Yasmin interviewing Rena Gosh(?) in English
Recording for Asian Connections Project. Total length 43 minutes, 14 seconds [Rough timings are given in ( ) brackets]Track 1, Length 1minute, 13 secondsCame from India to London on 18th February, 1979. She was 26½ years old.Track 2, Length 4 minutes, 6 seconds Memories of playing cricket with other boys and girls. Went to a girls’ school. Had to go home at 5.00 p.m. after school even when she was working as a teacher aged 22 or 23. Parents strict about that, protective – so many bad people around. Travel to work by rickshaw. (1-36) Lived in city called Benares. Went to university there. All her friends and cousins went to university. Did not have to stay in hostel could still live at home. (3-00) Talks about her grandparents. Her widowed maternal grandmother used to visit. Her grandfather was a magistrate in days of British rule. They had several properties.Track 3, Length 8 minutes, 54 seconds(1-00) Describes her arranged marriage to a doctor. Her husband did his medical degree in Calcutta then came to UK. He became a consultant at Kirkcaldy. She went to Calcutta to meet him. Their families knew each other very well. Day before wedding her mum cooked all her favourite food for a party her last dinner as an unmarried woman. Married in Calcutta, wore a dark pink sari. About 400 to 500 people at the wedding. Then they went to her home in Benares for a party and visited the village her husband’s family came from. After 2 weeks together her husband had to come back to the UK and sent over all the visa papers. It took 6 weeks for Rena to get her visa and passport then she came to London to her cousins. Then by train from London to Kinghorn with her husband. Showed her round house. (07-25) She said to her husband ‘Oh I have to cook now’. Discussion of cooking for husband and guests.Track 4 Length 8 minutes, 1 second Quite lonely when husband at work. First year could not get to London for festival. But in regular contact with cousins by phone and lots of friends. An English neighbour used to take her shopping. Speaking English not a problem. Went to English class at Balwearie High School. The tutor Ann Hindle same to see her and told her she did not need English class. (2-55) In 1981/82 Ann suggested to David Watson that Rena could be the interpreter he was looking for. Birth of daughter December 1979 and her son 3 years later. Rena didn’t drive so her husband would drop her off at the shopping centre [?in Kirkcaldy] at lunchtime then pick her and the children up when he finished work. Often he was late because of patients. So she decided to learn to drive. (4-57) Her children went to nursery at Seaview Private School, then Primary School up to P6 then from P7 they went to Edinburgh. Trips to India every 2 or 3 years. And her mother and mother-in-law would visit Kinghorn. Interpreter work for David Watson, Hindi and Urdu. In 1991 when her son was 10 years old she was able to work more. Did a diploma in IT at Fife College. (7-24) David Watson and Amy Chalmers opened RAC and Interpreting Service. Rena got job as interpreter part-time.Track 5, Length 14 minutes, 36 seconds Describes working for the Interpreting Service, from the beginning. Changing needs from Punjabi, Urdu, Chinese to Polish. Discussion of combining work with family life. (2-50) (4-15) Lots of friends with same background and same age group children. Describes how the Bengali Cultural Association was started by doctors in Dundee in 1981. Her husband was at college with one of them. It was extended to include Fife. Members included Bengalis from Bangladesh too. With help from David Watson, Rena started a class to teach the children the Bengali language. They met at Balwearie High School on Sundays. She taught for 7 or 8 years but after that they did not have the 8 students they needed for a class. (7-30) No temple in Fife. Rena goes to the temple in Dundee every Sunday. Description of the story of King Ram’s return celebrated at Divali. (9-05) Rena was part of singing and music group for last 9 years. Performed at lots of functions. (10.00) Not strict with children. Two years ago her daughter married a Scottish boy she met at her medical college. As long as a good person and educated and daughter happy. (12-47) Discussion of caste system in India. Her religion says you shouldn’t discriminate against anyone.Track 6, Length 1 minute 6 seconds Last week the singing group decided to close for now. Not done so much last 2 years. Harder to get funding and lot of singers or dancers have moved back to India or moved to London. Or people are busier.Track 7Rena and husband going on holiday to Calcutta and Rajasthan.Track 8Different language and clothes in Rajasthan compared to North India. Last year they went to Kerala in West South India. Rena could not understand their language or their writing/script. Had to use English to communicate. South Indians do not want to talk North Indian languages. Going for 2 months. Her husband has retired so if she retires they can go away for a long as they like.CFPQInterview with Rena Gosh: AD/HMB
