Musa, Taamakɛla

Intro

In this video segment taken from Episode 2 of the Baarakètò mini-series, Musa, a grocery store worker from Côte d’Ivoire, reflects on his move to France and his daily commute to work in greater Paris.

What drew me to his story was a simple curiosity: why travel over an hour each way to work at a chain grocery store, when dozens lie between home and work?

This video is a slightly edited version of our original sit-down interview, condensed for clarity.

In Musa’s reflections, we catch a glimpse of the quiet negotiations many West African immigrants make while building a life abroad—finding housing, helping friends, and holding onto long-term hopes, all while working jobs that often go unseen.

Watch

Watch the video without the subtitles. If they are on, click on the little "CC" symbol and turn them off.

Watch and Read

Now turn on the subtitles in Bambara/Jula (click on the little "CC" button) and read along.

If you are lost, you can also switch it into English and then re-watch in Bambara/Jula.

And remember, you can also slow down the video to make it easier to follow along. I recommend 75%. Click on the little gear symbol.

List of Selected Grammar Points

Coming later

Grammar Points Explained

Coming later