Set of photographs #3

Commentary from Participant

‘I really enjoyed taking the pictures. There are some positive and some negative, documenting my experience.

1. This is the school where my son went. They are quite open-minded, exposed to different cultures. But there is a curiousity, why is your skin dark or why does your food ‘smell’?

We had good friends, from India, who helped us when we first came.

2. This is a park where we spent a lot of time – it was a lovely experience, though some people would think twice about being friends.

3. 4, 5. The house we recently moved to – a brilliant experience. Home is where the heart is.

7. ?

8, 9. This is a factory. They are open-minded . There is a bit of a difference with companies in the centre of the city; a little more traditional outside the centre. Overall, good. I have got promotion. I have had to prove myself. You have to be upfront and make a case for promotion.’

Participant 1, ‘You have to have people who will listen. Nobody was prepared to listen in my time.’

Participant 3, ‘ Discrimination is still very evident. People use lots of stereotypes, for example about refugees – you hear that in the banter, there is casual racism, and jokes you don’t understand – you are left out, excluded'.

Participant 8, ‘There is a lack of exposure to different cultures. This is a very small place. Perople are not exposed to how things work in the world.’

10. This is another park. Northern Ireland has a lot of parks. This is Lady Dixon Park [in Belfast]. I felt included here, there is a wide spectrum of people.

11, 12. This is Great Victoria Street Station. It was a huge part of our lives, a good experience. People are quite helpful. Nightime travel, though, is quite scary. Men coming to sit right next to you.

13, 14. This is the New Delhi restaurant in the city centre. They have authentic Indian food. Boojum was a staple when we first moved here – most spicy. But now, I would use some different spices – not available in my own country.

15, 16. This is the NHS Emergency unit. We did not have a great experience. We had no clue how the NHS system worked. You do not know until you figure it out by yourself. People, including GPs were not very helpful or forthcoming.