Casa Asia on International Women's Day: 8 interviews for 8M

On the occasion of International Women's Day (March 8), Casa Asia publishes a series of eight interviews with women from the Asian diasporas in Spain, whose personal and professional trajectories are brave, inspiring and transformative. 

The first interviews are now available, and throughout the month of March we will complete this International Women's Day special with the rest of the interviews.

Saba is a young nutrition and health researcher who works to make Pakistani women visible and empower and become ambassadors of healthy eating habits. At 26 years old, Saba has spent half of her life in Pakistan and the other half in Spain. She arrived at the age of 13, it was her first time in Europe, and she is now in the final stretch of her doctorate in Food and Health from the University of Barcelona. Saba has also been the driving force behind the AFEX program of Casa Asia for three years.

Reaching the age of 13 without knowing a word of Catalan or Spanish and already being about to finish the doctorate is undoubtedly an inspiring story for other young people who have found themselves in the same situation. Can you explain to us the challenges you have faced and how you have overcome the barriers?

I arrived when I was 13, through the family reunification program, with my brothers, my father had already been here for a long time. It was very complex at first, I left my friends and family behind, I didn't know the language or the educational system, it was my first time in Europe. We come from a rural area and in my town, there was no school, we had to go to the next town to study. But little by little, I began to adapt thanks to the help of my father who spoke Spanish, and also the teachers at school. When I was still in Pakistan, my father brought me a book in Catalan, “The free ones of the Nur” and he told me that it was important for me to learn this language. When I got here, I started reading the library books, and, although I didn't understand them, I was writing down the words to learn the vocabulary. Little by little I adapted until I reached high school, a very complex stage. For the first time, I encountered situations of discrimination in the class when migrant students were guided in higher education. I wanted to study at university, I was determined, it was very difficult, especially the second year, but I finished it. It was also difficult because I didn't know who to consult for advice, no one in my family had studied here and they couldn't help me. When I finished the selectivity in September, I entered university, studying nutrition.

And how did you get involved in research on nutrition and health issues?

When I started studying, I saw that, both in my family and among the relatives of my friends of Pakistani origin, there was a high prevalence of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The first year of university my father had a cardiovascular attack, he recovered and is now fine. It was something very common, and at young ages. These diseases are directly related to lifestyle, which is why I decided to start a line of research on this topic. In my hospital practices I also realized that the health professional did not have the knowledge and tools to be able to help people of Pakistani origin. Since I could speak Urdu, Spanish, Catalan, English, and Punjabi and knew both cultures, I could generate intercultural bridges with the community through research. That's how I started studying, I continued with the master's degree, and at the age of 23, I started the doctorate at the University of Barcelona. We realized that Pakistani women were one of the most invisible groups, with a higher prevalence of these diseases and more difficulties in accessing the world of work. I decided to make women visible through research, empower them and turn them into ambassadors of healthy eating habits, so here I started the thesis that we have implemented.

You have worked on nutrition in two lines: health and the creation of social ties. Is food the ideal tool for this?

There are several reasons, first, these diseases are closely related to lifestyle: diet, physical exercise, hours of sleep, stress... Second, Pakistani women deal with the issue of nutrition at home and are experts in it, if we influence your habits, the impact will be greater at the family level. Furthermore, in this first project I did not want to cover very complex topics, but rather find a terrain in which everyone felt comfortable.

What was the participation of Pakistani women in the project?

It is a thesis project. About 140 women have participated, of which 70 were part of my intervention group, in Santa Coloma. They have participated in a 10-session training, designed taking into account cultural and linguistic aspects, with sessions in Urdu and Punjabi and material also translated into Catalan. They were divided into subgroups of about 15 people and depending on where they lived, we looked for a meeting space to hold the session, be it a library, an entity, or a nearby school. This helped them get to know the spaces in the neighborhood. After the sessions, changes in diet were evaluated, and we saw a lot of improvement. We have published data and 3 scientific articles. We have also seen that women have become ambassadors for healthy eating habits. City councils have begun to take an interest in the project and more collaborations have emerged.

The level of participation of women has been very high because they were involved in a project that really responded to their needs and interests. What were the success factors of the project?

In 2018-2019 was when I began to see some news published in “El Crític” and other media, saying that Pakistani women were very invisible, but I asked myself, what was being done to make them visible? is there any project? When I contacted the entities, many told me they did not participate in the courses, but perhaps they did not receive the information or did not fully understand what the course was about, or this specific course was not of interest to them. Many women don't know how to write. To design this type of strategy, it is vital that women themselves participate in all stages. I think that in part the success of my project is due to the fact that it was co-created with the women, I have not imposed what I thought, but rather we have sat down with them, we have done almost six intervention groups both before and after the project and we asked what they wanted to learn, where they wanted to start.

What are your plans for the future?

When I started, there was no project of this type and many people said that it was very complex, that there was no evidence and asked how I could justify it, and one of my degree directors told me that if there was no evidence, we were going to create it ourselves. And she is the one with whom I started the project and now that I am finishing the thesis, we continue working together. I thought that someone should take the first step in the face of so much need because, on the one hand, diseases are increasing, the Pakistani population is growing, it is now the fifth foreign population in Catalonia, and there are no adapted programs to promote healthy habits, but they are necessary . When I started my doctorate there were many barriers, such as the lack of a research team on this topic, which could be a barrier when seeking funding for the thesis. But I found financing. I was so passionate about this project that I didn't care about the barriers. I surpassed them all.

A year after starting the thesis, I presented my project in an initiative of the College of Nutritionist Dietitians and it won the award for the best thesis of the year carried out by a nutritionist dietitian and I got a scholarship to be able to make some publications. We also started projects in the same hospital where I did my internship, Germans Trias i Pujol. The women who had participated in my thesis project collaborated in these projects. Women now work and collaborate in the CAPs and in some outpatient clinics. And they accompanied me to a research center called Fundación Alicia, where the initiative was taken to design culturally and linguistically adapted material for the Pakistani population, they collaborated to create adapted educational material, something that had never been seen before. We have published a lot of material, both for health professionals and for people dedicated to research, and a healthy eating guide in Catalan and Urdu, which is available and can be downloaded. Now the project is being replicated in other communities. Many projects have emerged, financed in part by city councils and health entities, but they tend to be short projects, and it is not enough to really change things in the long term. It took me a lot of effort to convince, at first I didn't know how the women would react, I went to many seminars with them, I went to the mosques, to the entities where they are learning languages, to the places where they usually meet, or to talk to the women who They have an impact on the community and little by little I began to receive a lot of support from women and men, and many joined the project. We realized that it was the system that placed limits on women's work or academic participation.

 Do you want to dedicate a message to young women?

The message I want to give especially to the young women and girls who have recently arrived from Pakistan is that due to language barriers one can feel that there is no way out of a situation or that we will not have opportunities: it is normal to feel that way, but we must continue. training, and studying. It is important to move forward because if we work we will get somewhere. Perhaps I would not have imagined that I would be able to do a doctoral thesis, but I had assumed that I had to do a degree, a master's degree and study. I have also had hard moments when I wanted to leave everything but you have to continue, always. And then I want to tell people my age that our parents were the first to emigrate and that we are the first generation that has managed to enter official places and power, and that we must take into account these people who sacrificed so much for us and that we include them in our proposals and projects. That's what I want to convey.

And finally, we would like to know what your favorite dish is…

My favorite Pakistani food is Daal Chawal (rice with lentils). To make it a healthy dish, it is important that half of it be vegetables. I share the recipe published with the Alicia Foundation.

Interview conducted by Gaëlle Patin Laloy and Noelia García Sánzhez, Interculturality Program of Casa Asia, on 29/02/2023. 

