Tenerife, land of salvation-Spain

The fact of having family and that there are many Brazilians living in Portugal helped us a lot. There are associations that support our integration in Portugal and even promote activities to remind us of Brazil: music, food, football games, popular parties...

At school, my classmates and teachers welcomed me very well. It was much easier to make friends than I expected. Many are curious and ask me questions about my home country and my city.

The communication part is evolving and I can understand people better.

My parents work a lot. At first it was not easy for my mother to get a job, but then she managed. Here we feel that there is more safety on the streets and at school. I’m happy with my life in Portugal!

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Tenerife, land of salvation

Spain Guillermo Lozano

Moldova, do you know it? It is my country. My name is Olga. I lived in a village with my husband. In the 1990s, I got married, then my first son was born.

My husband was responsible of a department in a large company. One day, we went to have dinner with relatives, 50 km from our house.

During this night, a theft took place in the company. My husband was wrongfully accused of the theft and locked in a cell.

Released, my husband changed company, but the wages were not paid regularly.

We had to make a difficult decision: to emigrate to another country to provide an easier life for our child.

It was a difficult choice for us in 2001. We finally opted for Spain. My husband was going to Spain alone. We, my son and I, would join him later.

This decision changed our life.

From Moldova he traveled to Germany by bus. There, a friend was to wait for him and help him but, on arrival, no one.

He therefore decided to reach Madrid by train. There too, a contact was missing. Eventually, he stayed with a relative in the Spanish capital for a few days. Finally, he joined Tenerife where the hope of finding work was greatest.

For three years, I stayed in touch with my husband through letters and phone calls.

After difficult years in my Moldavian village, our family was together again 5 years later of my husband arrival to Spain, I was able to join him in Tenerife via Frankfurt. Being in Spain, years later my daughter was born.

In Tenerife, I learned to speak Spanish correctly. I met other Moldovan emigrants who became our friends. I helped out in schools and did theater to fit in.

In 2008, following the banking crisis, we experienced difficult times. Our house was seized by the bank.