Overcoming the bureaucratic obstacles, poor information flow and health care issues
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Initiative Typology
Intercultural integration (neighborhood associations, religious bodies…) , Community participation (in migrant community associations), Language or/and culture courses
Problem addressed
The decision to migrate was extremely difficult. She started to think about it around 10 years ago, but it was not easy to take the final decision. The interviewee and her family had a good life in Serbia. She had a good job, the children went to school and they were good at it. The situation in Serbia started to change. She had enough contacts and everything in Serbia. The interviewee’s husband lived in Slovenia longer (since 2006) thus they came here within family reunion option.
The problems she faced were connected to her new job position in Slovenia. The bureaucratic matters within the international insurance company were problematic only in Slovenia. The problem in Slovenia is with getting the correct and quick information in regards to various issues. The field of health care is very poorly regulated in Slovenia. It is very difficult to get a personal doctor if you do not have a permanent residence. Moreover, she had no information that they would still be entitled to an emergency doctor on duty. The interviewee lives close to the health center thus they went directly and arranged everything.
Resilience strategies addressed by women
The interviewee’s husband lived in Slovenia longer (since 2006) thus they came here within family reunion option. The final decision to come to Slovenia was taken while thinking 50% for herself and 50% for her children and family. The children were not really enthusiastic about moving to Slovenia. They travelled by car. The interviewee is living in Slovenia with her husband and children. They are having the temporary residence status.
In 2015 they decided to go, but then again they had a second thoughts maybe not to migrate. In 2018 they finally decided to migrate from Serbia to Slovenia. She went to her director and asked him whether there would be an option for relocation - nothing like this has ever happened in Serbia before. According to the interviewee all laughed in the office to her crazy idea at first. Like what on Earth is she asking for. Then the director contacted the top managers who could decide on that. Since she had too many job related e-mails, she forgot to check her private one regularly. Once she remembered and opened it. She received an e-mail from the top managers with the invitation for a meeting that was already over. She decided to be honest and wrote that due to the job obligations she didn’t respond and kindly asked them for a new appointment. They met and somehow the director decided to recommend her to one of the best team in Slovenia in this field. She felt very well in this new work surrounding in Slovenia. In fact, she doesn’t feel in Slovenia as a foreign country to her. She still remembers the times of Yugoslavia and she wishes that these countries would still be a part of common state. This is exactly why she doesn’t want to be assaulted as a foreign, She doesn’t understand that some people say bad things about “us”, about the people, coming from Serbia. She has a house in Serbia and she can go back there if she will not like it here.
They found a flat in one day in Slovenia. They took a look at various flats, but they find it very quickly. She came to Slovenia in May 2018 to arrange some things regarding her new job position due to bureaucratic matters. The insurance company where she works in international thus she didn’t understand why these bureaucratic matters in Slovenia are necessary at all. She is learning Slovenian language event though she already speaks very good.
The experiences of her children were very good in Slovenia. They received all the necessary information through the school counselor. If the children have any troubles with understanding or homeworks or similar, they can always ask the people in association for the development of community youth programs Cona (
www.drustvospm.si/csd-moste-polje).
After few months the interviewee had to arrange couple of things at the administrative unit. She was a witness to a situation where a person from Bosnia and Herzegovina needed a translation. But no one else could offer it. The interviewee learned just a lot of Slovenian language (and Serbian is pretty similar to Bosnian language) thus she offered her help after very short time of learning Slovenian language.
The Serbian community in Slovenia is organized so that they have their group on Gmail. One can approach it on the recommendation of someone already in the group. Within this e-mailing list different things are discussed and arranged. The point is that this community is intended for everyone who lives in Slovenia and came from Serbia, facing some similar problems. Through this list, they exchange with each other all information related to the arrangement of residence, status, health matters, housing search and similar practical matters. They share tips and suggestions with each other. The interviewee found it as very helpful.
Description of the integration initiative implemented
Due to pandemic Covid-19 situation, they never invited neighbours to their flat or the other way around. They had a very difficult time meeting new people and making new contacts. Language is not a barrier in this case, but general circumstances are.
They have very good relationship with the flat owners.
Personal story
The interviewee moved to Slovenia in 2018 (family reunion). She is 47 years old. She was born in Serbia and she has Serbian citizenship. The only place of residence before moving to Slovenia was a town in Serbia. She is married, but lived apart for some years since her husband moved to Slovenia more than 10 years earlier.
She is having three children, aged between 19 and 22 years. She didn’t want to make additional pressure on them regarding the social relationship. Then the pandemia Covid-19 happened. They were invited to some birthday parties couple of times, but these period was very difficult to develop new relationships. Sometime they relate to youngsters from Serbia, but also to schoolmates or similar.
The interviewee’s and husbands’ parents, also all other relatives, are still living in Serbia. They are in constant contact with the relatives in Serbia (sometimes in person, otherwise through Viber or similar tools).
In comparison to previous life in Serbia and now in Slovenia she commented it is difficult to compare, but both are fine. She told to many friends in Serbia that the life in Slovenia started very well, but then corona period came. People in Slovenia did not gave her feeling of being very welcomed, but not even of negative attitude, perhaps the reservation toward her and her family would be most appropriate word to use. People doesn’t know her and her family since corona did not enable any new contacts. Sometimes the Slovenian language is a barrier in communication, but she is speaking fluently already.
After the Covid-19 the future plans are insecure. The rents for flat in Slovenia are high. Before that she planned to stay and live in Slovenia, but now she wants to take some time to feel what suits her and her family better.
The children are included in the regular school system and are very satisfied. Additionally, the interviewee took an accounting course here since she wants to learn more and upgrade her knowledge
Analysis of the initiative and individual story
The main initiatives to improve integration have been:
LEGAL SCOPE:
- The bureaucratic matters are problematic in Slovenia.
- The problem in Slovenia is getting the correct and quick information in regards to various issues. It is possible that some information may be intentionally poorly disseminated.
- The field of health care is very poorly regulated in Slovenia. It is very difficult to get a personal doctor if you do not have a permanent residence. Moreover, she had no information that they would still be entitled to an emergency doctor on duty.
RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS
- Social entities are key in orientation, information and training.
- Little support from public entities.
- The Serbian community in Slovenia is very well organized and these networks are important for the new comers with the similar problems.
NETWORKS AND PARTICIPATION
- Family and previous networks have an important role, especially due to the Covid-19 period, during which the new social relationship were not possible.
CULTURAL IDENTITY
- Maintaining their cultural identity through contact with relatives and migrants from the same cultural context.
- At the same time, incorporation into their lives of the cultural guidelines of the host society.
RESILIENCE STRATEGIES
- Their ability to face life situations through new strategies of adaptation which were additionally challenged during Covid-19 times.
- Valuing the resources available in the host society.
Results and Impact
This migratory process has had an important impact on the life of the interviewee since they were more than 10 years living apart. The interviewed woman compared that also the life in origin country was good, but she hope that the quality of their family life will improved in Slovenia.
In the society of arrival with the resources they obtain, they can ensure housing (even though rented flat), food and health. The migration process has improved their lives both qualitatively, but it is to early for them to decide on the future plans since the Covid-19 times brought some unexpected challenges.