OTHER LINKS SABA SHARES:

Heart-healthy diet guide for the Pakistani population

Articles published by Saba Mohamed Bibi

Video made by the Tot Raval Foundation “Cuina la teva salut”

Xirou Xiao is a young artist born in China who has lived in Madrid since 2013. A PhD student at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Complutense University of Madrid, she works as an artist, educator and researcher. She is also a performer, producer and artistic and intercultural mediator. She is the creator and director of Crab Pro, co-founder of Liwai Intercultural Action; coordinating member of the Chinese Diaspora Network in Spain and the collective Round table of young artists of Chinese origin. She collaborates in artistic, cultural and educational actions with cultural institutions in Spain.

Xirou: I just came from a meeting with other artists from the diaspora because we are preparing another performance for an exhibition with the Museum of Anthropology and then…

Casa Asia: … So you are fine

Xirou: Yes, with a refreshed, creative head

Casa Asia: Can you tell us a little about your story and how you came to Spain?

Xirou: I studied fine arts in China, and in the last year of my degree, I created my TFG, a video performance that I made in Spain, while I took advantage of my stay in Burgos to study Spanish. Now I have been living in Spain for 11 years and before the summer I will be able to present my doctoral thesis, on my project to create a performance group “Crab pro” with young Chinese women in Madrid. I came to Burgos because the language academy where I studied in China had an agreement with an academy there.

Casa Asia: Your path has taken you from the plastic arts to theater, and from China to Spain, and from art to education, can you explain how?

Xirou: I studied fine arts, painting, watercolor, as a child I also learned calligraphy with a friend of my grandfather and when I was little, I also danced. I did cha-cha, samba, rumba, perhaps this is why I ended up studying the Spanish language. I really liked the music and art of Mexico. She was attracted by the art of Latin America and Spain. Then I did a master's degree in fine arts related to art education and began researching Action Art with the Chinese community. I have been working on Action Art and performance with the Chinese community in Madrid for 10 years. The doctorate allows me to delve deeper into the topic, and create a new project, Cangrejo Pro.

Casa Asia: How has your relationship with art transformed to the point of using it as a tool for education?

Xirou: When I was studying fine arts in China, I painted well and enjoyed the process, but in the second year of college I began to wonder what art was for. And I looked for answers to the question: What is art for? Education is an answer. I started studying artistic education at the Complutense, with 4 very interesting focuses: health, artistic education and non-formal education, museums and the social field. This is how I discovered the possibilities of transformation with the community.

Casa Asia: All aspects of your life are related to art and education…

Xirou: That's right, it's called a/r/tógrafa (artist+educator+researcher)

Casa Asia: As an art-ivist…

Xirou: I was not referring to this concept because I do not position myself as a social or political activist, although of course everything I do has resonance with it.

Casa Asia: You work a lot on the concept of diaspora, it is a concept that encompasses a wide range of profiles, identities, experiences and trajectories. How do you define diaspora?
Xirou: I discovered the concept only in 2018 when I participated in we, we. Wǒmen, wǒmen. I Meeting of the Chinese Diaspora in Spain. In this first meeting activity we asked ourselves the question: what does the “diaspora” mean for us? It is a very inclusive and neutral word. Immigrants, migrants, emigrants... all these words imply a displacement, a direction, but "diaspora" for me is a broad container and whoever identifies with the Chinese diaspora can identify themselves if they want and if at some point they no longer want to identify themselves as Maybe then you can do it, everyone can identify themselves as they want. And depending on the context in which it is used, I would not tell my mother in China that I am “Chinese diaspora. I am aware that social and political identities are nomadic, they are changing, but I have the autonomy to decide a position that can change.
Casa Asia:  And do you decide or, sometimes, society?

Xirou:  I try to do it myself, but for example, before coming to Spain I didn't have to think about whether I was “Chinese.” But the look of others is like a mirror of how others see me, it is like giving me a label, and that I am not the owner of my identity, but the labels they give me do not define me. If I want to say that I am a young Chinese woman I say it, and with my friends it may not be necessary, but we may do it anyway, there are labels, but I am the one who tries to have the autonomy to be identified, with whom and when. I define who I am to the world. It is the ability to flow. But flow is not a total liberation, it is a concrete and specific positioning.

Casa Asia: Now in Spain there are many, many young artists of Chinese descent, filmmakers, writers, actresses, dancers, poets. They are the ones who transform not only the diasporas, but the entire society. And it is an opportunity for everyone. There were several initiatives to create networks, groups...

Xirou: In 2018, the driving force of diaspora artists was still beginning and we did not identify ourselves as a collective, we did not have a collective identity, not as if we were taking a collective identity for granted but rather the fact of creating a new collective identity. When we realized this situation, we wanted to get to know each other more. But the Chinese diaspora is very heterogeneous and it is a complex process to encompass all the diversities within the diaspora, not only in the profiles (adopted, raised in Spain, born, student, emigrated, social class, sexual identification, etc.), it is not easy and when talking about personal identity and collective identity, it must be treated with great sensitivity. Precisely one of the objectives of my research is how ties can be created to embrace the heterogeneity of the diaspora, from within so that each person feels identified and has a link with this new community. From there came my thesis called “A new collectivity” or a subcommunity.

Casa Asia: subcommunity within Spanish society and within the diaspora itself?

Xirou: “subcommunity” is a concept, to which I have given a new definition and a category to be able to define what we are creating, but there are no signifiers of inferiority, it is a group within the community with its particularities, it is like a mathematical concept.

Casa Asia: So the community exists if those subcommunities exist, because if you remove them all there is nothing left of the concept of community.

Xirou: In 2018 these links did not exist so strongly, and now we are beginning to create ties at the state level. We have colleagues in Barcelona, ​​Valencia, Salamanca, Seville, Galicia...

Casa Asia: Can you talk a little about the support you have obtained for your projects? What is the relationship with public and private institutions?

Xirou: It's a very complex question, but I love it. Furthermore, it is one of the points of my doctoral thesis. For me it is also a very important issue, because until now all personal and collective projects have been done with institutional collaborations. In general, when we do a project we invite an institution that is interested in working with us because they want to work with the Chinese community and do not have access. Sometimes they want to work with me because I am an artist, a woman... and it is interesting for their audience. The issue with institutions is that when we feel that what we do has a lot of value, it is not only about receiving institutional support, but also about supporting the institutions for their objectives. It is a bilateral collaborative relationship. The institution offers economic resources and visibility, but we offer content and creativity. They are institutional collaborations with equitable power dynamics.

Casa Asia: It is very interesting, as if the artist-institution relationships were reconsidered.

Xirou: These ideas come from a constant personal and professional process of reflection. To read, to see, to feel, to reflect based on my own experiences. I have been able to reach this position and this discourse through a long path. For example, Sara Ahmed talked about how not to take the speech for granted. If I feel something that bothers me, I can observe and ask myself why should I accept that speech? Why don't I agree? And from there, hack my language. I understand that in the cultural and art world there is a lot of precariousness, and in a way I already have a privilege to be able to share an interview with you now and other people don't. I recognize my privilege, and from there I need to think about what I also say from the collective (not as the spokesperson, but rather to understand and convey more needs of more people).

Most of the invitations we receive come from public institutions. But for example in Madrid, when citizen participation policies were promoted, it was like the beginning of a wave. That is precisely where I have been able to surf that wave, to be able to get to where I am right now.

