I left Senegal in 2016.
A friend wanted to leave and didn’t want to go through it alone, so he invited me to join him.
Our journey to France took me through six countries: Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, Morocco, Spain and then France. Morocco was our final stop in Africa.
From there, we took a Zodiac (an inflatable rubber boat used in Morocco to transport illegal immigrants, named after a private company that produces speedboats) to the international zone. Then the people who rescue people on the sea came to get us and took us to Spain.
Europe
In Spain, we were kept with other immigrants in a place called “campo”. There, we saved up some money and headed to France by road. If France were not an option, I’d have stayed in Spain. But I spoke French, so France was my preferred destination as it would be easier to assimilate and make money there. And so far, my experience in France has been good. When I arrived, I did some training courses, and that’s what helped me stay. If you don’t speak French, things can get complicated.
Right now, I feel integrated in the society. I have not even looked back at Guninea or followed events there because I am here now. But life is different in France compared to back home. Today, I live in a quiet flat, and I work. In Guinea, I didn’t work, and I didn’t earn money. But today, I am in France and independent.
Why Migration?
People migrate because of poverty. If there is poverty in a country, it is not easy to stay there. You can finish your studies, but what happens afterwards? Even with a degree, getting a job can be quite difficult. I am sure many people left because of this. It was a struggle when I was in Guinea.
I feel migrant views are taken into consideration in discussions relating to migration. When I got here, I met a lot of associations that deal with things like this, and they helped me a lot. What you get out of it after that, I think, depends on the person.
Although I don’t have any family here, my life is here now. I do hope to someday reunite with my family if all goes well, but at the moment, it is better to go and visit the family to see how they are doing. If things are not fine, then I can take care of them.