Making a Big Decision: Moving to US

Ending a 20 year marriage is a difficult step to take, but I did it and also survived on my own. After that, I took my time to think and enjoy the peace I was looking for. Then, almost 2 years later, I thought that I should open my heart again to someone who really deserves it. This time must be different at all. I prayed, as I used to, especially when I have to do something important. I put in God’s hand my partner, the one that He had in one place waiting for me. This was the beginning of a new and wonderful life.

The answer to my prayer came faster than I expected. My sister and her neighbor were talking about me and his son. They were planning to introduce us because they were sure that we would be an excellent match. They did it, and they were right. After a couple of weeks, we started talking. Later, he traveled to the Dominican Republic where we met and started a beautiful and trustworthy relationship. We spent almost 2 years traveling back and forth. We always talked about me moving to the USA because it was the most convenient for us both.

We talked several times about it, and finally I made the decision. It was not easy. I had to quit my job which was a great opportunity for my career. Also I had to leave my kids behind for a while. I had never been far from my family. We are so close. My dad, my mom, my siblings. My childhood friends. We are a small group that grew up together. I had to focus on the new chapter I was about to begin. It was a big decision to make, mostly because I knew that I'd have to wait for several months to be with my loved ones again. I’d have to start over. New friends, new language, new family, a new life.

Despite everything I had to leave in my country, I feel so grateful because my youngest son is living with us now. My husband is an excellent guy and a tremendous support. Part of my family, including my mom, my kids and my sister, could attend our wedding in Vegas, as well as some close friends. Thanks to technology, I feel close to my people. We are connected and talk almost every day.

Making big decisions is part of the living process. Sometimes we have to do it just taking into consideration what it really matters. In my case, my happiness, my peace and the man that God sent to my life to make me believe in love again were strong enough reasons.

~

Ogalis Hernandez - Dominican Republic

A Vision of the Future - Ogalis H. on Mosaic

Ogalis Hernandez, one of our writers from advanced class has just published and broadcast her essay, A Vision of the Future, on The Public's Radio here in Rhode Island. She tells the story of how she urged her kids to begin studying English from an early age to help give them better choices for the future.

Ogalis is the third writer from our group to broadcast an essay on Mosaic, a regular public radio podcast which covers immigration in America from a wide variety of perspectives.

Feel free to follow the link to read or listen to Ogalis' essay.

My Yearly Path to Success

Every year brings something new for us, and I want to tell a little bit about my 10 years in the U.S.A. I arrived in September 2012 with my oldest son, and in December I started my first job at Subway, my friend's business. This year began my journey with the English language which was the greatest decision of my life.

In 2013, my oldest son started preschool which was the hardest year for both of us because he did not want to participate during the classes. This pushed me to ask the teacher to participate in the classroom because my son had a difficult time adjusting. I think this was the most important thing that I could do for him.

2014 was happier because my second son was born in this country. It was also a challenge delivering him in the local hospital, because my oldest was born in Poland, which does not have good medical help. Here, I felt like a queen in the hospital but in my country you do not have enough nurses to help with women's labor. In 2015 I finally got my driver's license. I think it was the hardest test for me during these 10 years.

2016 was successful because I became a mom for the third time, plus this was the year when we started looking for a house which was not easy to do. After almost two years of searching for a new home that would give us a quiet, safe place for my family, we bought a house which made me the happiest person in the world. I felt like my family had a cozy, warm, safe home. It was just for us!

In 2017, we took our first big, two-week round trip by car from RI across Canada, Michigan and Ohio. I had great memories with my family. We saw beautiful places which I had never seen, for example Sleeping Dunes which is part of northern Michigan. We made it! The beauty of nature is amazing. Now I understand people who love to travel and see how the world is formed.

In 2019 we took our first trip to Europe. After 7 years, my boys were going to see their grandparents from my husband's side of the family and see all their cousins from Poland. It was such a happy time for all of us.

2020 was crazy . It was Covid time, online school, bigger decisions about what to do with the payments for our house and finally we made the last mortgage payment . This was a successful goal for my husband and me.

In 2021 I passed my citizenship interview. Yippee!!

Now it’s 2022 and I am writing this assignment to share with my classmates. What can I say?! Every year is full of success. Sometimes there are small, unimportant situations, but for me, I am successful every single day when I wake up, get up from bed, make breakfast for my family, go to work, do the things that I like, and be happy with the small things. I want to make my life positive every day and never turn back. Never wonder if I do the right things. I just go step by step to feel happy. I would love to live, make good and bad decisions, and this will be the greatest lesson for me in the future.

~

Maria - Poland

Living in the United States vs Visiting the Country

Coming to the United States as a tourist is so exciting. You have so many places to visit, a lot of people wanting to meet you. Your vacation time is too short to do everything that you have planned. Sometimes you have to skip invitations because you won’t get the chance to attend. You are too busy enjoying being the guest. You only see the good part of the cake.

I have been traveling to the US as a visitor since 2006 and have always had a great experience. Every trip was amazing, full of joy, but living here is completely different. I had to make up my mind to start over. People are always in a hurry. Meeting your friends and family is not so easy due to schedules.

I have no close family here other than my husband and kid. All my relatives live in other states. My close friends work different schedules. Free time is usually spent on errands and taking care of personal things, leaving no time for seeing friends, especially during fall and winter. Those seasons are the most difficult to set with them. My siblings in the Dominican Republic work in their own business and have flexible schedules. My close friends used to have the same schedule. Then, when we planned to meet, we did without too many complications. Another fact to point out is that we lived in the same city

There are other things to mention that I thought were different and now I know they aren’t. For example, I thought driving would be difficult but it isn’t. At least in this state. New York is another story. Also, food is not so cheap if you like to eat healthy, and health care is not so easy to access, it seems, and medicine is kind of expensive, even more so if you don’t have insurance.

A positive thing to point out is education. In my area it is good. There is excellent follow-up to the students. The neighborhood is also quiet and safe. This is what I like the most. We can walk at any time without fear.

Here, there are better job opportunities than in my country, but people are less supportive at work. If you are used to treating your colleagues as family and are treated the same way, change the clip!

Even though I found considerable differences, I love living here, because as The Bible says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” And here are my kid and husband.

~

Ogalis Hernandez - Dominican Republic