Casa Asia: Do you want to comment something about your current project?
Xirou: My project now is a group exhibition with the Chinese diaspora in Spain with the Ministry of Culture of Spain and the National Museum of Anthropology. Then in Cangrejo Pro, the company continues to receive invitations, in this case to carry out actions, for example we will soon start the project with the National Dramatic Center, which connects the theater and the neighborhood, we are one of the four invited companies. and on a personal level, finish the thesis, present it as soon as possible. I also continue with the 天马行空 Tiān Mǎ Xíng Kōng project with Chinese families and the Reina Sofía Museum. >and But And my dream for the future is that we have our own cultural center.

Casa Asia: And what message do you want to convey to other young women?

Xirou: I want to share some phrases: Trust in yourself and your power as a woman and as a person, pamper yourself, love yourself, love yourself. We have a lot of courage and we can be together and simply be in this world.

Casa Asia: And finally, we would like to know what your favorite dish is…

Xirou:  My favorite dish is… my grandmother's salted potatoes.

Other links Xirou shares:

Instagram: @xirouxiao @cangrejopro @liwaiai

Interview conducted by Gaëlle Patin Laloy, head of the Interculturality Program of Casa Asia, on 01/03/2023. Contact: [email protected]

Shreyashee nope He was born in Calcutta (India) y live now between Barcelona and Madrid.  She is an engineer, with an MBA and a long career in the sector “Oil and Gas”. Furthermore, it is professional dancer with higher studies of classical dance from India, cathak and now, dance teacher cathak and choreographer. He has created a dance school in Barcelona "Nupura". His path connects the corporate world y el cultural. Es winner of the 2023 Critica de Catalunya Award (best dancer category) for la work "above" directeda by Gaston Core. 

Casa Asia: You were born in Calcutta, but you grew up in Africa, how did you become a choreographer and kathak dancer in Spain?  

Shreya: When you are part of the diaspora, you create a strong bond with your country of origin. Being Bengalis, while we lived in Africa, my parents made sure that I studied Indian dance, singing, and classical music and on weekends while other children went to birthday parties I had to go to the Hindu temple to learn Sanskrit. At the age of 16, when I returned to India, I finished high school and studied chemistry, then I went to the United States to study and came to Spain on a university exchange. At the same time, he studied dance. I worked in Madrid in the corporate world in an international engineering company and one day I thought I had to resume my dance career because I had been dancing since I was 4 years old. At that time, I already had a son, I was a woman-mother and a woman-worker in a multinational but something was bothering me, I thought, what's happening with my artistic career? He couldn't stay in a closet. And one day when I was stressed with everything, I decided to launch this project. Curiously, what I did the next day was send an email to Casa Asia, which I found on the internet and little by little, I don't know how, life guided me and I came into contact with a great team in Barcelona. 

Casa Asia: ¿Have you started with a show and ended up creating a dance school? 

Shreya: Yes, we started talking and working. we set up the first production of “Sóc Txitrangada” which was incredibly successful. Then, thanks to the interest in Barcelona, ​​we were able to move forward and open a cultural center. We received support from the Barcelona city council, from the Indian embassy in Madrid... I ended up leaving my job in the corporate world to be able to dedicate myself 100% to dance, I formed my own company, and thus, my career took a 180 degree turn, it was all very positive.  

Casa Asia: It was a radical change! 

Shreya: Sometimes people are afraid to embark on a path related to culture. But the truth is that fear is the worst thing in life. 

Casa Asia: So you haven't been afraid?  

Shreya: It would be a lie to say that I am not afraid, but fear is necessary because it keeps you on alert, but it has to be just enough so that, even if you are afraid and alert, you can continue forward with your projects. 

Casa Asia: So it is your experience in the diaspora that has led you to study dance and music from India in parallel to your studies, in Barcelona, ​​does the same happen? 

Shreya: This is the message I carry telling the diaspora, to the great community we have in Barcelona, ​​that cultural identity is vital. The community is very heterogeneous and there are many young people who are Spanish or Catalan, and it is very important that the cultural legacy is taken into account to have roots not only in Spain, but also in India. My message to the Indian community is to not be afraid to push your children towards dance and Indian culture so that they have a link with the country of origin of their families. Because Indian classical music and dance is not just dancing, dancing and singing, but it is a whole study of Indian history, mythology, sociology, anthropology... Although it involves many efforts, the study of dance and music It is part of a comprehensive and complete life formation.  

Casa Asia: Opening a dance school is not just about art, it also has to be a business.   

Shreya: EIt's the only way to do it. For me, culture and the corporate world are not separate concepts, people who work in the cultural sector, artists, have to eat, they don't always have to depend on a subsidy. We must seek self-sufficiency. A dancer has the same expenses as an engineer. A dance school is a company. The cultural sector is part of the corporate world. In Nupura, we have administrators and 8 teachers and all of them are paid for their work, as it should be. An artist does not have to survive, but live. It is important to change the chip, thinking that culture does not generate money is a huge mistake. 

Casa Asia: When you opened the center in Barcelona, ​​you had few students from diasporas, has the situation changed? 

Shreya: It has changed a lot and in a very positive way. In 2013-2014, in Sant Gervasi, another neighborhood, it opened in Barcelona. People don't really like to move from their neighborhood. I am from Calcutta and for me San Gervasi and the Raval are next door. The Indian and Asian diaspora is in the Raval and the school seemed far away to them. If they have businesses, it was difficult to take the children to dance in another neighborhood. In 2020, we opened a center in Paral·lel, also where all the theaters are... it is a very strategic place and that is when a tree. Suddenly we had many requests for registration and many were left without a place. We have always had great support, Casa Asia, the city hall... and we have had very nice collaborations like with the Hiroshima Room... And I am super proud because not only do we have a large number of dancers from India and Catalonia, but also from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Pakistan... 

Casa Asia: Does Nupura have other projects that are not dance? 

Shreya: Yes, we think about projects in which there is no reason to dance for people who don't want to: singing, poetry... we have organized poetry recitals with the Pakistani and Indian diaspora and it was very nice. G: What are you doing in Madrid? 

Casa Asia: What are you doing in Madrid? 

Shreya:  Now I am living between Barcelona and Madrid, and my work has doubled or tripled. I am working with all my strength for both the projects in Barcelona and Madrid, and we are also talking with various institutions to set up a center in Madrid, with a more institutional format.   

Casa Asia: To promote relations between India and Spain? What role is the diaspora playing in the relations between both countries? 

Shreya: In the 90s, people leaving India were seen as “traitors”, but they were also admired for working abroad. This has changed a lot with the current government, our Prime Minister has changed this mentality completely and has appointed the entire Indian diaspora as the main actor for exchange between two countries. It is the Indian diaspora that spreads a positive image of India in Spain. It is a great responsibility for the community, we are ambassadors of our country abroad. Participate in the event organized by the government every 2 years in which it invites about 40 people from around the world to explain what we are doing, something that was not done before. I represented the cultural sector but there were also the corporate sector, consultants, etc. The important thing is the objective, knowing how we can work with local institutions in Spain, that concern did not exist before. The feeling of belonging to a shared identity of the Indian diaspora has been strengthened.  

Casa Asia: Throughout your experiences, have you suffered, either as a woman or as an Indian woman, any type of discrimination?  

Shreya: In the corporate world, here in Spain, in the oil and oil sector, as a 24-year-old Indian woman, recently graduated, working in a world of men with a lot of experience, I did not feel any type of discrimination, on the contrary, I benefited of the positive image that India has in technology and software. In the cultural world they always opened doors for me, but it is also true that I came with interesting projects, always putting the group and not me in the foreground. But we must not ignore that there are people who have experienced this discrimination,  

Casa Asia: Can you tell us about your future projects? 

Shreya: I have too many future projects, we are with concerts, trying to expand the center, trying to link it with other sectors in India, such as cinema. We will want to become leaders to represent India in Spain and Europe.  

