My inmigrant friend



Momodou Lamin was born in Bakau, Gambia. He is 23 years old, speaks Catalan and Spanish, and
is studying law at the University of Girona. Lamin arrived in the Maresme region at the age of nine. In
addition to being a student, he also works as an actor and as an organizer of activities in the Jama KafoAssociation, a civic group which brings together immigrants from Gambia, Senegal, Guinea, Mali and the Magreb. Like the dozens of other immigrant associations they fight against discrimination and
unfair immigration laws, and try to help their members become integrated into Catalan society. African
immigration to Catalonia began in the 70s and intensified in the 80s. They make up an important part
of the population in the Maresme region from where it expanded all along the Mediterranean coast.

Most African immigrants are young men, between 25 and 30 years of age, usually single, illiterate
or with a low level of education. Typically, they stop in Catalonia on their way to France or Germany
with the idea of working for a time in agriculture, building or industry and then returning to their own
country when they have saved up enough money to buy something (like a taxi or a small business) with which to support a family. But, when immigrants arrive in Europe, they realize that unemployment and poverty also exist here and that they are unprotected and face a great deal of discrimination. They find themselves trapped between the difficulties for getting a good job and the impossibility of returning home with empty hands.

Momodou Lamin is a busy young man. His work in the Jama Kafo Association takes up a large part
of his time each week. But he does not mind. He thinks it is important to help immigrants plant the
seeds for a better tomorrow for themselves and their families here in Europe, like his father and mother did fourteen years ago.

1. Answer the following questions without copying from the text.
a) How is Momodou Lamin different from the majority of African immigrants in Catalonia?

b) What do African immigrants usually expect to find when they arrive in Europe? What do they really find?

c) What are the objectives of the Jama Kafo Association?

2. Answer one of the two options:
Option A: Momodou Lamin has a younger cousin in Gambia. He sends him a letter
explaining all about his life in Catalonia and trying to persuade him to come and live here.
Write the letter.


Option B: Momodou Lamin wants to know why his parents decided to come to Europe
14 years ago and why they ended up in Catalonia. He also wants to know how they
managed to get here. Write down this conversation between Momodou and his parents.

3. Vocabulary

Explain next words in English, write the phonetics and also an example: law, unfair, illiterate, seed