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The life of an immigrant in Venezuela.
My grandfather was a Chinese immigrant in Caracas, Venezuela. He took a ship to Venezuela when he was very young. His courage, hard work and determination got him to build a life in Venezuela with several self-owned businesses and a family of 5 children. His work ethic and vision for the future had a huge impact and influence in my life. I am also an immigrant in the United States and I am as determined to work hard and give my children a better future. -
Chinese roots
These cultural roots are shown in my personality and even my diet choices. How hard working and disciplined I am. My grandfather had an exceptional work ethic. I have two twin older brothers who show the same traits. Even the foods we prefer reflect this Chinese culture in us. We all enjoy eating white Jasmine rice. We pair almost all of our meals with white rice. -
Family
My family can be described as a big family. My mom has 6 siblings and my dad has 4. I grew up surrounded by family and always feeling connected to all my relatives. As a child I remember always having family over or going to a relative's home to visit. Playing with my cousins was something I enjoyed. We as a family are very affectionate and are always communicating to know about each other's lives. This closeness is also shown with me and my older brothers. -
Family religion and beliefs
The majority of Venezuelans are Catholics. My family was part of this religion. It was almost like a ritual for us to go to mass on Sundays as a family. Me and my siblings studied in private Catholic schools. My culture is currently a mixture of different cultures I have been in contact with. My early beliefs and attitudes towards some subjects were deeply rooted in Catholicism. These experiences gave me discipline and introduced me to some aspects of what I believe today. -
Caribbean influences
I moved to Puerto Rico when I was 14 years old. Puerto Ricans are friendly, humble, happy and festive among many other things. In Puerto Rico, my personality and way of doing things changed. I was not the shy girl I was in Venezuela. I was outspoken and friendly. With a smile on your face and a humble attitude you could achieve more. My perspective on what is important in life also changed. I learned that celebrating family and friends is what keeps us happy and grateful. -
Other beliefs?
During my college years I met so many people from different cultural backgrounds. This variety of beliefs and values made me rethink and question my own. I went through a transition in which I was looking for something that gave my life meaning and value. I was attracted to Buddhism because of my Chinese roots. I went to several Buddhist temples trying to fit in. It never really "clicked" in my heart this was the place I belonged. I kept wandering, looking for that special place. -
Romanian college friends
During my college years I made wonderful friendships. My two best friends are form Romania. I learned so much from them and they impacted my life in such a positive way. I would have never thought Romanian's would have so much in common to my Latin/Hispanic culture. Their language comes from Latin so it was sometimes easy to understand what they were saying. They are very goal oriented so that was something I learned from them. To always set a goal or purpose and work towards it. -
Adult life
I am now married and have two beautiful children. I am married to a Venezuelan/Portuguese. My husband has a huge influence in my life. We both shape each other's way of thinking and way of doing things constantly. He is disciplined, hard working and has a strong family bond. His family is very close and affectionate. They put family first always and are strongly influenced by each other. It feels to me they have a stronger family value than any other culture I have come across with. -
Celebrations
For me Holidays are a special time to spend with family and loved ones. We always make it a priority to be with family during the holidays. We share a delicious meal and play games. For birthdays is also important for us to spend it with our family. I have spent all of my birthdays with my parents and brothers. We try to show up for each other's birthday and celebrate together. Weddings are also a big celebration for our families. We have a big reception where we celebrate together. -
Where do you live?
Because of the political, social and economic situation of Venezuela, we had to pack our bags and move to Texas. There is a big shift happening in the culture of Venezuela because there has been a massive migration to other countries. All of my childhood friends and most of my husband's relatives now live in different countries around the world. We are blessed to have my parents and brothers living here in Texas. Still we all are getting used to not being physically close to loved ones.