Casa Asia: If you wanted to give a message to other young women, what would it be? 

Shreya: I would not dare give a message to women because women have such a wide and complicated universe that each message may be valid for one but not for another. But with my experience. We don't have to be a “superwoman” or anything like that, it seems that we are always struggling to fit into the definition of a woman, a mother, a super good mother, a super good woman, a super good worker, and a super good everything. And for me the new woman today is a woman who goes beyond all this, and she prioritizes her happiness above all else. 

Casa Asia: Do you want to share your favorite dish? 

Shreya: I am a big fan of Spanish food, I love paella, next to the sea in Barcelona there is nothing that can compare or black rice, one of my favorites. From India, my favorite food is a plate of lentil dhal, rice and chapati. It's what I want to eat when the world ends.  

Casa Asia: A movie? 

Shreya: Without a doubt, Almodóvar. 

Interview conducted by Gaëlle roller skate Laloy, responsible for the Interculturality Program of Casa Asia, and Noelia García Sanchez on 29/02/2024.

Links:

Nupura website

Instagram: @shreyasheenagdancecompany

Karima Shujazada, born in Bamyan, Afghanistan, es pjournalist and women's rights activist and girls and boys. Rfugitive since a year and a half in Spain, He is studying the Master of International Relations, Security and Development at the Autonomous University of Barcelona yes volunteer in the NGO Afghan Women on the Run. 

Casa Asia: You have arrived in Spain about 10 months after the Taliban came to power. What was leaving Afghanistan and the trip here like?  

Karima: When the Taliban took power in the country on August 15, 2021, everything changed. Since I worked as a journalist and activist, I couldn't continue living there, nor could my sister, and we decided that we had to leave. It was very difficult because we could no longer work or study or do anything. Our luck was to meet some women from Afghan Women on the Run, who helped us. I left on December 10, 2021, to go to Iran and then to Pakistan where I was able to obtain a visa for Spain. 

Casa Asia: Did you speak the language when you came? 

Karima: No, just “thank you” and “please”, but, I was listening to Gipsy Kings songs! I didn't know anything about the Spanish language, nor that there were different languages ​​in Spain and I found it interesting.  

Casa Asia: But several languages ​​are also spoken in Afghanistan, right? 

Karima:  Yes, there are many different languages, but before, everyone spoke Persian and a little bit of Pashtun, but now with the Taliban they only speak Pashtun.  

Casa Asia: Do you have news of your family or friends who have stayed there? How is the situation evolving? 

Karima:  Yes, the news is still very bad, women can't do anything, they can't travel from one province to another, they can't go to the hairdresser, they can't go to the park, they can't do anything. For three years in August, in my country, women do not have any rights, they cannot even choose their own clothes, that is a basic right, but in Afghanistan you cannot, the color of the clothes you wear is something that cannot be you can choose. If I wanted to wear a red dress I couldn't, nor a red scarf, everything must be black. These are rules imposed by the Taliban. At home there are girls who record videos and upload them on Instagram, but outside the home, they must wear the burqa.  

Casa Asia: And what do men think? 

Karima: It depends on the family, men don't like the Taliban either. There are also Taliban rules for them. If they cut their hair or beard, they can be arrested. Also, if someone has a tattoo, that is very frowned upon in Afghanistan, men or women, they have to hide them as best they can. 

Casa Asia: What is access to education for girls? 

Karima: Girls can study until they are 10 years old and boys until whenever they want.  

Casa Asia: So what future do girls have?  

Karima: Yes...How can we continue living? How can women live without doctors, for example? The Taliban think that women being able to read is more than enough and that they do not need more. In Afghanistan, the only future for a woman is to get married. I know many girls younger than me, who, because they cannot study, get married, around 17-20 years old. Since they cannot travel either, they get married so they can travel with their husbands. 

Casa Asia: What do you think can be done to change the situation in Afghanistan?  

Karima: The Taliban will never change, about twenty years ago, they came to my country and already said that women did not have to go to university, now they have returned and they still think the same. Thinking that we can change the situation from within is very complex because it depends on politics. Perhaps other countries such as the United States could have the power to change the situation. Before, the Taliban were a small group, now they have a country at their disposal, with weapons, and with all its resources. The situation is really complex. It's hard for me to believe that nothing could be done when the Taliban arrived to prevent it. Politics is very complex and when a war starts in one country, there is another that benefits. That's why, I think, they decided not to stop the war. My country has been at war for many years and this war still continues. The same thing has happened with Ukraine, when it started 2 years ago, everyone thought it would last a few days, but it has been two years now, the same thing happens in Palestine. There are many countries that may be interested in keeping Afghanistan at war.  

Casa Asia: So, from there you have arrived in Spain. How has the whole adaptation been? I imagine it has been very difficult, but also an opportunity. 

Karima: Yes, it has been a great opportunity, but starting from scratch in a faraway country with a very different culture, without knowing the language, without having anyone you know, is very difficult. When I arrived I wanted to do many things, but I didn't know anyone. First I lived in Berga, it was a little far from Barcelona and for 3 or 4 months I had a very bad time, accepting to leave my family was very difficult. I had always lived with a very large family, I have 4 brothers and 2 sisters, and my 4 brothers have their children, I have 7 nephews in total and I was living with them, I had my life with a very large family. In a year everything changed, and I found myself alone. But after 10 months my mother, my brother and my sister-in-law arrived and I thought “now I am not alone”, I thought that I was very lucky and my mood improved. Now I'm trying to continue living positively and do the things I want, go to university, adapt... but it's difficult. 

Casa Asia: Do you have brothers or sisters who have stayed in Afghanistan? 

Karima: I have two brothers who have stayed with their families in my country, but they can't live in our house either, they have had to change.  

Casa Asia: Afghan Women on the Run is the organization that helped you and that you collaborate with. What do they do?  

Karima: Afghan Women on the Run is a social media platform run by a small team of women in Catalonia and Madrid, without an office or physical space, that helps Afghan women. There are few women, but they work very well, I think that in two or three years they have helped more than 700 people.  

Casa Asia: What do you do in the organization? 

Karima: I mainly help people who do not know how to speak English or Spanish.  

Casa Asia: Does the organization have other supports? 

Karima: There is no organization to help them. For example, there are families who have a visa for Spain, but cannot pay for the flight and Afghan Women on the Run mobilizes its social networks to seek financing to cover the flights for this family.  

Casa Asia: So they are people who help individually, but have you been able to enter the aid program for refugees? 

Karima: Yes, but the aid is for 18 months, and I ran out of it a while ago, now I receive other aid for refugees, until I have a job.  

Casa Asia: What plans do you have after the Master? 

Karima: Now I am studying, and I am also looking for a job, but my language level is not yet very high, I need to learn more to be able to work. I am also looking for an intensive Spanish course to improve my level. In the future, I want to work for human rights and women's rights. The master's degree that I have started is perfect to be able to work on something that will allow me to change injustices in the world. Particularly in Afghanistan, but also around the world there is a lot to do to improve the situation, that is why I want to work in the field of human rights, women's rights and children's rights.  

Casa Asia:  And what is your experience at university like?  

Karima: Well little by little, for me the most complicated thing is the language. When I can speak better I will be able to understand better what they explain. I feel quite alone and I can't participate much in class because of my language level.  

Casa Asia: Have you made friends? 

Karima: Yes.Yes, I have made friends in class. In Barcelona, ​​people are very friendly and it is easy to connect with people, there is a lot of diversity of communities and that is why it is easier. I think people are open and have no prejudices.  

Casa Asia: Do you feel that at some point you have suffered racism or discrimination? 

