Most of us grow up with only one native language. However, there are people who start speaking two languages since a very young age – the second one comes from the other parent, who has a different nationality. This is the “gift” of mixed marriages. How does 33-year-old Diana Hussein feel in Bulgaria, does she face any prejudices and what are her friends like – she will talk about all this in an interview for Radio Bulgaria. Diana is a bachelor in Applied Linguistics at New Bulgarian University and now she prepares her master’s degree in Advertising and PR at Varna’s University of Economy.
“I was born in Sofia,” says Diana. “I spent the first 6 years of my life in Bulgaria and then my family moved to Jordan, to my father, where we spent 9 years. We returned here afterwards and I have lived in this country ever since.”
Diana takes the question whether she has faced disappointments and prejudices like that. “I feel lucky to be a mixed-marriage-kid, since, in my opinion I represent two different unique cultures – the ones of the West and the East. I am proud of that. I have faced people with prejudices both as a child and as an adult. Unfortunately I have had more experience of this kind here than in Jordan. It looks like people of the East are more tolerant, or at least they do not demonstrate such negativism. Despite all this I have many friends in Bulgaria that are OK with my origin – on the contrary, they are glad to have such a friend, and so am I. The origin has nothing to do with one’s personality and morality. It doesn’t matter whether you come from a mixed marriage or not, the important thing is what kind of a person you are.”
The Jordanian relatives of Diana Hussein live far away. Does she have the chance to visit them often?
“Unfortunately I cannot see my father’s parents too much, since they are in Jordan and Palestine and that is quite a distance. The good thing is that 21st century’s technologies allow the contact. I keep in touch with them and go there anytime, when I have the chance.”
It is logical that most of Diana’s friends are Bulgarians.
“Yes, most of my friends are from this country and I am happy with that, since my life here is well integrated into the society. Practically I am half-Bulgarian and half-Arab. I know many Arabs, but most of my friends are Bulgarians.”
Being a child from a mixed marriage, Diana enjoys a special “gift” – many fests.
“I am lucky, regarding the fests, since both Christian and Muslim celebrations take place in our home – it is natural, as my mother belongs to the first religion and my father – to the second one. I don’t mind this fact at all, because we have more festive occasions and, respectively, more gifts “find” me.”
Diana has recently married.
“My husband is a Bulgarian. He is a really tolerant and broadminded person – that is why I love him. He has always been a man that I can lean on, he has supported all my activities. He has no problems with the fact that his wife would like to be an expert in a certain profession. I try not to abuse that and keep some sort of a balance between my work and my family.”
Would Diana opt for a job abroad or not?
“I am considering a job abroad, but it is all a question of opportunities. I feel good here for the moment. I can’t say that my goal is to move to a foreign country. On the other hand, I like experiments, I like to travel and see new places. I can face the challenges of a change, since those keep me in a good shape. Thus I learn new things about life.”
Diana smiles, as I remind her that she can say “hello!” to her relatives abroad via this interview. “Then I want to say “hi!” to all my friends and relatives, who are scattered around the globe, I must say. I hope to see them soon, or at least some of them,” Diana Hussein says in conclusion.
English version: Zhivko Stanchev
