Vesti.lv: "Mushroom slavery" Latvian emigrants

Latgaliya's History of the last one and a half decades — is history of departures. At each of left the house where was born and grew, the individual destiny. These destinies develop differently, meeting only in one — a way of the emigrant who has left the native country, is always thorny and hard.

B Ireland Anita left how graduated from school in native Daugavpils. Left as speaks, in search of adventures — well and took them fully.

— As I then did not know English, the mushroom farm appeared the only place where me accepted. The first day was shock! Started working in six mornings, and even earlier to snatch the best mushrooms — and to a decline. I began to work for seven days in a week. Then I was paid by 275 euros a week as "student's" — only then I learned that under the law this "training" should not proceed more than 39 hours.

the Second "student's" week I fulfilled

Anita remembers that throughout all working day it was necessary to be on the alert.

— the supervisor with the new order At any time can come. It means that you have to switch over instantly to the next task and start gathering mushrooms of the necessary size in the necessary container. In each order the rules. The most terrible order — is so-called "babies-gribochki". To gain kilogram of these remains, it is necessary to sweat very strongly. It is necessary to listen to the supervisor implicitly, besides, you bear full responsibility for the stock handed over to you …

the first day off it received only in thirteen days.

— I Lie, everything hurts, I look in a ceiling. I reflect: whether it is worth ruining health?

to Anita happened to work on a farm in a line-up of a different nationality.

— For example, you will not keep up with tayvanka — they to me left only the naked earth. But with Lithuanians it appeared well, they helped me and in word and deed much. After all if during "training" you do not carry out norm, you can expose from a farm. So little girls chipped in together of a box that also my box was full. It is possible to take off from work and in case by mistake for fatigue you throw out "good" mushrooms in a garbage can which the owner of a farm or the supervisor … "

Anita admits that saw many hysterics: girls and women threw knifes, mushrooms — and with shout "I in the homeland did not kill anybody here so to stoop! " left away from a farm …

— I looked at it, hardly constraining tears — tears of pain, fatigue and humiliation. I did not want to give up and every day persuaded myself: give one more chance to this work! Eventually nevertheless left …

It considered option with return to Daugavpils, but the destiny presented it the second chance to Ireland — employment on furniture factory. Anita works at this factory some years. And not to tell that this work strongly easier than that was on a mushroom farm. To rise to manage to reach factory, it is necessary in six mornings, on a workplace it is necessary to breathe much harmful evaporations of the paints used in production — because of it problems with skin began. But as a whole it is possible to suffer — especially as quite good earnings, social guarantees …

From relatives in Daugavpils remained with Anita mother (the former official) and the uncle (teacher) — both already on pension. She likes to please the relatives, to arrange them a holiday. At least few times in a year, having waited for holiday weeks, goes with them on rest — Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands, or Governorate of Tunis, or Spain, or any else resort.

to Return home Anita any more does not see sense. Says that in ten years which have passed from its departure, friends in Daugavpils remained very little and in general it is unclear, than there to be engaged. And at factory at it any, and career: having begun as the simple worker, gradually grew to the head of one of production divisions, there is also a further prospect. Besides, while it at factory, various social bonuses are saved.

annually — for some days. Says that such communication with Latvia to it has enough.