Karima: No, I have not suffered it.  

Casa Asia: Finally, do you want to dedicate a few words to young women or young refugee women? 

Karima: I don't want to say anything too positive, because when you find yourself in a difficult situation, and someone tells you that you should be positive, you get angry. If the situation is bad, it's okay to accept it. I say this from my experience of having been in a terrible situation and having lived through it. All over the world, women have problems due to a minimal physical difference in our bodies. So all women have to support each other in the face of injustice, without thinking about where we are from, or the country of origin. We are sisters. 

Casa Asia: Y The final question, can you share something that you really like? Music, movie, dish?  

Karima: The music that I listen to is very different from what many people listen to, I really like the Gypsy Kings, although my friends always tell me that it is not for young people. I don't know many Spanish films, but I like Casa de Papel, Berlin, I even saw them in my country. My favorite dish in Spain is potato omelette, but I also like to go to a restaurant from my country in Barcelona… 

Interview conducted by Gaëlle roller skate Laloy, responsible for the Interculturality Program of Casa Asia, and Noelia García Sanchez on 29/02/2024.

Link that Karima shares:

afghanwomenontherun.com 

Afghan Women On The Run (@afghanwomenontherun)

Photo: © Lucas Vallecillos

Kayoko is a Japanese dancer based in Barcelona. Her career revolves around the demand for equality and the universality of art, such as her latest dance show “Tohogu”, which mixes flamenco and local music from Tohoku, where she was born. She recently presented this show in Cádiz and Granada, in Andalusia, the cradle of flamenco, where she had a great reception among fans. She is currently working to present this show in Barcelona and Madrid.

Casa Asia: Can you tell us about your first encounter with flamenco and how it became a passion?

Kayoko: I still remember the impact I felt when I saw flamenco dancing on television for the first time at the opening ceremony of the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992 at my parents' house. Then my interest in studying it aroused and I looked for a flamenco school in my city, but I couldn't find it. Three years later, I decided to go to Spain, and I traveled to Madrid. It was my first trip abroad and alone. But there was nothing to fear, I just let myself be carried away by my passion for flamenco to come to Spain to train. At that time, I had no experience with dance or flamenco.

Casa Asia: And in the end you have stayed until now? 

Kayoko: After starting with flamenco in Madrid, I made numerous trips between Spain and Japan; Every time I had enough money I came to spend three months in Madrid to continue my flamenco training.

In the end I realized that to learn flamenco, a traditional art from a culture completely different from mine, it was necessary to settle in Spain, to be able to delve deeper into flamenco art and its idiosyncrasies. So, I applied for the Japanese Cultural Affairs Agency's Government scholarship program, and they granted it; giving me the opportunity to learn flamenco for 2 years in Seville.

My first season in Seville was very exciting. In Andalusia, flamenco is a way of life and I was very happy to be able to learn flamenco in the land where it was developed; I felt like I was in paradise.

After that training period, I returned to Japan and made a living teaching flamenco.

But I still really wanted to try to make a living from flamenco in Spain, so I kept going back and forth between Spain and Japan.

Meanwhile, I finally met my Catalan husband and now I live in Barcelona.

Casa Asia: How has your flamenco adventure been in Spain? How have you managed to enter the professional world?

Kayoko: For me, making a living from flamenco in Spain was an adventure. There were no paths laid out, no references, no prepared public. I had to make my way by demonstrating my professionalism, and breaking stereotypes.

Furthermore, I married a Spanish photojournalist who had nothing to do with flamenco, so I had no family or acquaintances with flamenco connections.

But I entered the National Dance Contest for Alegrías de Cádiz and won second prize, which was a before and after, it encouraged me and helped me in my project of living in Spain.

Casa Asia: What difficulties have you encountered? What reception have you had in Spain and Japan?

Kayoko: After Spain, Japan is the country with the most flamenco tablaos, artists and fans in the world. The atmosphere was wonderful, one of respect and admiration for the Spanish artists who came to Japan to perform, to teach classes or to share the stage with us.

However, when I started living in Spain, I didn't understand the language, I didn't know how to look for work, and I was also very discreet because the Japanese consider modesty a virtue and we also have great respect for flamenco, because it is a culture traditional from another country.

And above all, I had no friends, which was absolutely necessary to do flamenco. The first years I lived in Barcelona were very lonely.

Casa Asia: And in the end you found work as a dancer?

Kayoko: Yes, they offered me a job in a prominent Spanish tablao but it was very difficult at first.

The first thing the director did was call me into his office to inform me that “tourists who come from abroad want to see Spanish artists. That's why it took us so long to decide to hire you. But in your case, the public will be happy because you have a great career.”

However, according to what the director of the tablao explained to me, a guide once expressed his displeasure upon learning that I was the main dancer in one of the shows. 

For the first time I realized that there were situations and cases in which people did not accept me because of my appearance.

But no matter what they said, I enjoyed the moment and I am very grateful to the director of that tablao for opening the doors of his business to me, knowing that it would be controversial. He even renewed my contract, going long-term, and I felt that, with a lot of effort, I could overcome all the barriers.

 Casa Asia: You say that friends are very important in the world of flamenco. Is there a person or circumstance that especially helped you?

Kayoko: Yes, I contacted a flamenco dancer to ask him to dance with me. He treated me with humility and sympathy, and in the end he invited me to work with him. I can say that he saved me from loneliness and even brought me joy in my life.

Casa Asia: You have projects with Spanish and Japanese musicians, can you explain your projects?

Kayoko: I have participated in an incalculable number of shows, highlighting shows with Rafael Amargo, Peret….

And a few years ago I began to look for an expression that would take me back to my origins, and I remembered the exciting games of childhood, the traditional festivals and the music of my homeland.

Last year I premiered my show called “TOHOGU-My beloved land”, which was presented in Seville, Cádiz and Granada, where it was very well received. It was a wonderful and gratifying experience for me to see a show succeed in Andalusia where my origins were very present. Dancing flamenco to the traditional Japanese music of Tsugaru shamisen (Japanese guitar) and shakuhachi (Japanese flute) was not strange to me and gave me the opportunity not only to live as a flamenco dancer, but also to express myself from the depths of my being.

Casa Asia: What is your dream for the future?

Kayoko: Premiere “TOHOGU-My beloved land” in Madrid and Barcelona, ​​where I live, and in the future, in New York, the world capital of art and entertainment, to bring love and energy to many people. That is my dream.

Casa Asia: What message do you want to convey to other women?

Kayoko: From my position, as a Japanese woman who lives in Spain as a flamenco artist, and who is also a mother, wife, daughter and businesswoman, I invite all women in the world to fight for their dreams, and to demand gender equality and non-discrimination in all areas of life.

Casa Asia: If you wanted to recommend a dish, a song or a movie, what would they be?

Kayoko: My favorite dish is the rice that my husband makes. For music, I would recommend listening to the Catalan singer “Salao” and for movies, you should not miss “Perfect Days”, a film by a German filmmaker, set in Japan that shows scenes of daily life that vindicate love, health and freedom. .

Interview conducted by Gaëlle roller skate Laloy, responsible for the Interculturality Program of Casa Asia, 18/03/ 2024.

