Miriam Davoudvandi: We can’t afford that in Darmstadt

Description

What it means to grow up poor in Germany. For a long time, she steered clear of boys, because Miriam Davoudvandi knew that eventually every guy would see the inside of her apartment: the shabby public housing unit surrounded by single-family homes, the cluttered rooms, the worn-out bathroom. The shame of having nothing to offer and not belonging has shaped Miriam Davoudvandi ever since she started school, and it remains a part of her to this day. She has since climbed the social ladder and earns more than her parents ever did. Her conclusion: Money actually makes you very happy. But at what cost? And what traces have her experiences left behind? Miriam Davoudvandi tells her story honestly and movingly, explaining what it means to be poor in Germany. In doing so, she looks not only at the obvious manifestations of poverty but also at aspects such as dating, friendships, starting a family, and mental health, as well as the significance of television and life as the first student in her family. And she shows why the poor are disadvantaged even when they die. Poverty may be measurable. But numbers don’t help us understand what poverty feels like and what it does to people in the long run. That makes it all the more important to hear Miriam Davoudvandi’s story. She also speaks for all those who have not yet had a voice, on Monday, November 2, at the Centralstation. Links Readings at Centralstation