|
| |
From South to North a trip that lasts a lifetime
 inally
the day to leave had arrived. Many years had passed since the diploma, the
military service and the first little jobs. A job at the local radio station and
then a course in information technology. Now I had a job offer from a Milan’s
factory, finally I had a real job. A telegram I had received the day before had
changed my life.
Matera - Sasso Caveoso |
A new start in a big city in the north, all my dreams and
expectation were coming true. I had waited for so long for this news and
every night I had prayed God to make the wait shorter until my leave. My
girlfriend and I could finally plan a future, a family. We could not wait
any longer. This was our chance for a better life. My bags were ready,
enough for a month. Some bread and cheese for the trip in a plastic bag. I
had everything I needed. |
| I said good bye to my mother who, with tears in her eyes
gave me her last recommendations, I kissed my brothers and I was off to
start my new life. I ran down the stairs and found myself in the street
where all my neighbors had gathered to say goodbye to me. Maria was there
too and together we started to walk toward the train station where I would
take the train to Bari and from there to Milan. |
Matera - Sasso Barisano |
|
Sassi - house's inside |
On the way to the station my legs were shaking and Maria was
squeezing my hand gently as if to remind me of all the promises we had made
to eachother. I wanted to leave even if it was causing pain because that day
Maria told me that she was going to have a baby. It was a wonderful and at
the same time terrible sensation. |
Matera - The Cathedral |
We had been too impulsive, but now it was time to start
building a future. I held her tight, I wanted her to feel all my love and
everything also I was feeling in that moment. The train arrived I said good
bye to Maria, took a seat and was finally leaving for my destination as the
train slowly left the station. |
Sassi - "Vicinato" |
| I had never seen a more beautiful sundown, the Murgia seemed
particularly intense and vivid on that winter afternoon. It was mild and the
olive trees had taken the red reflex from the sundown. Shepherds were
minding their flocks and the whole scene was reflecting a quiet and peaceful
atmosphere just like my mood. |
High Murgia - Landscape |
 |
Lucia must have felt the same way when she left her Renzo
and her home. I felt sad and the thought came to me that, at the end,
history repeats itself. What we often see happen in our lives has a
universal character/meaning, because regardless of color or creed everyone
fells the same sadness when he or she is forced to leave his or her country. |
Because this often means loosing ones’ land, culture and
roots, one’s security. As if one was forced to put and end to his youth and
ideal to become materialistic and cynic. In a way leaving is a way to
challenge oneself in dealing with new culture, new traditions and new ways
of thinking. And finally with the different color of the skin.
|
Matera - Historical Centrum |
|
Matera - Historical Centrum |
 s if one was
forced to put and end to his youth and ideal to become materialistic and
cynic. In a way leaving is a way to challenge oneself in dealing with new
culture, new traditions and new ways of thinking. And finally with the
different color of the skin.It may turn out to be an opportunity that
helps one have a positive experience and overcome one’s own limitation
through the exposure to new philosophies. |
Matera - Historical Centrum |
An opportunity that could help understand other
cultures, that could turn out to be of mutual benefit for all involved. With
these thoughts I arrived to Bari where I took the train for Milan. My dinner
was a plain focaccia bread.
At 8.45 the train arrived on time and I faced my first test, find a seat
through a aggressive crowd. |
Matera - Historical Centrum |
Matera - Historical Centrum |
I was used to this attitude at the Bari’s train station, as
far as I could remember this happened to all the trains coming from other
cities and having the north as destination. And they were always full when
they arrived. |
Train's Station |
 |
In the compartment where I found a seat there were also a
couple of curds going to Germany to join some relatives and a student going
to Parma to continue his studies. Later on a lady arrived with her little
niece whose luggage I had to load in from the window of the train. The
compartment was full and soon after the outside corridor was full as well
with people standing or sitting in the little pull out seats. At 9.15 the
train with its human load, a variety of smells, hopes and dreams was ready
to leave with Milan as destination. |
| The train was running fast piercing the darkness and every
so often the lights of a distant village would interrupt the blackness all
around. At one point the little girl started crying, she wanted her doll and
even though her grandmother told her in many different ways that the doll
was left at home, she continued her crying louder. |
City of Molfetta (BA) |
 |
Her grandmother raised her voice but that did not change
anything. At that point the curd lady asked the little girl if she wanted to
play with her doll, which was very old and came from very far away. The
little girl whose name was Assunta accepted the offer and sat quietly
waiting for the doll. Finally it came out of the lady's suitcase and Assunta
almost grabbed her from her hands getting an other scolding from her
grandmother. Sitting quietly she started cuddling the doll, then she did
something that surprised me, she took out a tissue and started cleaning her
face. I asked her why she was doing that and she answered that her face was
dirty and she was trying to clean it. Both I and her grandmother were
embarrassed by the little girl's reaction because the doll was not dirty, it
just had a dark skin color. |
The curd lady took Assunta on her lap and explained to her that the doll was
not dirty but had her skin color just like hers which was darker. She explained
that the world was full of little girls of different skin color some light some
dark with dolls which had their same color. Ant these little girl were very
happy to have them just like they were. That's why she had given her the doll to
show her the difference.
Do you think you could love a little she asked Assunta? Yes - answered the
little girl. And to everyone's happiness and peace she started cuddling her
quietly. What had just happened gave everyone the opportunity to start a
conversation and questions were asked to the curd couple who was just married
and was going to Germany to, I think Cologne,
to visit the place and perhaps find a job to improve their
future. At that point the student from Bologna agreed that it was a good idea
for them to go to Germany to seek work, he would also search for work in Bologna
or Parma where jobs and opportunities were more available than in his town in
the south.
 |
Unfortunately, this means that people go far away and do not
find jobs in their place of origin. Even the grandmother added a comment she
was going to visit her son in Arese near Milan and was bringing his little
daughter back home. He and his wife had been living there for 15 years and
had found nice jobs in a car factory. Had a nice home and every comfort. |
 |
They are very happy and would not go back to their small
village of Mola. I was tired of listening to the old lady declare how
wonderful it was to leave in the north, so I asked the curd gentleman why
they had left Turkey, was it true that they were having problem with civil
rights and just plain survival.
 |
|
He answered that they were Curd and were hoping to become an independent
nation from Turkey with their brothers from Iraq and regain their identity and
autonomy. He added - They had separated us to destroy our heritage. It's true we
have serious problems, we do not have a government, good infrastructures, food
for our children, we have no economy and for the young people the only
alternative to poverty for a better future is to just leave. Just like you do in
Italy, going from the south to the north. You have our same motivations: improve
your standard of life, your opportunities, your children's future. It's human
and normal to want that. No person in the world would give his child a stone if
he asked for bread.
|
