I meet Jack at university, where we’re gonna find a quiet place for the interview. Jack’s real name is Firooz Ahmad Atiee and he’s from Afghanistan. But he calls himself Jack, it’s easier. Jack came to Switzerland fifteen months ago. When asked what was the first German word he learned, he shakes his head laughing. He can’t remember that. During the first six months in Switzerland, he attended German lessons in the camp. But this came to an end, and there was still so much to learn. At the moment he is learning a little German with Youtube.
Jack used to work as a dressmaker for ten years. He didn’t learn this profession because it’s not common in Afghanistan. That’s why he would like to do a professional training as a dressmaker in Switzerland. He loves sewing and makes me an offer to repair my clothes if I need help!
Jack often spends his free time in the indoor swimming pool. He likes swimming very much and has already done so in his home country. With the difference that here in Switzerland the indoor swimming pools are much better, and above all warm. And he likes listening to music, for example Rammstein. The band have a good German, which helps him to learn a bit.
I asked him if he had eaten Rösti, Raclette or Fondue before: “No, unfortunately not, because I have no contact with Swiss people. I’ve seen fondue before, but never tried it. But I very much like to eat salad. There’s a lot of that in Switzerland.”
His goal is to learn German better. That helps in finding a flat and a job. Making telephone calls without being able to speak German is difficult and that is why he has not yet had any success. But he could neither work properly nor go to school. The reason is always the same, he has to wait: “I just want to be able to work so that I can earn money and go to school. But I can’t do anything, just wait.”
Jack is allowed to work a little. He works as a cleaning helper in a company and gets about 15 francs a day. “I start at eight o’clock and return home at four o’clock in the afternoon. I like that. It’s much better than just lying in bed. At least I can do something and earn money. I try to save money to attend a German course.”
When asked what is the same in Switzerland as in Afghanistan, he quickly answers with “nothing”. “Everything is different. Here in Switzerland you feel very safe. This is not the case in Afghanistan.” And the food and the culture are also very different.
Do you have a wish? “I want to learn to read better and get to know the culture. I want to meet other people for dinner and talk. As I said, I want to learn and work, and not just wait in the camp. For me, social welfare is paid. Why am I not allowed to work and earn my own money? This is unpleasant for me and I don’t understand it”.
