Ana Maria, can you talk a bit about yourself? I’m 37 years old and I came to England 12 years ago. Before that I lived in Romania, Bucharest. It was a big decision to leave home and start a new life, but I wanted to give myself better opportunities and build a more secure future.
Why did you come to England? For a better life. I wanted better financial opportunities and the chance to build a different future for myself.
And has it worked out that way? Yeah, I can say yes. It hasn’t always been easy, and I’ve had difficult moments, but when I look at everything I’ve achieved since coming here, I’m happy that I made the decision.
In what ways is England better than Romania? Money-wise, especially salary. Before I came to England, I studied accounting and worked as an accountant, but I still didn’t make enough money to have a normal life. Coming to England gave me the opportunity to improve my situation.
Do you have more opportunities in England? Yes, I feel I do. I’ve had opportunities to work, learn and develop myself. Now I’m also studying Business and Business Management at university, which is something I’m really proud of.
When you came to England, did you come on your own? No, I came with my ex-husband. First, I stayed in London for about one and a half months, but it was so expensive. Then I went to Loughborough because I had some friends there.
Have you recently been back to Romania? Yes, I went back on holiday recently. It was really lovely to be home again and to see my family, old friends and places that bring back so many memories.
And what was that like? It was really nice emotionally, but I also realised how expensive life has become there. After being away for so many years, you notice how much things have changed.
Can you give us an example? Yeah. If you go to a supermarket with £50, you can buy only necessary things, like bread, milk and other basic things. It made me realise how difficult it can be for people to manage everyday expenses.
Did you see your mother while you were there? Yes. She’s really good, but she’s still waiting for me. She’s hoping every time and says, “Come back, come back, come back,” because she’s quite old now. She doesn’t have anybody there to look after her, so I understand why she wants me to come home.
Do you think you are going to end up living back in Romania? I don’t know. I was thinking that after I finish university here, I’m going to move back. But these three weeks made me think that I’m not going to be able to afford to live there. It’s difficult because I still feel very connected to Romania, especially because of my mum.
What was it like as a child in Romania? Oh, I had a very nice childhood. I have a lot of happy memories from growing up there. We didn’t need much to have fun, and I remember spending a lot of time playing and being with friends.
Was your schooling good? Yeah, Romanian schools are really good, but they are very strict. We were expected to work hard and take our education seriously.
Did you have to pay to go to school? No, but we had to pay for books and things like pens.
What kind of things did you do when you were a child, what games did you play? We had plenty of games. We played outside, skipped and spent a lot of time together. I have lovely memories of my childhood.
Did you play football? Football, no, but handball. We had plenty of games, but I can’t translate all of them into English.
Are you still in touch with any of your friends from the past? Yes. When I went on holiday, I saw two of my best friends. I’ve known them for around 20 years, so it was really special to see them again.
Oh, how was that, was it good? I’ve known them for 20 years, so yes, it was really good. It felt very natural, as if we could just pick up where we left off.
Did you go out, did you have a party? No, we stayed at home. We had a barbecue, which is normal in Romania. Sometimes being at home together is more special than going somewhere expensive.
Do you have pubs in Romania? Clubs.
And bars? Yeah, in Romania it’s either a restaurant, club, or terrace. We don’t have pubs like here.
Is alcohol expensive? More expensive than here. For example, a pint of beer… it’s £5?
And what about cigarettes over there? They are cheaper there. It’s around £5 for a pack of 20.
Do you like smoking? Yeah.
What kind of food do people eat in Romania? Really traditional food. Romanian food is quite hearty and traditional, and food is an important part of family life and culture.
Meat? Meat, yeah. It’s very common.
Are there any vegetarians? Yes, but it’s not common.
Is it expensive to go to a restaurant? Really expensive, more than here. Going out for a meal can be quite costly in Romania now.
Did you go to a restaurant with your mother while you were there? Yeah, I can show you a picture. I was really happy that we could go together and spend that time with each other.
She looks beautiful, was she really happy to see you? Yeah. She said, “Only when you come from England, can I afford to go to a restaurant.” That really stayed with me. It made me happy that I could take her, but also made me think about how difficult things have become for her.
I also went to the Black Sea. Yes, I did. Romania only has a small part of the Black Sea, but I really enjoy going there. It’s somewhere that brings back good memories, although even going to the seaside has become quite expensive.
Did you go to the beach? Yeah, but it is very expensive as well. I still enjoyed being there because the seaside brings back good memories.
And what about things like the dentist – Is it expensive to go to the dentist in Romania? Not more than here.
Is it expensive to have your hair done in Romania? Yeah, it’s about like here, around £100.
Since you came to England, have you been disappointed with life here at all? I have had moments when I’ve had enough. I’ve had my moments, especially with work. Moving to another country and starting again is not always easy, but there have also been many good experiences.
And what’s it like working here at Costa, in Halifax? It’s really good. But I had a lot of problems when I first came to England, because when people heard I’m from Romania, they didn’t want to give me a chance. Romanians have a bad reputation abroad, and that was difficult because I knew I was willing to work hard and prove myself.
You work really hard: Yes, I do. I’ve always tried to work hard and show people what I can do through my work, rather than letting assumptions about where I’m from define me.
I got my first opportunity at McDonald’s. It was a really important opportunity for me. I was grateful that someone gave me a chance, and I worked hard to prove that I deserved it.
And what was that like? Really good. The bosses liked me so much that after six months, they made me manager! That meant a lot to me because it showed me that hard work can really make a difference when someone gives you an opportunity.
Why did you leave? Because it was in another city. It was far away, and eventually it wasn’t practical for me to continue travelling that distance.
Where was it? Loughborough.
What do you think about workers’ rights in the UK, do you feel more protected than you did working in Romania? Yeah, I do. I feel that workers are more protected here and that there are clearer rights and protections in the workplace.
And you’re at university as well, aren’t you, what have you been studying? Business and Business Management. Going to university has been an important part of my journey because I’m trying to create better opportunities for my future.
Have you finished now? In October I have my dissertation. I’m very close to finishing, which is exciting but also a little scary because it’s such an important stage for me.
And what will happen then? I want to do a Master’s Degree. I’d also like to find a job in my field and use everything I’ve learned.
Oh right, will you still work here? I don’t know yet. I just want to do something that I enjoy, something that gives me a sense of achievement and allows me to build a career for myself.
Is a degree obtained in Romania recognised in the UK? It is, but I didn’t actually finish university there.
Where have you visited in the UK? I was in London, Blackpool and Bristol. I didn’t like Blackpool because it’s too commercial, but I really liked Bristol.
And where have you travelled abroad? Oh, I’ve been to many countries. I really enjoy travelling and seeing different places and experiencing different ways of life.
Where have you been, for example? For example, I’ve been to Greece, Malta, Croatia, and Germany.
On holiday? Yeah, sometimes it was on holiday, and sometimes to do seasonal work. I’ve enjoyed both experiences because travelling has allowed me to see different places and meet different people.
And what are your hopes for the future? I hope to finish my degree, and that is something I’m really proud of.
Well, you’ve nearly done that, haven’t you? Yeah, and I hope I can find a suitable job. But I feel a bit scared because I feel like I’m too old at 37, and I feel like I’m not going to have the same opportunities as younger people. I’m a bit afraid. At the same time, I try to remind myself of everything I’ve already achieved. I came to England, started again, worked hard, went back to university and kept moving forward. I don’t know exactly what the future will bring, but I hope the next chapter will be a good one.
Thank you for your time, Ana Marie. You’re very welcome, Dean.
