A collection of our best writings

Migration
In July 2009, I had the opportunity to migrate to the USA. And I almost did so; I think I
would have gone to live in the USA if I hadn’t had a previous migration experience.
My parents had had to face migration fifty years ago, when many Spaniards left their
country to live and work in Germany. And If I had done so, if I had migrated to the USA,
I would have had to work as hard as they did. And I would have had to overcome as
many difficulties as they had to. I still remember myself coming back to Spain and
starting all over again a new life in a country I hardly knew.
When I applied for a working position at a Wiscouncil state school, I was not confident
I could be given the job. I had applied for a position as Spanish as a second language
teacher, and I had been accepted. Now, when I look back, I can’t avoid thinking that
whether I had agreed to take that job it could have turned a great experience for my
daughter. But I didn’t gather the courage to do it. I started thinking that if I left, my
daughter would suffer the consequences, as she had been supposed to enroll in the
fourth grade of elementary school. So, she would have had to miss a year, due to the
fact she didn’t speak the language properly. She would also have had to make a lot of
adjustments. And both would have had to leave my family behind.
In addition, getting the citizenship has become a very difficult and long process in the
USA. Immigrating to the US to live there permanently is a complex decision. In general,
I didn’t expect major problems, as the immigrant Visa I would have had to apply for,
would have been sponsored by a prospective employer. So I was not afraid of having
difficulties with the US’ citizenship and immigration service. Nevertheless, another
thing is becoming a lawful permanent resident or getting the citizenship. After twenty
years living and working in the US, some friends of mine, still must fill out the form I-
140; the petition for Alien worker, which is too sad as it may make you think the
country doesn’t recognize your rights after a long time living and working there.
On the other hand, as I told you above, my parents had had to migrate to Germany in
the sixties. And although they always reported the great experience they had had in
Hannover, and how good it had been having the opportunity to live with the
advantages of a developed European country as Germany, they often told me about
the drawbacks of migration, and how hard it was coming back and having had to start
all over again.
Nevertheless, my decision of staying, though found on grounds for not going through
the same experience again, is something I still regret having taken, as living in Spain
has become even tougher than it was in 2009.
Mercedes
Our 2012 ebook. EOI Luarca. Advanced level. Year 2 Página 28