Working towards the “American Dream”

A babysitter watches over children. Elf-Moondance | Pixabay

Hardworking individuals talk about their challenges and goals of working in the United States

 The “American Dream” has been the “light at the end of the tunnel” for many individuals who believe that coming to the United States will give them more positive life opportunities. Although this idea will bring them challenges and lots of hard work, it is an inspiration for them to keep going.

In an article by the Migration Policy Insitute, it reports that in the year 2019, there was an estimate that Hispanics living in the US were around 60.5 million making the 33 percent immigrants and the 67% being born in the U.S. A high number of individuals pursuing to work and live in a new country is what can be seen as the “American dream.”

Angelica Bautista believed in such idea. Bautista has been working as a housekeeper for the past 20 years. Her job may mean a lot to her now, but that was not always the case.

“When I came here, I felt depressed and anxious because I was in a new country and had no family or friends,” Bautista said. “But I didn’t let those things make me give up, and I knew I came to this country for a better life.”

Bautista mentions that it was hard for her to get a job since she didn’t know English, which gave her no hope. Luckily, people helped her with translating and teaching her a new language. After working and living here she has gotten the hang of speaking better English. 

Now Bautista works day after day to help sustain her family. She is a proud mother of three, who are about to graduate all thanks to their hard working mother. 

Karen Diaz, a young mother of two and a waitress at a local diner tells a different story as to what she had in mind when coming into a new country.

“I wanted to come to the United States to study to become a nurse since I didn’t have the money and resources in Colombia to keep studying,” Diaz said. 

Diaz’s plan choices changed when she got pregnant with her first son. This was good news for her and her husband Carlos, but to become a nurse it was now getting a little difficult. She could no longer afford to pay for new classes in the United States and she had difficulty with English as well. 

Diaz still dreams of becoming a nurse. Her hard work and kids are her motivation to keep going and pursue her dreams.

Carmen Tejeda tells her story on how she could have had it all in her homeland but instead took her life plans around and decided to move on. 

“I was studying in Mexico to become a secretary,” Tejeda said. “But I decided to come to the United States to live with my family and sure, I was leaving my studies and plans but I knew moving into a different country wouldn’t be that bad.”

Now Tejeda has been a nanny for the past 10 years. Even though she left a professional job in Mexico, she loves the job she has now. She loves spending time with kids and getting along with their families.

Another nanny just like Tejeda, Carmen Perez tells her story on how she managed to adapt in a new country at a young age.

“I came to the United States when I was 16 years old,” Perez said. “It was very scary since I was young, but I didn’t want to stay alone in Mexico.”

When Perez arrived, her first job was at a fast food restaurant which went well but she had a hard time with English but thanks to her husband, who helped her learn a new language, she can now speak it well. Now she has been a nanny for 12 years now, it’s a job that she enjoys and it’s a great convenience for her since she has kids of her own so she takes them with her as well. And even though as Perez mentions laughing, “kids can be a pain in the head,” she still enjoys her job.

Another hard worker,  Rene Yanez, a newspaper deliverer and a cook at an Italian restaurant, came to the United States at a young age. Despite having to leave his only son back home, it was best for him to come into a new country and work in a job that will help him and his son as well.

“I came here to help out my father and son since we lived in very poor conditions in El Salvador,” Yanez said. “I heard how most of my siblings and other relatives in the U.S. were getting well-paid jobs, so I decided to go.” 

Rene still to this day helps out his family in El Salvador, but he also helps his daughter of 12years-old who lives with him here to continue with school life even though it can be hard on his part since he works non-stop, but he does it all to help out his family.

Rene’s brother, Rubio Yanez, was one of his family members who first came into the United States to help out his family as well. Yanez has been living in the United States for almost 23 years and has been one of the greatest decisions he made.

“I am grateful for the choice I made since I knew life in the US would be better than in my homeplace,” Yanez said.

Although Yanez is grateful for such a decision he did have a hard time with jobs. This was hard on him since he had a family to take care of, but it wasn’t until he got a job as a painter for a big company, which he has been working for almost five years now, a job that has turned his life around and helped him sustain his family.

These stories of these individuals are a few who come to live a different life they never imagined. They have families of their own and jobs that they enjoy and even though they did sacrifice their old lives in their homelands, they managed to adapt themselves into a new country.

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