FEATURE Migrant workers
No longer a stranger in a strange land
Vilified by many on the right of politics, it’s not easy for migrants. Unite rep Livy Szedeli tells of her life here as a legal migrant
I was born in Hungary, but 10 years ago I chose a new homeland. Now I am Hungarian in a foreign country. What does it mean to leave your country? To start a new life in a country where everything is different. There are miles and feet. Inches and pints and stones. Miles per hour. Shoes size 5.5 and I wear a size 12 dress here, not a size 40. We are driving on the left side and the steering wheel is on the right.
I have left my country and given up a little piece of my heart. In this small piece are my parents, my relatives, my friends. I was born in Komló. In this small town, hidden among the mountains, my past remains. And I left my planned future in Budapest.
I would not have dared to embark on this adventure alone. My husband and I started our new life together. Whether we did it for political or economic reasons is irrelevant now. Fortunately, we had help. My husband's niece had moved to the UK three years earlier. She gave us lots of tips and advice to help us make a fresh start.
In the beginning, we barely understood the language. And in a country where everything is different, we must find a
flat, open a bank account, find a job. Where can we buy bus tickets? How does health care work? Where can we find a doctor? The tax system and the insurance system.... and I could go on.
Of course, everything can only be done by phone, which had been one of the biggest challenges for us because of our poor language skills. First, you need an NI number. You can only do this by phone. You must make an appointment. At that time, my English was just good enough to understand the question about my name. It was an extremely awkward conversation, but I managed and became the proud owner of an NI number.
The next steps are to open a bank account, rent a flat and look for a job. That was not easy! We have received very friendly information from the administration everywhere. We will open a bank account for you if you have a job. You can get a job if you have a bank account. You can rent a flat if you have a bank account. Of course, you can get a bank account if you have an address. Sure, you can get a job if you have an address and a bank account. We were on the verge of
16 uniteLANDWORKERSummer 2023
giving up. Looking back on that time today, all I can say is that I don’t understand how that could have happened, but in the end it all worked out.
And now you can start your new life. Go to work and pay your bills. Yes, of course you know you have to learn the language properly. You search the internet for language courses. There are two types. The very expensive ones and the ESOL. You work in a factory where you earn just enough to pay the rent, bills and food. So, not the expensive kind then. The other option, ESOL, isn’t possible because as a shiftworker you would have to miss half the courses. So, you have no choice but to keep your ears open. There are many different nationalities working together in our factory.
Whether you like it or not, you have to cross borders and try to communicate with others. First you learn the factory jargon. Then you start asking questions about each other's families.
Of course, the eternal classic includes ... I don’t like the boss, soon becomes part of your vocabulary. The years go by. As your language skills improve,
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