Paula Langa, Aldi, Newport Road, Cardiff

Image: Exposure Photo Agency

I’ve been selling Big Issue for two-and-a-half years. I like it because it’s flexible. I can speak with people, make friends. And it’s money to pay for food, to pay for bills, for things for my children. 

I have two children – a boy and a girl. She’s five and 10 months, and the little boy is two and five months. A friend looks after them when I’m on my pitch. I do cleaning to help her. 

[My daughter] loves school. She started school just three months ago, with no English. Now, her English is very good. She loves to have friends, like me. I love to speak to all people. Even when they don’t like me, I make them speak to me sometimes! 

I like to make people happy on my pitch. People tell me they love my smile. Even if you have a problem, you should be smiling. When I was young, my mum told me never show that you’re hurt; you should smile at people. It helps things. 

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I always speak with my customers, I ask them how they are. I show respect. I am interested in them. They are interested in me too, they ask why I’m here, they ask my history, how I found Big Issue. They ask me why don’t you do another job? Is it cold? 

I tell them even though it’s cold, it’s good for me, because it’s very flexible for me and my kids. I can make enough for food; I can buy what the kids need. 

I came here [to the UK] three years ago. A cousin of mine helped me and told me about Big Issue. She told me it is good, and you can manage with the kids. At first, I was very shy, but after people were kind, it was fine. They would understand me, they would be friendly. 

Something that is different between here and Romania is that here there is more help for people who have nothing. And here, the weather is stranger – 10 minutes it is raining, 10 minutes it is sunny! And there are a lot of shops, and a nice view. I don’t miss much, but I miss my mum and my brothers a lot, and my home where I grew up… it’s not like Cardiff, it’s a very small village. 

My real hobby is singing. And to cook, to bake cakes! I sing Christian songs, and English songs because the kids like it. I go to church every week with the kids, and I sing there too. I make any kind of cake that I see on the internet. 

I would like to say [to my customers] thank you. They understand me, and when I’m worried they make me feel happy. I just want to thank them. I say all the time, God bless them, for everything that they do for me. 

I just want to say to my young self, just to believe in yourself. And if you really want to do something, just to trust yourself and to go ahead, and even if people speak about you rudely, and say, oh, you can’t do it. Do it. And all the time, trust in God. 

When I was in school, I always was looking to be a lawyer. It’s impossible for me now, but that was my big dream. So now my big dream is to make a better future for the kids, to bring them to school, to get my own house. If I could do a big job that would be good – but I really like Big Issue. I want to say to all the girls like me, and the boys, if they don’t have support, call Big Issue and they will help you. 

Interview: Lottie Elton

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ALDI 34, Cardiff, UK