Q: How are you?
Nouroudeen: I am fine.
Q: How long have you been living here?
Nouroudeen: I came to Germany two months before.
Q: Where do you come from?
Nouroudeen: I come from Benin.
Q: Do you have family?
Nouroudeen: No I don’t have a family. My mother died when I was one year old. Two years later my father died. I have no one. I am the only son of my parents.
Q: Why did you decide to come to Germany?
Nouroudeen: Because my Aunt (sister of my father) wanted to kill me. Complicated family matter.
Q: Are you learning German language now? Do you have any job?
Nouroudeen: Yes I am learning German. Once a week I attend a class on German language. No I don’t have any job right now. I do nothing and I don’t like it. For men, it’s not good only to eat and sleep. I want to do something but I don’t get anything.
Q: So do you get money from German Government?
Nouroudeen: Yes, but more than this I get protection from Germany. I get protection for my life here. That’s important for me.
Q: How do you like Halle (Saale)
Nouroudeen: Yes I like Halle. Halle is good. Sometimes I go to Marktplatz (City Centre) or come to Bahnhof (Rail station) just to watch people. People are busy, moving, walking. Life goes on.
Q. Do you have friends here?
Nouroudeen: No. If I see any other African man on the street, we just say “Hello, Hello”.
Q: What’s your religion? I mean are you Christian or Muslim?
Nouroudeen: I am Muslim. Sometimes I go to Mosque to pray.
Thank you.
*Short note: Nouroudeen, 34, is a refugee from Benin, currently living in Halle (Saale). [Pdf Version]