Links:

Website: www.kayokonakata.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kayoko_nakata/

X: www.twitter.com/kayokonakata

Jelyn, an influencer, 35 years old, now also known as “Pinay sa Barcelona”. Pinay means Filipino. She was born in Rosario, Batangas, Philippines. She is the mother of two daughters, married to a Catalan chef who owns a delicatessen and pastry shop. She arrived in Spain in 2012, and began working in a luxury clothing store to support her extended family in the Philippines while she also helped in her husband's business. She loves to socialize and feels a great passion for learning the Spanish language, culture, tradition, in addition to eagerly continuing to explore Spanish gastronomy. Unfortunately, she lost her job due to the company's financial problems. She began studying marketing and entrepreneurship, she used what she learned to help her husband's company reach more customers through videos and social networks with marketing strategies. In October 2023, she started her blog on Facebook and Tiktok for the Filipino community, sharing her experiences as a Filipino in Spain, about her life, and Spanish cuisine, culture and traditions.

“In a world where luxury is often a distant dream for many in the Philippines, aspirations can be limited, my trip in Spain has been a testament to my resilience. I am passionate about not only sharing knowledge but the spirit of bravery. Let's redefine what success is beyond conventional norms, let us encourage every overseas Filipino to harness their talents, dream big, and cultivate a strong and independent mindset. Together, we can elevate our community and show what diverse, skilled and ambitious individuals we really are.”

Casa Asia: Can you tell us a little about your story, your family in the Philippines, your studies and your arrival in Spain?

 Jelyn: I was born and raised in Batangas, Philippines, in a poor family. In the Philippines, I studied International Relations and a Bachelor's Degree in Teaching to be a teacher, but I couldn't finish it due to financial problems because education in the Philippines is very expensive and I had to work as a waitress to support my family and my education. I am the second sister of a very large family, I have 7 brothers and sisters. It is normal to have very large families in the Philippines, although nowadays they are getting smaller. Since I was a child I have always been working a lot, in primary school I used to sell candy, but my mother has always thought that education was very important, so even though we had no money, she worked hard for us, so that we had a good education and so on. We were able to go to good schools. But since I had to contribute money for my sisters' education, I couldn't finish my studies. They have been able to study nursing, etc. In my last job in the Philippines I met my husband. He was executive chef at a Spanish restaurant in the Philippines, we met, started dating and he brought me to Spain after his father passed away. Having a family business here, related to food, that's how I ended up living in Catalonia.

Casa Asia: And when you arrived in Catalonia, were you able to find work?

Jelyn: After starting to live here, as I have always been so used to working so much, I found a job very quickly, although I didn't know how to speak Spanish or Catalan. I went to La Roca Village and with very basic Spanish, I started working, although I did master English. At the same time, I helped my husband's family's business, where my sister-in-law and mother-in-law work. But I think it is better to separate family life from professional life, although it served as support for them. I also started studying Catalan for free with the Generalitat's learning program, so I started a lot and also made friends. I did it for 6 months because I had little time due to work. Later I managed to get my driving license and that way I was able to be a little independent. I have been working for 8 years but due to the COVID pandemic and other issues, the company closed and I lost my job. That's how I started training in my free time with free government programs as an entrepreneur and in digital marketing. I discovered that I liked marketing.

Casa Asia: Now you have more than 40.000 followers on TikTok, how did you start creating your blog and launching yourself on social networks?

Jelyn: With this knowledge I started to help my husband with his work since they wanted to expand their business, get new clients, so I started making short videos for them about how they make their products... And I saw a lot of changes on their social networks so I thought it was pretty good at this job, that's why I decided to create my own blog, my own channel through social networks. I started at the end of last October and have reached 47.000 followers on TikTok. Even the Philippine Embassy has congratulated me for my work.

Casa Asia: What type of content do you publish? 

Jelyn: My community, my followers, are all Filipinos because in my videos I speak in my native language and I teach them about the culture, the traditions and about the food here, I think that is why I have gained so many followers. I talk a little about my life, but I also share interesting content about history and culture and I think they like that. I have videos about the history of fuet or how ham is made. It's easy for me to make food videos for my husband's company. I can teach them through my videos the entire preparation process and I also talk to them about the history of food. My last video is about Carnestoltes or Carnival, since you don't know much about it, I'll talk to you about it.

Casa Asia: Do you also post videos about your daily life and your family?  

Jelyn:  That's right, and I also make travel videos.

Casa Asia: Did you expect to be so successful? 

Jelyn:  I was very surprised and still can't believe how many people are really interested in watching my videos, in learning about the culture. I think it is because of the colonial past with Spain, for more than 300 years, in the end I think there is curiosity about culture and history. The topic of the nap is very interesting!

Casa Asia: Do they also follow you in the Filipino diaspora in Spain?

Jelyn: Yes, many Filipino fans live in Spain. I think they are interested in knowing how I learned the language here, sometimes they tell me in the comments “I am from Vigo, I am from Tarragona or Valencia…”.

Casa Asia: Do you think you have also inspired young Filipino women who have just arrived?

Jelyn: I think I am inspiring people, especially those who want to come to Spain or those who are already here. I once met a Filipino woman in Barcelona who recognized me and told me that she had been living here for 7 years and that my videos had encouraged her to study Catalan. Now I see that I am inspiring people to learn the language, to get out of the cycle of Filipino migration by looking for domestic jobs. We have many skills and we are very talented, very kind and we can learn quickly, we have to change that way of thinking, believe in ourselves, have more confidence. Many of us do not have that confidence in our abilities, we should not settle for domestic jobs when migrating. You have to look for other things.

Casa Asia: It must not be easy to look for a job without knowing the language.

Jelyn: No, it's not easy at all. In my first year living here, I was sad and thought I had to go back to the Philippines. I wanted to communicate with other people, express my feelings, but language was an impediment to doing so. If you socialize more, you will learn faster, so if you want to improve your language level, don't hesitate and go for it.

Casa Asia: Do you know if more women follow you? There are more Filipino women in Catalonia than men, they have been very brave.

 Jelyn: The TikTok platform itself analyzes the account. I think there are 65% women and 35% men who follow my account. And yes, Filipino women are brave.

Casa Asia: What is it like to live in a town?

Jelyn: I think if I had lived in the city it would have been harder for me to learn the language, because there are a lot more Filipinos and I know I would have a lot more Filipino friends. But since I live in a small town there are no Filipinos, I think there are two or three of us in total. This situation has given me more opportunities to learn, and to learn much faster. And a small town, the people also welcome you in a warmer way than, compared to the city.

Casa Asia: Having young children is also a good way to socialize. Have you made friends through school?

Jelyn: Yes, I am also a member of the AMPA. Since I lost my job I felt like I had a lot of free time and I wanted to be part of many things because I wanted to learn many things and I was used to working very hard. Meeting other mothers also opens many doors. Since I lost my job I had time to meet people at school. When I lost my job I had anxiety and depression for 2 or 3 months, because I didn't know how to start over or what I wanted to do. And then I decided that I wanted to rest, focus on my daughters and study. I also started doing many activities.

Casa Asia: Is there anything that really impacted you when you arrived in Spain?

Jelyn: When I arrived in Spain there were many challenges: cultural adjustment, language and navigating a new environment. Also, adapting to new cultural norms, traditions and social dynamics, which can be both exciting and complex and learning Spanish and Catalan at the same time can be an obstacle at first, both languages ​​are very different and it is very difficult. But I think it is crucial for us to learn it for effective communication and integration. It is very important for us Filipinos that we learn the language first. Another challenge I think is getting a stable job, since there are differences in the labor market, the requirements are different, even if we have a degree in the Philippines it does not have to be recognized here in Spain. Another challenge is being able to understand the Spanish administration correctly, how to obtain permits... It is also crucial to connect with local communities, foreigners or sign up for language programs, it can help end the feeling of isolation.

I believe that it is possible to overcome these challenges with a positive attitude, a good support system, with good use of the resources available, which can be the key to a successful transition to living in Spain.

Casa Asia: You have two daughters…

Jelyn: Yes, they are 4 and 7 years old.

