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Preparation
Transcript
Emma: For World Refugee Day, from my point of view, and you must say what you feel, but from my point of view it seems to me that, I mean, in many ways we're all a product of refugees. You know? We're all … if you go back far enough, you'll find a refugee in your family.
Tindy: Oh, yeah.
Emma: People have had to go because human beings commit dreadful wrongs upon one another and people have to leave their homes sometimes and they don't ever want to leave their homes.
Tindy: Yeah.
Emma: You're talking about people who are leaving their homes!
Tindy: Their homes, for … you know …
Emma: … And their friends and their families and their … the people that they know and the country that they know, the weather that they know, the food that they know, all the things that gives life its flavour and its …
Tindy: Oh, then when you're leaving home: or the smells, or the excitement of friends and … it just happens in a snap really, it happens involuntarily. And to me, my take on it is that … it's a … it's a forced situation and you have to quickly adapt to it but also accept that you have to learn new things, to incorporate your background at the same time (in) the new environment. That's how you would survive, really.
Emma: Yeah. I think you've discovered over the years that the refugees that make the best … kind of fix of their lives and are happiest are those who …
Tindy: … who have tried to integrate and … they've not left … they've not completely left their background.
Emma: No, there's no need for that.
Tindy: Yeah, but they've accepted that, yeah, life has to go on.
Emma: And you're … you know, you're speaking a new language. Your language … your English is fantastic now.
Tindy: Yeah, it has been a long journey.
Emma: Long journey.
Tindy: Home is always best but at the same time, you know, when things are difficult you might as well slightly move away but home is where … (it) will always be important.
Emma: Yeah.
Tindy: Yeah, so … yes. It's always a constantly … learning experience.
Emma: Well, as life should be!
Tindy: Oh! Yes! Yeah.
Emma: What is life without that? It'd be an empty husk!
Tindy: (laughs) Yeah! But it has been phenomenal, you know? An amazing journey.
Emma: I think the real downside is that you've got very expensive taste in wines now.
Tindy: (laughs)
Emma: That's living with me!
Tindy: I was … I had never tasted wine. And then I tasted it and then it became nice!
(both laugh)
Tindy: There are lots of amazing moments that have happened and continue to happen and …
Emma: God willing, will continue.
Tindy: Yes.
Emma: If I'm spared, because I'm a very old lady and you're still young and lovely.
Tindy: Oh, yes. Yeah. That's undisputed.
(both laugh)
© UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
Thanks for the explanation, now it makes sense!
Hi Nhung,
What Emma means when she says 'if you go back far enough' is that if you look at your family that came before you (your ancestors) closely enough, you will find a refugee amongst them. Here the idea of 'going back' means 'going into your family's past'.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team