Because we live amongst whites, we don’t have huge problems. Mind you, when we moved here first of all it took a long time before everyone got used to us. Maybe they thought that since we were Roma, we were going to make a right din and leave everything untidy – who knows what they thought. 
But I’ve already made loads of friends here, my parents too, and people don’t make snide comments or complain about us.
Mind you, sometimes I’m a bit freaked out at discos, and I would never walk home on my own. Several times me and my friends have been on our way home when some skinhead starts shouting things and looking for a barney. The first time, I was completely freaked and when I got home I just couldn’t stop crying. I mean, what can you do? I can’t understand how people can think they’ve got a right to act that way just because I look different!
You often hear how some Roma got into a fight with someone, blah blah blah, but nobody ever points out that it’s often self-defence or in reaction to an insult. People just don’t know what it’s like to constantly be the centre of attention. Whatever you do, everyone’s always looking at you, taking notes, holding their bags more tightly. Yeah, all right, some Roma are thieves, but so are some whites!!! | 
