Ana

Initially, Ana’s husband left Portugal and came to Dungannon for work. In Portugal it was very difficult to get work and at this time many people were coming from Portugal to find work in County Tyrone.  Ana came to Dungannon 6 months later to join her husband. She explains, “I didn’t really want to come at first, I love Portugal, my family were there but decided to come to see what life was like here and get a job. At first my son stayed in Portugal with my family. This was very difficult without my son being with me but after 2 further months my son came over it was lovely to have him over as I missed him greatly.”

It was challenging for Ana to leave Portugal, her family were there and she had a full-time job where she worked in a glass making factory. She wanted to work here too and soon got a job in one of the factories. When she first came she spoke a little English and attended First Steps Women’s Centre with her friends also from Portugal. Enrolling at FSWC helped her not only with language but also to make new friends. Although everything was new and she was adapting to her new country she tells us “Of course language was a bit of a barrier when I first came but I would say I didn’t struggle to fit into life here, I found everyone was friendly and nice. But I was lacking in confidence. Probably because of my level of English, I preferred to be discreet and a little hidden in the work place. I didn’t like to draw attention to myself too much. But work was very good for me and I was treated well and progressed quickly in my job.”

Ana was the first black women in the factory where she worked to become a team leader, something she is proud of and very grateful for the opportunities she has had since coming to NI. She has worked incredibly hard to get to where she is today and supporting a young family has not been without life’s ups and downs. “At FSWC they offer course and advice on education and getting new skills to help improve ourselves. I took a course in childcare with my sister, I only did this, to be honest for my sister as she did not want to do it alone! It was hard doing courses in my second language but I did pass my exams and assessments and then I worked in the creche in FSWC.” As well as working in childcare, Ana also worked in a supermarket. She soon decided she preferred retail to childcare. Her determination and hard work meant she and her husband were able to buy a house.

Ana’s family and her heritage are very important to her. Her parents are from Cape Verde originally, before they came to live as a family in Portugal so she has a very rich sense of both traditions, inheriting family values she has passed on to her children. At home Ana and her family speak Portuguese, she say “I think it is very important that the language gets carried on to our children and generations. It is important for my children to be able to speak to their grandparents and relatives. It’s part of who we are and one day if we return home they can speak the language.”

Ana grew up practicing the Catholic faith and has continued to do so as into adulthood and has also introduced her family to her religion. Her daughter made her confirmation recently here in NI.

Ana loves to cook and makes a lot of tradition food from both Portugal and Cape Verde. A dish she makes from Cape Verde is called “Cachupa,” it is a hearty, slow-cooked stew made primarily of dried corn and beans, simmered with various vegetables, and typically mixed with fish or meats like pork, beef, chicken, or local sausage. A dish from Portugal she makes make “Bacalhau” which is the Portuguese word for cod, specifically referring to dried and salted codfish. It is the cornerstone of Portuguese cuisine and a massive part of the country’s cultural identity, often affectionately called the “faithful friend.” It can be eaten at Christmas time and can be made into 1000s of dishes. Since Dungannon has become more diverse over the years and several Portuguese food grocery shops have opened it has made it easier to get ingredients for dishes to make Portuguese food. When Ana came to Mid Ulster first this wasn’t the case.

Over the years Ana has made a lot of friends

here and even after Brexit when many families left Mid Ulster and returned to their homelands, most of her friends chose to stay here. She explains how she has worked hard to make a good life for herself and her family and is happy living in NI but she adds, “I would like to move home at some stage I think, Portugal will always be my home. I miss the food in Portugal the most, sometimes I miss the sun. And of course, I miss my family a lot. Family, cooking and hospitality is very important to me. I do my best to continue these traditions in NI as they are so much part of our culture.”

“Being a migrant woman living in Dungannon I have no complaints but Portugal will remain very special to me.”

*Ana is not her real name