I met some amazing hostility today for the first time in Mosside. I went to visit Manchester Refugee Support Network on Princess Road and since arriving to Mosside, considered by many very dangerous and unpleasant, I met my first piece of genuine unfriendliness. Naturally in the shape of a white middle aged bureaucrat who was showing an arrogance, impatience and complete lack of empathy, which I have come across before, they all look the same these men, and I wonder, who hires these people? And if he treats me like this, who comes in with two kids, and wants to ask if they can help me find a local family or two who have just moved in, so i can get their perspective. I didn´t even get a chance to explain why or who I was. They hardly opened the door for me. I am stunned to almost silence!
In Sweden we have a name for these people, “sursvenskar”. Sour Swedes. I have no idea at all why he treated me like this. Did I look scruffy? Is it because I said I was a documentary film maker? Are they scared of getting investigated? Was it because he couldn´t place me in the normal British class system shelf, due to my foreign accent? Or, did he feel I had nothing to do there because he was doing such dignified work? I have no idea. What to do know, is that it will be much, much more difficult to do a documentary in England than Yemen, due to these white westerners and Brits. They´re so….worried, don´t want to be bothered, keeps to themselves and they´re just…like they belong to another planet at times. There´s many exceptions of course, but there´s no doubt, that the immigrants are a ton friendlier and nicer to socialize with.

That is one reason I am looking and trying to find a partner, definitely a woman, hopefully from here, absolutely with either a Middle Eastern or African (Caribbean) background. I have put this up on documentary sites on Facebook and elsewhere:

I am looking for, preferably a Swedish speaking lady with Middle Eastern or African background (Somali is extra good) who can handle a camera and help me “discover” contemporary England. A 3 month project similar to my lastwww.expeditionyemen126degreesintheshade.com including walking, meeting loads of people and living in Mosside -one of the most densely populated places in Europe and one of the most underprivileged, but full of great people!- for a month, which is the base and the start.

But, having said that, anyone interested, speaking Swedish isn´t all important, English yes-well, it has be a lady to get a proper perspective, and the doc well be much better for sure- do drop me a line though the Yemen webpage mentioned above. 

Animal handling, great ability to adapt, time in the UK and outgoingness a plus. 

This is a job offer.

I have also sent out around 10 emails to ask everything from Eva´s school to the local council for help, only Al Cox has answered and shows any interest. The rest, complete silence. I have never come across that before either. No interest to help at all.

By the way, this unpleasant character at Manchester Refugee Center, he advised to put up a flyer. And in that way attract newly arrived, mainly non-English speaking immigrants. I am speechless in the face of stupidity. How do these guys get these important jobs?????

                                      This is just outside where we live. Rain is a major part of life…