Success paths of young immigrants in higher education and the professional world.
Yuan. Was born in China and is 24 years old.
He is studying Industrial Engineering, currently at 4th year.
My name is Yuan Hao. I come from China.
East China. The southern part. Next to Shanghai.
And I've been here since 97.
I came here when I was 11
and since then I have lived here, in Prat de Llobregat.
When I got here my mother was working for my aunt
and my brother and I arrived the same time.
We did not have enough to rent a separate house
so I lived at my aunt's home for several years
until the end of the ESO [secondary education].
Schooling
When I was 11 I entered at sixth grade [primary].
Sure, I found many difficulties
when interacting with others, I did not know any Spanish.
And then sometimes I got angry with my schoolmates
because I did not understand what they were saying to me.
Well, and angry at myself, of course.
I did not have a hard time, but neither did I have a good time, let's say.
There were many things I was learning in China
and I had to leave when I came here
for instance, [?], I was learning In China when I was in elementary school.
And when I came I could not... The economic situation was more difficult here.
Because life here is more expensive and so I did not continue learning.
How did you went through high school?
I found considerable difficulty when interacting
because the guys there had already formed
friends and small groups of friends from elementary.
I feel very intrusive and then
there are times... people, if they hang out with a small group
it is not difficult... is not easy to establish a relationship with them.
In first and second of ESO I did not study.
When I went to class it was to take a nap, because I was bored and did not understand much.
Except math, where you don't need to understand the language as much.
And then, so I spent three... Two years...
The first two years in high school.
The experience of working.
Because usually when you start working
you mean you do not want to study anymore.
Well, I worked for half a year as a waiter in Girona.
In a friend of my aunt's restaurant.
And there I learned say... or...
I saw how I wanted my life to be.
I did not want to spend my whole life working as a waiter
or working as a Chinese
that is, to open a "dollar store" or a grocery store.
I did not want that.
And then I thought... at the end of the summer season
I asked my mother that I wanted to go back to school
and she said yes, to go back to the same high school
and to continue studying.
The first thing was the teacher's surprise
she was a tutor... psychologist at the school.
She taught separate classes to newcomers... Say, immigrants.
For the Moroccans, the Chinese and some others.
So, she was the one who helped me
when she saw me at the school's door and said "ah, back to school!"
And I said yes and she helped me enroll again,
to pick a place and when I showed up the first day
it was a surprise for my schoolmates.
Why Industrial Engineering?
I didn't have much of an idea, because I do not know anyone that...
in my family, my family environment
who could advise me what career to take.
So it was... I asked some teachers
from my high school. And in the end I decided on this industrial engineering career
Because a friend of mine, a friend of... high school.
The brightest was exposed to everyone else learning from him
he was the best of the class.
And I asked "what will you do?"
And he said "Industrial engineering" and I say "why?"
And he said that this degree because it had a lot career work possibilities
and he could earn a good salary.
And then I just chose the same as him.
Well now I've met many people and well...
Through the years, I have met many people at the uni
And... Now I have many...
Most friends are Spanish.
I have only one Chinese friend, who is a childhood friend.
He has also come to Spain and...
And I have no other Chinese friends. All are Spanish, eh?
Well, I go out with them on weekends also.
Study with them. Well, the usual student life.
Catalan... the truth is that when I came here
I was taught Spanish for the first year
in primary school.
And when I got to high school
it was where I had more difficulties.
But in my high school, at the time,
I was doing some intensive Catalan classes for newcomers.
In other words, immigrants.
So I think I...
In a... quotes, they forced me to leave all afternoon classes.
They took me out of all afternoon classes. Any subject.
And for a whole school year I learned Catalan every afternoon.
And from there I learned Catalan.
Well, I understand, write and...
Do not talk much but also speak Catalan.
I think it is a cultural identity for Catalonia.
I identify myself as a Catalan
and Chinese at the same time, and Spanish at the same time.
There is no conflict for me to be all three at once.
Would you give any advice?
Depending on the capacity and economic situation
I advise, if you have sufficient capacity and can
afford to study, to keep studying
getting a degree.
And I think is the best you can do.
And if not, do not like or do not have enough...
Not enough time to study four years
and... of uni, then I advise...
I advise you to at least enroll in vocational training.
So with that, according to friends who... Friends and schoolmates
who didn't go to college...
Who went directly to vocational training after the ESO [high school].
And they have found jobs and are living a normal life.
A path of change.