Casa Asia: Have you ever been worried or thought that it is important for you or them to also learn about Filipino culture?

Jelyn: Yes, it is important for them to learn about the Filipino culture and language. But it is difficult for me to teach them both English and Tagalog so that when they go to the Philippines, they can speak Tagalog. In the Philippines they will also be able to speak English.

Casa Asia: Have you experienced any form of discrimination?

Jelyn: I believe that racism is everywhere but not everyone is. I am happy to have a family that supports me, but I have experienced some strange looks, that look at you like that for being different. But it's not something very brutal. It's just because of the way they look or when you look for some permissions, sometimes at work. Curiously, I felt it at work not because of Spanish people but because of people from other countries, who discriminated against me because of my abilities. When I was promoted to manager they asked me how I had become a manager in a derogatory tone, because at that time my Spanish and Catalan were not perfect.

Casa Asia: Do you want to share a message for women?

Jelyn: It is a message for all women, I think they should trust themselves even if they are in a difficult moment, lose their job, etc. Some women are afraid to go out and explore the world, some are afraid to live alone without support from men and that should change, I wish that women could feel the power they have and not believe that they have to depend on a man. I am not dependent on my husband, I like him to support me, but I like to do my own things, things that I like. We must believe in new capabilities, in our abilities, and be on a path of continuous learning. Continue to educate yourself, gain experiences, and actively seek opportunities for both personal and professional growth. I want you to surround yourself with a support network. I want you to remember that “independence” does not mean “isolation”, it is about having confidence, your own decisions and shaping your own destiny.

Casa Asia: What is your favorite dish and hobby?

Jelyn: My hobby is playing the guitar and singing, last year they discovered it in my town and now they are always inviting me to their activities, at the TV3 Marathon, I was there singing so that people would donate money. And I love to eat too, it's also a hobby, my favorite food is escudella, all the food here is delicious, like Iberian ham, in the Philippines we don't eat that, at first I thought how can they eat raw meat? Now it's my favorite food.

LINKS:

Tiktok

https://www.tiktok.com/@mamajelyn_sa_barcelona

FACEBOOK

https://www.facebook.com/pinaysabarcelona

Interview conducted by Gaëlle Patin Laloy, head of the Interculturality Program of Casa Asia, and Noelia García Sánchez on 04/03/2024. Contact: [email protected]

Ann was born in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. She graduated in French Literature from Chiang Mai University and in Marketing for Tourism in France. Upon arriving in Spain in 2004, she created a community of Thai-Spanish families and began organizing cultural activities. The project grew rapidly with the support of entities such as the embassy, Casa Asia, the Udutama association and some companies and thanks to social networks. He didn't recognize the Thailand he saw in documentaries and wanted to show the real Thailand to the world through his projects. In 2023, he obtained the title of “Voluntary Consul” from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, making him the first person to achieve this honorable distinction in Spain.

Casa Asia: Can you explain to us under what circumstances you came to Europe and Spain?

Ann: I studied at the Faculty of Humanities at Chiang Mai University, with a specialization in French Literature, and Business Administration as an extra option. In my last year of university, a friend had to do some interviews with tourists in Thailand about what they thought about Thailand, if they liked the food, if they had any culture shock, etc. I accompanied her to help her with her interviews. Among the 20 interviewed, we met 2 Catalans, Jordi and Josep, with whom we became friends. A year later, after finishing university in Chiang Mai, I went to study tourism in Grenoble and then to the University of Savoie in Chambéry in France. One of the Catalan friends I met during the interviews, Josep, came to see me in Grenoble for 10 days and I decided to follow him to get to know Spain and her family.

Casa Asia: How was your first impression?

Ann: I arrived first to the Costa Brava where his family had a house. The weather was good, warmer than in France and also sunnier. I found the people very happy and friendly. Josep's family was very welcoming. I found the food very interesting, good and natural. The atmosphere was very similar to my country and I felt like I was at home in Thailand. His friends were nice, they tried to talk to me in English and French and took me to dinner and dancing. They showed me Barcelona and the iconic buildings of Antoni Gaudi. It was astonishing. There we began to be boyfriends. But I returned to France and between 2001 and 2004, I came to Spain every 2 months to maintain the relationship. Until Christmas night 2003, when Josep asked for my hand and we got married in Thailand in 2004. This year we celebrated 20 years of our marriage in Thailand.

Casa Asia: Where do you work now? How did your involvement with the community begin?

Ann: I work in the family restaurant so I can be close to my family and my children. One of the clients of the house was a good friend of the former honorary consul of Thailand, Mr. Jaime Sabaté. Sometimes he helped her answer questions about administrative issues in Thailand. Then I met more and more Spanish-Thai families and I thought it would be interesting to group them together, to form a community and thus be able to do cultural activities together. In 2008, I formed a group with 7 Thai friends. We offered Thai classes and Thai cooking classes on a voluntary basis. Additionally, we celebrate cultural festivals such as Songkran (Thai New Year) and Loy Krathong (festival of gratitude to the Goddess of Water). We registered the Friends of Thailand Samakkhi Association and continued to organize cultural activities. At the same time, we help Thai people in vulnerable situations. My Catalan family has also been great support. Working in our family restaurant allows me to have more free time to take care of our children and to dedicate myself to volunteer work.

Casa Asia: Have you encountered any difficulties on your way? How have you managed to overcome them?

Anne: Life is a long road, sometimes I have encountered difficulties, obstacles, but each time I have overcome them with the love of my family and the support of good friends. In France and Spain I encountered some situations of discrimination and so did my daughter, at times, in primary school.

Casa Asia: How was the Samakkhi association created? What plans do you have for the future?

Ann: One day I went to an international meeting of Thai women who were working voluntarily in associations in the countries where they resided. They helped me create the association in Spain, and also gave me contacts from organizations that supported the Thai community abroad. We met a manager who married a Thai woman, he helped us a lot with the paperwork to register the association. I am one of the founding people and now I am the president of the association. I created a Facebook page to share useful information among Thais in Spain, and to help Thai tourists in Spain (theft, loss of passport, tourist information, etc.), and to help Thai-Spanish families and even for help abused Thai women (gender violence), etc.

With the various committees of the association, we intend to promote Thai culture, we want to make our country known: the cities, the language, the traditions, etc. In the future, our dream is to have a forest monastery for Buddhist monks in Barcelona. Then we can organize Buddhist and Thai cultural activities at the monastery.

Casa Asia: You have promoted projects with Thai women at the European level, can you explain to us?

Ann: We collaborate with Thai women's associations in 18 countries in Europe. We want to show the professional potential of Thai women and inspire other women living abroad to understand that anything is possible, to not give up on their dreams, and to not give up when faced with obstacles. Last year the 7th meeting of ITWE – International Thai Women in Europe took place. We organize information sessions during the day with speakers on various very interesting topics. On this occasion, the Royal Thai Embassy gave me a certificate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand for being the first “Voluntary Consul” in Spain. On the same night, we celebrated the meeting with all the women with performances of Flamenco and Paso Doble in collaboration with the Rocío Gómez dance school and with other performances performed by Thai women who came from various countries in Europe. 99 people participated in that meeting and it was a great success thanks to the collaboration of public and private entities. Some Thai women in other countries were inspired and later created associations in the countries where they live. This year we will go to London to collaborate with the Thai association in England.

Casa Asia: What would you like to change to improve the situation of Thai women?

Anne: The perspective towards women, that's what I want to change. Unfair prejudice and favoritism, working conditions in some companies. For example, my former coworker told me that she suffered a lot when she was pregnant and couldn't work as hard as before, but her boss wouldn't let her take days off and said it was her fault for being sick. pregnant. My friend was Catalan, she was the most active in our department and very responsible. She left the company later but she never forgot what happened to her.

