Making the decision of packing your whole life in a suitcase and moving to a different country away from home is not easy, and it gets even harder once you arrive at your new life.
Venezuelans have gone through difficult times these past few years. Lack of food, medicine, and security are some of the reasons why millions of us have decided to flee and look for a better life in another country. In addition to that, we have the highest inflation rate in the world, which makes it difficult to afford even the most basic things. And, the few things that you can afford can be easily stolen from you --or you could get killed for them-- because there is no police to control crime. Unfortunately, the situation gets worse every day, and the government doesn't seem to care as long as they have everything they need -- and even more because they are living in full luxury.
My family's journey to get out of Venezuela has not been easy. My parents discussed emigrating since it all started going down about 16 years ago, and they ended up sacrificing years of study, work, and effort, to get me and my siblings a better future outside of the country that watched us all grow up. Now that we are here, the struggles have increased, and sometimes I question if all the sacrifices will be worth it in the end.
Latino immigrants in America are often victims of discrimination, and every day it is more evident that there is a big group of people who do not want us here. My question for them is: don't you think we deserve a chance? It feels bad to have to leave the country where you were born and raised because you feel like you don't belong there anymore, but it feels worse when the country you are trying to make your new home does not welcome you either, and many of its people consider you a criminal, rapist, etc., which are things that have never been on my radar or my life plans. My generation is constantly fighting with this feeling of not belonging anywhere, and it is even more frustrating because none of this situation is our fault. It is sad to see that so many people, especially the young ones, are living the consequences of other people's decisions. We all understand that each country has to protect their own interests, but not when people use this as an excuse to get immigrants out when the truth is that most immigrants will contribute to the growth of this nation.
Everyone deserves a chance to succeed in what they dream, and most immigrants leave home because they did not get that chance in their own country. No one should attack or assume things about other people without knowing who they are and what they have been through.
