An appraisal of Spain´s recent policy of regularization for immigrants -- within the context of EU constitutional crumpling, kaleidoscopic population flows, ethnic violence, "warehouse" detention centers and human rights abuses, Spain´s construction boom, labor demand, an aging Spain, and the vanishing townships of yesteryear.
I´ve been using a mixed-method approach in my conversations here, where multiple-choice answers are followed by space for comments. Since I´ve been informed that it´s ethically ok to do so, I´ll include interesting conversations in the comments section.
posted by mr. p @ 5:37 PM
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L, from Colombia, conversation 6.14.05
I came from a family where you didn’t have to work or learn or do anything if you were a woman. But I wanted to. I liked to learn. So I became an engineer.
I came to Madrid because there are things here, like insurance for your kids when they get sick, that you never had in Colombia. This is why so many people come here, for their kids. It’s not for me anymore – I have lived, I’ve had satisfaction in my profession, marriage, motherhood. But now I live for my community, and for my family. Both of my children have their papers now. And there are opportunities for them here, to develop their personalities. My son for example has always wanted to be a musician. And in Colombia it is very hard to make a living as a musician. But he is here, and he is doing it successfully.
But the stories you read in the papers about the new policies being succesful – I think it is all lies. Because I talk to so many people here who couldn’t do it, because they didn’t have one of the requirements. Thousands of people, people I talk to every day, are just waiting. Other people can’t find work, or if they find work it’s in the black market and you don’t have any documents to prove that you’ve been working. And even me, I’ve had my residence permit and been a part of the autonomous community (state), what good has it done me? I’m going back to Colombia. I can’t use my talents here. I’ve always been a person who enjoyed intellectual things. But I can’t develop this side of my life here. People come to Lavapies not to understand the cultures. It’s pure culinary tourism. So I’m definitely leaving. The final thing was that it was impossible for my husband to come here. I’m just glad that my children can stay here.
You honestly think that getting this paper is going to make somebody buy a car? Hombre listen if a person with no papers has money and wants a car, he can buy a car. No not new but from a friend of a friend, a cousin or something. It’s about the money. And it used to be that you could buy papers. That’s how it is in Colombia. When I first came here I thought it would be more honest, but it wasn’t – actually it was less honest. Now I don’t know how it is, but I’ve had enough. The banks and the real estate agents are liars. And the NGO’s are also liars. If you need help, maybe you can trust a church group, or the Red Cross – a big organization. But these little places that pretend to help immigrants and say they are from the street, they will charge you money and not do anything. They are just like the banks – business people who make their money off of the poor and immigrants.
A few years ago I decided to get my own apartment (piso). Because this is one of the big steps, you know. I went to BBVE and I showed them all of my documents and they said “fine, you are fine to buy an apartment.” Then a real estate guy – he acted and seemed like he was from Colombia, so I trusted him – he sold me an apartment. I put down 6000 Euro as a security, and waited fot the people living there to move out. Time passed and I didn’t get a phone call. So I called the real estate company and they said “don’t worry – his mother has been ill, so he’s been away. He’ll contact you very soon.” So in the meantime I payed another 1,500 Euro to have the place inspected by an architect and engineer – I am an engineer you know, so I understand exactly what they were doing. But later it turns out that nobody did anything. Finally I went to go visit the office of the real estate agent. And guess what? Empty! Closed down! And I’m sure this guy is somewhere else, under a different name, doing the same thing to other people. I just trusted him, because he acted like he came from Columbia. But guess what his name was? Pedro Robido. Rob-ido! And maybe I could denounce the engineers and architects who were working with him, who were supposed to survey the house. The bank also supported him. But what is that to me know, even if I can do it? What I want is my 6000 Euros back.
You know, what you say about law is true, but you have to understand that it is a different world, between the anglosaxophones and the Latin world. We are all tramps. We all lie. And to be honest, most latinos look at the anglosaxon world and think you are a little bit stupid. Honest, but stupid. For example, my son had a girlfriend from Switzerland, very serious, and we traveled there one time to visit the girl’s parents. And we could not believe that they don’t charge you anything to get on the trains – you can just ride around for free all day if you want, and maybe someday an agent will be on the train to catch you, but probably not for a long time. So my husband and I of course decided to save money by riding for free. It’s just logical! We thought. What an embarassment! Because when my son’s girlfriend noticed that we didn’t have a ticket, she bought one for me and one for my husband, and said, “here we all carry tickets.” We felt so ashamed, like we were dirty people. But also we thought, what fools! I think there is something in their culture that makes them feel ashamed if they don’t have a ticket.
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