I found this animation of how valves and pistons work. It isn’t great, but it shows basics.
The only thing that keeps he valves opening and closing in time with the pistons is the timing belt. If that fails, the valves can open as the pistons are coming to top dead center and the two can crash together. This only happens until the engine stops, but it can do expensive damage.
Yes, you do have an interference engine. But follow the maintenance schedule in your Owners’ manual and you’ll be fine. It’s neglect that causes these design eccentricities to become disasters, not the eccntricities themselves. In other words, the fact that yours is an interference engine is not problem whatsoever. Neglecting its needs, however, could be very expensive.