Casa Asia: What is your dream for the future?

Anne: My goal for the future is simple, it is to be happy with my family in any circumstance. It's not easy having families on two continents 6000 miles apart. I have my parents who are older in Thailand and I have my husband and two young children in Spain. My dream is to create a cafeteria here along with a small library with books in Thai, English and Spanish. And maybe one day, write a book.

Casa Asia: Do you want to share a message for other young women? What would you tell them?

Anne: Life is a long journey, we can have a wonderful sunny day, a rainy day, a stormy day, or a cloudy day. The important thing is you, your soul, your heart. Be brave, agile, positive and kind to the people around you and to those who deserve it. A good heart attracts good people and good things into your life. When we are young, it is possible to make a mistake, but I don't want you to regret it, but rather I want you to learn your lesson, walk with self-confidence and awareness. Read books, listen to advice and maintain good relationships with people who really love you. If someone wants to lower your value, don't listen to them. Every woman has the goodness in her and the natural beauty in her, that's what I always believe.

Casa Asia: We always ask for a recommendation, your favorite dish, music, movies, whatever you want!

Anne: I want to recommend “A tu corazón”, it is a Thai song with some phrases in Spanish. I think it has a good harmony and a good meaning. I also like Thai folk music like “Mor Lam”.

I also want to recommend some Thai movies “Happy Old Year”, “Analog Squad” (series on Netflix).

And my favorite Thai food dishes are; Yam Woon Sen (spicy transparent noodle salad with seafood), Tom Kha Kai (galangal soup with coconut milk and chicken), Kuay Tiew Lookchin (noodles with broth and meatballs), for example.

LINKS:

FACEBOOK

http://www.facebook.com/ThaiSpainFamily

http://www.facebook.com/ThaiFriendsSamakkhiinSpain

Interview conducted by Gaëlle Patin Laloy, head of the Interculturality Program of Casa Asia, and Noelia García Sánchez on 04/03/2024. Contact: [email protected]

Haesung is weaving bridges between Korea and Spain with gastronomy. She founded a Spanish food restaurant in Seoul “Come y Bebe” and now she owns a Korean food restaurant in Valencia “La Taula de Yoon”.

Casa Asia: How did you come to study gastronomy in Spain? And why in Valencia?

Haesung: I studied in Seoul, at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, in the Department of Indian Languages ​​and Cultures. Then I went to live in England for a while to study English and I met some Spanish classmates in class. I learned more about Spanish gastronomy and culture. I realized that the career I had chosen did not completely satisfy me and I decided to study cooking. So I looked for a place in Spain where I could learn in a city that was not a very crowded city, like Madrid or Barcelona, ​​since I had lived for years in Seoul, a huge and very stressful city. I thought Valencia was a perfect fit.

Casa Asia: Was your arrival in Spain difficult?

Haesung: When I arrived in Spain in January 2012, I didn't speak the language. First I entered a Spanish language academy and looked for a cooking school to take an intermediate level module. In September of the same year, I entered a hospitality school. At first, it was difficult because of the language issue, but I had classmates who always helped me. That year I also met Raúl, who today is my husband and he was a great help to me with the school assignments for which I had to write because my level of Spanish was fair. Valencia immediately seemed like a very beautiful city and I met people always willing to give me a hand when necessary. Many of them are still friends.

Casa Asia: Your idea was always to open a Spanish cuisine restaurant in Seoul, what was the experience like?

Haesung: When I finished high school, I went to do an internship at Bernd H. Knöller's Riff restaurant in Valencia. It was an incredible learning experience and I also met Toshi (at the time, sous-chef). During the three months I was there, I learned more than in any school, but I continued with my idea: to study cooking in Valencia and return to Seoul to open a Spanish cuisine restaurant.

In the summer of 2014, I returned to Seoul and in December I was already opening “Come and Drink.” We opened near Hongdae, a university area, but where the restaurant was located was an area with little traffic. At first, it was hard, but with the help of my husband we managed to grow the business and soon after, the restaurant became more and more popular. We imported spices from Valencia so that the dishes had the most authentic flavor; paprika, saffron…

In 2018, the neighborhood was developing a lot and the restaurant was becoming better known, but I was really exhausted and the stress was affecting my health. Because of that, I decided to return to Valencia where I had such good memories and it was also not a city as suffocating and competitive as Seoul.

Casa Asia: In the end you decided to turn around and return to Valencia to open a Korean cuisine restaurant with a new project...

Haesung: In 2018, Raúl and I returned to Valencia with the idea of ​​opening a Korean restaurant but this time, we were looking for a small place that only two people could run. We did not like the experience of a large restaurant with several employees and all the management that entails, as we did with “Come and Drink.” Thus, we created a menu where Raúl and I could prepare everything and, at service time, Raúl in the living room and I in the kitchen, we could do everything. In Valencia, Korean gastronomy was still quite unknown but the K-pop wave was already beginning, as was the passion for Korean dramas. In March 2019, we opened “la Taula de Yoon”, a restaurant that served the most well-known dishes: bibimbap, bulgogi, japchae, gimbap… Located in the Ruzafa neighborhood, a young, alternative and modern neighborhood, the reception was very good From the beginning.

Casa Asia: What factors have been key to achieving success in your entrepreneurial project?

Haesung: My father was always an example to me, working hard without ever giving up to grow and prosper his own company. Those values ​​of hard work and effort were transmitted to me since I was little and it is one of the things that I am very proud of. He was the first one who supported me to go study in Spain, to open a restaurant in Seoul and later, when he wanted to return to Valencia. Both in South Korea and in Spain, Raúl and I have worked very hard to achieve our goals with a positive mind and without complexes.

Casa Asia: Have you ever felt any type of discrimination?

Haesung: I have never felt any type of discrimination, neither for being a woman, nor for being Korean, I have always received support and I have never had obstacles to achieve what I wanted. Both in Korea and in Spain, if you want to assert yourself you have to work doing the best you can, without victimizing yourself and without complexes.

Casa Asia: Are gastronomic customs very different in Korea and Spain?

Haesung: There are very few Korean restaurants in Valencia, people can get a little closer to Korean gastronomy through the various restaurants in Spain, but the conception of a lunch or dinner is quite far between the two cultures. In Spain, the meal lasts longer with a sit-down meal and chat, while in Korea, we don't usually even drink coffee where we eat, we chat instead by going to a cafeteria after eating.

Casa Asia: What is your dream for the future?

Haesung: For the future, I hope that Korean gastronomy is better known in Spain, there are many more things than Korean barbecue or bibimbap. I also hope to continue offering food with sincerity and care.

Casa Asia: What message would you like to share with other young women?

Haesung: Experiment to the fullest, without being afraid of failure, to acquire knowledge and give yourself the ability to live your life the way you want!

Casa Asia: Do you have gastronomic recommendations?

Haesung: Kimchijjigae (kimchi stew) with egg omelet, nori seaweed and white rice. A daily meal or nengmyun (noodle with cold broth). I can eat that every day.

Casa Asia: A series?

Haesung: My favorite series is the Korean series “When the camellia blooms”

Casa Asia: Music?

Haesung: Brown eyes (Korean R&B duo) and Pitbull (an American rapper who has already given concerts in Korea), reminds me of my 20s!

LINKS:

INSTAGRAM

https://www.instagram.com/latauladeyoon/

Interview conducted by Gaëlle Patin Laloy, head of the Interculturality Program of Casa Asia, and Noelia García Sánchez on 04/03/2024. Contact: [email protected]