154 00:07:51,035 --> 00:07:54,257 and it's opening many doors for me. The fact that I'm fluent in Catalan 155 00:07:54,258 --> 00:07:56,442 Spanish, Dariya and Arabic. 156 00:07:57,284 --> 00:08:00,289 The image I had of Morocco 157 00:08:00,290 --> 00:08:02,189 at the time I idealized it. 158 00:08:02,190 --> 00:08:04,810 It also happens that I was very young. 159 00:08:04,811 --> 00:08:09,265 Through anthropology I started to link to my home country, 160 00:08:09,272 --> 00:08:12,043 in quotes, because I ended up doing a dissertation linked 161 00:08:12,044 --> 00:08:13,949 to honor, gender 162 00:08:13,973 --> 00:08:16,293 and the incorporation of women into the labor market in Morocco. 163 00:08:16,326 --> 00:08:19,745 I said "look, now is the time. Let's take advantage of it, save some money" 164 00:08:19,746 --> 00:08:22,994 "and go to Morocco for a few months" to re-connect 165 00:08:22,995 --> 00:08:24,950 with my origins. 166 00:08:24,955 --> 00:08:27,375 And it also, at the same time, 167 00:08:27,376 --> 00:08:31,827 one of the professors of the faculty was carrying a research on Islam 168 00:08:31,828 --> 00:08:35,711 and the diaspora in the European context... And the fact that 169 00:08:35,712 --> 00:08:39,621 I spoke the language and I guess also that because of the line of research 170 00:08:39,622 --> 00:08:42,487 and so on I was offered the opportunity, and I 171 00:08:42,488 --> 00:08:44,907 didn't know many things about my country of origin. 172 00:08:44,908 --> 00:08:48,632 Not only about my country of origin but about religion, culture... 173 00:08:48,633 --> 00:08:51,285 I’ve rediscovered them through anthropology 174 00:08:51,307 --> 00:08:56,088 and through contextualize myself in a research environment and so on. 175 00:08:56,089 --> 00:09:01,454 It was afterwards that I tried to re-establish the link to my country of origin. 176 00:09:01,634 --> 00:09:05,139 Is a game of poker, sometimes 177 00:09:05,145 --> 00:09:08,237 you have bad cards but if you can play them 178 00:09:08,238 --> 00:09:12,423 you can break the bank. 179 00:09:12,463 --> 00:09:18,240 I don't know, as I said, being a Moroccan 180 00:09:18,241 --> 00:09:22,642 if you know how to play and, above all use 181 00:09:22,643 --> 00:09:25,794 can be positive; It's not always negative. 182 00:09:25,819 --> 00:09:32,936 And depends a lot on yourself and how you play these cards. 183 00:09:32,963 --> 00:09:37,317 As my mother says, only death comes suddenly, everything else is manageable. 184 00:09:37,355 --> 00:09:42,221 So you have look on, not the positive side, but make it right somehow, 185 00:09:42,239 --> 00:09:46,539 And see what you get out of this, and how you can use it 186 00:09:46,557 --> 00:09:51,100 or saying "I will not take that path. I don't like that." 187 00:09:51,101 --> 00:09:55,262 Discard anything you do not like is positive because you know you can go for another. 188 00:09:55,394 --> 00:09:58,421 Living the stigma as a good thing.