Here is an interview I did with a Deliveroo delivery cyclist. It was a really interesting interview that told me a lot about delivering, cycling, working around the world and a lot of other stuff including racism. I hope you enjoy it.
Conor: So basically can you choose where you want to go but basically all day all day cycling yeah what do you think of it like as work is it good or bad what you think?
Lucas: It was better before now as now the fees are have been dropped.
Conor: Okay, so do you have to pay fees – in order to work?
Lucas: Yeah, Okay but Deliveroo pay us, the fees used to be higher and now they are paying lower fees is it more competitive. There are more riders on the road so basically it is demand and supply.
Conor: Yeah, okay so have you worked at other things in life or what do you
think of work in general in the world considering what you’re working now and where you’re from and as you’re from the countryside in Sao Paulo that`s a big capital city I’m sure you know of Sao Paulo and different people working at different things what’s like what’s your idea of work in general in life with regard to life?
Lucas: When I was living in Brazil I worked as a civil engineer for a while two years okay I have the graduation in civil engineering and also did a post graduate a Masters Degree. Then I went to Australia. This was four years ago but they didn’t recognize my diploma. That`s when I started to work as driver. In the very beginning as a driver in Australia I also did cleaning. I did construction jobs. You see, I did a lot of things and now I got my Italian citizenship.
Conor: Oh you have Italian blood as well?
Lucas: Oh yes, yes my great-grandfather was an Italian and I found this job like I don’t feel like Deliveroo as a job yeah it’s more like a hobby all right. I really like cycling.
Conor: What about the rain or the bad weather then?
Lucas: When it’s the bad rain, the bad days are better because they pay better.
Conor: Oh is that because there’s less people on the road as that’s less riders okay?
Lucas: Yes and the fees are higher.
Conor: Well that’s good. That make sense that’s pretty decent of Dilveroo yeah very nice of them yeah, that’s cool. So you have Italian ancestry yes?
Lucas: On one side.
Conor: And now that you have that passport or getting it.
Lucas: I have Italian passport.
Conor: Does that mean you European passport then as well?
Lucas: Yes.
Conor: Oh wow, so how does that change your life in the future or even do you think?
Lucas: Now I can live in Europe forever. Yeah and when I was in Australia I got the student visa okay so I couldn’t stay in Australia forever. I moved to Europe; It’s a good quality lifestyle .
Conor: Life, what’s the difference between, say in Australia the students visa and say a full visa working. So, is there much of a difference?
Lucas: You have no rights to work at all full time but only part-time.
Conor: So you’re working in jobs temporary with the visa and people knowing about this stuff well I’m not going to tell them.
Lucas: And like the better jobs as like engineers and this kind of jobs and full-time jobs.
Conor: So are your qualifications recognised even though you’ve done them in Brazil now that
you’re a European citizen. Are your qualifications recognised in Europe? so could you work as an engineer in Europe?
Lucas: I’m not sure but I think I have to do translation course.
Conor: Is that in languages or is it or to do with these specific laws of engineering?
Lucas: I’m not sure.
Conor: Can work as a civil engineer say in Europe?
Lucas: It’s not in my plans at the moment.
Conor: You know, so obviously you’ve travelled. Like Australia is a totally different place and the world compared to Brazil is different. Then again the weather’s nicer. You`re in a funny weather place like right here in Galway. Now, s you’re bang smack in the middle of
both countries and so you travel quite a bit quite extensively and as you have a huge
education at Masters level and you’re working on the streets and you’ve
great life experience then what is work to people in general? and in life?
What do people take from work do you think? like what is a good thing or a bad thing for work life in general? do you think there is no job like a bad job and what makes a good job?
Lucas: It’s basically people. Work and people yeah the job will be good you know
so people are important if you work with nice people… as long as people respect you and treat you right there is
no bad job.
Conor: What is respect why is respect really good thing in life or
feeling respected?
Lucas: I don’t know how to explain. For us as a foreigner sometimes people don`t think you are able to do some job basically because we don’t speak as a native.
Conor: Okay, excellent you have excellently spoken English so I mean if I just look at you I wouldn’t think you’re necessarily Brazilian or Italian. I wouldn’t really know where are you from to be quite honest. You know, so are you saying then that sometimes there could be like a racist element to where people go not just you but you know where people can go in the world have you seen racism like in Australia? or in Brazil? or in Europe or not just for you necessarily but for other people?
Lucas: I’ve seen people take advantage of your situation and they want you to work hard and work more than you can. The danger of the day is that they don’t pay you well and they don’t pay you as much as you deserve yeah, and these kind of things.
Conor:How does respect in and feeling by you putting yourself in the shoes of people like that, how would that affect people’s confidence and people’s feelings about work or peoples’ their feeling about living in a certain place? do you think you don’t feel respected in life or in work?
Lucas: I suppose I didn’t get what you mean.
Conor: Okay so I mean like all the stuff you’re saying is really positive about work and travelling and being where you are from and where you have gone to and stuff. Then you mentioned respect. How can respect or a lack of respect when you’re working or when people are working or other aspects of life or in hobbies. You mentioned people are a really good thing to be involved with good people? Say, if you’re working and if you don’t have respect when you’re mixing with people how do you think it can affect human beings?
Lucas: You have totake the best from each one you know everyone’s different. Everyone has something good to give. To live like this.
Conor: So what about people who have a bad reputation or bad backgrounds do you still feel that they have something good to give or that they should be judged as just being bad people?
Lucas:We can never judge from the first sight. Give the opportunity and see what the person can offer.
Conor: That’s very proactive in fairness. Do you think education like you’re really educated guy, and they say travel is a really good education as well. You have travelled around the world and obviously do you think it’s a good thing, that these are positive things to make a person think differently and think more positively?
Lucas: For sure. You open your mind.When I travel you know different and people different cultures and your mind is open yeah for new experiences.
Conor: Okay that made for me a really good difference. I learned how to deal with different people. I worked with Russians. I worked with Indians, Brazilians, Italians everyone’s different and Irish.
Conor: Are Irish different?
Lucas: Yes, they have special approach they’re very respectful.
Conor: Right that’s great to hear and how does all this lead to
happiness what is happeness? what`s your definition then? what do you think of
happiness not just for you but for everybody? what do you think an average
human being should aspire to having if they’re looking for a definition of
happiness in this world?
Lucas: It’s all about love. When the heart is filled yeah and you can share your experiences with someone else I think. It’s all about sharing your experiences okay and connecting with each other.
Conor: Right cool. Thanks and that’s why delivering for Deliveroo is so cool.
Until next time, have a wonderful day!