My Life Before Govanhill: Noemi Raith
“It will always be a big part of why I feel so at home in Scotland…” In this instalment of My Life Before Govanhill, Marzanna Antoniak sits down with Noemi Raith to find out about her journey from her hometown Basel in Switzerland to Glasgow, and why she settled in Govanhill.
Noemi Raith
Interview by Marzanna | Photo by Zahra Karamizade
Where are your roots?
I was born and bred in a village near Basel, Switzerland. When I was growing up it was a very safe place where everybody knew everybody. Aged 5, I would walk to school by myself for about a kilometer. I wouldn’t let my own child do the same nowadays in Glasgow. When I was in high school in the 1980s, at the height of capitalism, we were told that we could do whatever we wanted in terms of choosing a profession. This sounded amazing, but the reality was a bit more confined. I really appreciated that growing up there was not much gender imbalance at that time in Switzerland, despite Swiss women only getting the vote in 1971 – two years before I was born. I worked as a multi-camera director for Swiss TV in Zurich for a few years. But the Swiss mentality didn’t really suit me. I found it restrictive and at times judgemental, and I felt it was making me tame. I was hungry for new experiences and challenges, I wanted to grow as a person, so when the chance presented itself, I left.
What about your education?
I always wanted to become a medical doctor. However, when I started studying I realised that I didn’t have a very scientific brain, so I left after a year. I then studied German and English Literature and Linguistics but never intended to become a teacher. I was interested in theatre and media, so I applied for a job as a trainee studio director at the Swiss national broadcaster, and got the job. In Scotland, I did a Masters in Screenwriting, and a postgraduate degree in teaching in further education.
What about your working life in Scotland?
I came here in 2008, at the beginning of the recession, so landing a job at the BBC or STV did not happen, despite my best efforts. I ended up doing different jobs; I worked in a pub, and as a support worker for adults with special learning needs. Then I worked in a bank, until I got some hours at the City of Glasgow college, which then became a full-time job. I worked there until June this year teaching TV Production. Now I want to start a family videography business. You know how you never talk to your parents in detail about their youth, or their values. What they think about friendships, faith, and how they handle money. I’d like to be interviewing parents so that their children can gain those insights. My father passed away 20 years ago. I don’t quite remember how his face moved when he talked, laughed. I’m not sure I still hear the sound of his voice. I wish I had a video where I could see him and hear about the different aspects of his life from himself.
How did you end up in Scotland?
It’s a funny story. When I was in my early 20s, I wanted to go on holidays. I opened a map of Europe, closed my eyes and pointed. My finger went to the Isle of Harris, in the Western Isles. So that’s where I went. I didn’t have money to rent a car, so I hitchhiked around the island. I made a good friend that way, and a few years later met his sister who lived in Glasgow. She also became a very good pal. Even more years later, after many visits to Scotland, I got together with her other brother. It soon became clear that I’d settle in Scotland, in Strathbungo where he lived, and we got married in a church in Govanhill. Sadly, the marriage didn’t last. I went to stay with a very kind lady from the church in Shawlands. She’s one of my best friends, and really supported me during a tricky time. When I met my new partner, I didn’t want to move away from the South Side; it’s what I knew, what felt like home. All my life was happening there, and I wanted to be close to my elderly friend, and the area I had lived in for such a long time. So after a short excursion to Bonhill near Alexandria where my partner lived at the time, we found a derelict, affordable flat in Ascog Street and moved to Govanhill in 2015. I have remained at the Queen’s Park Govanhill Parish church, and for a time worked in their soup kitchen. I still go to their Sunday services whenever I can.
How did you find living in Govanhill?
It is so diverse, and I really like that. I find the mix of people invigorating. Govanhill is such a lively, creative space full of possibilities. I feel a bit sad that some of the Roma were misunderstood, with some people finding their standing on the street corners threatening. In Switzerland, we have many Italian immigrants who would sometimes also socialise outside, so I totally understood where that came from. Govanhill has always been a transient and changing area, because the housing was cheap. It’s changed quite significantly over the recent years, with people living in the neighbourhood who are able to pay a bit more for properties. There is a lot of creativity here. The diversity of the shops is fab, too, like the Transylvanian shop, a plant shop, and some fab charity shops. I have tried most of the cafés and back in the day a good amount of the pubs… And I used to go to the breastfeeding café in Daisy Street when my first son was wee. Govanhill is also great because it’s not too far from the city centre. For us, the only issue became space: with a growing family, we were looking for a bigger property, a house if possible. Unfortunately, there aren’t that many in Govanhill. And so we sold our Ascog Street flat to a lovely couple, and moved to Govan. I still miss Govanhill; I felt more at home there.
Do you still have a connection to Govanhill?
Yes, I very much do. I still have some good friends in the area, and I meet them in local cafes from time to time. Like Cibo, or Locavore, or Gusto & Relish. Or we grab a cuppa from Short Long Black before a walk in Queens Park. I go to Bike for Good with my boys’ bikes, and Elen is still my go-to seamstress. I go to services at Queens Park Govanhill Parish church, and go to Locavore for bread. My children love climbing and jumping at the playground in Queen's park, and watching the ducks and swans in the pond. It will always be a big part of why I feel so at home in Scotland…