Comfort can become two homes

Ariana: My name is Ariana Cortez and I’m going to be interviewing my godmother, godmother, what’s your name,

Sonia: Sonia Ortiz

Ariana: Ok, let’s get started. My first question I have is where were you born?

Sonia: I was born in the city of peace in Bolivia, which is in South America

Ariana: How many of your years did you spend there?

Sonia: Since I was born, I have lived there until January 23 of 2012, the date on which my family, my husband and my two children, have migrated to this country with residence.

Ariana: Is that where you built your family in Bolivia, more focused there?

Sonia: Yes, all of our extended family is in Bolivia. I don’t have my parents. I lost my father in 1904 when I was 24 years old. My mom passed away in 2008. So I have a half brother and my nephews, let’s say, as immediate family and my husband’s family, all our family, our life, the professional part our abor studies, we have done it in Bolivia, in our city of birth until we came here.

Ariana: Okay and if you have built your life there, your family was born there. Was coming to the United States always on your mind?

Sonia: Not really, I have worked at the United States embassy for 22 years and the last thing I would have thought was that I was going to come to live in this country.

However, after my mother passed away on two thousand and eight. The political situation in Bolivia became very tense, an indigenous person Evo Morales, had entered the presidency. Traditionally, he was a union leader, an enemy of the northern country and of all the cooperation that the United States gave to Bolivia.

So it seems then my children would be more or less 10 and 13 years old and I was 22 years old all my working life. I had been developed with the United States government and that led me to make the decision to apply for the migrant visa because many United States government agencies were closing in my country, I worked in the peace corps in the State Department which gradually closed.

And that of the military group, the peace corps and the jobs were reducing. So, since I had children, relatively young ones, that made me take the decision to apply to migrate here, but we never really had thought we were going to come because we don’t have family here.

Ariana: Okay, and was that a decision that was just you or also Miguel?

Sonia: At first no, at first I had to come alone, me with my two kids. Miguel was not very determined to leave because he also has his mother and his brothers. His extended family is much larger than mine and besides, we were going through a stage of crisis in our marriage. So, we were actually going to split up, leaving me with the kids.

Ariana: And at the same time when you already had two children, did you also think that you wanted to give them something better, or was that not a reason?

Sonia: Absolutely, once I already considered the decision that things were not good in my country, I took into account the possibility of my eldest daughter who is now 25 years old.

Since then she was 13 or 14, almost. The possibility, the opportunities that she had in this country of pursuing her dream and realize the field of dance in the artistic field. She is a girl who was born premature with 28 weeks up to three months incubator she was born with less than a kilo and she really is a miracle of life.

However as part of the complications of her being premature, she thankfully does not have any heart or brain development problems or conditions. But she has this condition called TDH, which is scattered attention, and children with these characteristics tend to like the musical artistic part.

Everything that is crafts, not the part of reading numbers and letters and from a very young age, she was there in different academies. She was really fabulous where she entered all the jazz, ballet, or Arabian dance she always excelled. However, Bolivia being a third world country sadly, there aren’t many opportunities to pursue a career in the art field.

She was at the more advanced level. So that was one of my main considerations, where I thought that here she would really have a wide variety of opportunities to be able to pursue that dream, not finish her studies but dedicate herself to that field of work.

As for the youngest was a boy he was at an average current I knew that here he was going to be fine in what he chose. Although he decided to study veterinary medicine from a very young age, he always loved and liked animals very much and I had also considered that there was probably a bigger, bigger field of opportunity here for him to grow into. Basically when you are a Mom, even though I had an excellent situation, economical work, a standard of living, I practically gave up all of that to be able to come here out of fear of the future that I expected and to give them a better chance of life.

Ariana: And when the decision was final and were able to come here to the United States where did you chose to come first?

Sonia: We came in 2010 on a family trip for vacation to get acquainted, to see what it was about. Because what you know, the United States, you see the famous American dream in the movies, and it’s different to come here, right? As I told you, we had family I had a college friend who is one of my best friends who lived here.

For two thousand and ten approximately 10 years, maybe a little more. We came on vacation to stay with her for a few weeks and find out a little about the cost of living, housing, schools, distances, language skills and all that. And when we already processed the residence application, how long did it take?

Barely seven months left super super fast, and we had to come to U.S. because when you have that type of residence visa, they give you a deadline. We had six months to enter the United States. Well, I had to give up a lot, sell things, give away and we came to stay with this friend who had received us in 2010 and we were with her, her husband and her two daughters for seven weeks until we can start our life.

Ariana: Is that in Maryland?

Sonia: It’s in Maryland. Yes. We were living in Rockville.

Ariana: Okay, that’s good. And when you were able to make that kind of change, get to know the place and how to settle in Maryland, how was it like to assimilate here to the United States?

Sonia: Very difficult. Very, very, hard. Because I repeat that we came despite being in a country with few possibilities.

Both my husband and I had a very good situation to support us, we had made a career. Inside what was the embassy, the United States government. All the comfort in the world, we had personal service, we had a car, and well none of that could be brought when you migrate to a country, regardless of your legal immigration status as a resident. You have to go with your suitcase. Practically our case the four of us came with our suitcase and it was very different from the time we had come on vacation, because when you are on vacation, you go for a walk to discover, they take you to beautiful places. Everything is new, but already coming to live, it took a long time for the residence cards to arrive.

And since we didn’t have a job we only had the money of the sold items and the money from our jobs being liquidated, we were living for weeks with that but we didn’t have a car. And here the distances are long. I began to apply to different places without exaggerating that I had to send about 100 applications from stores,restaurants, offices.

But the residence card did not arrive and this was an obstacle. Then, more or less 10 days into the second week, anguish began to set in. Because we didn’t have a job, we had a sort amount of money. It was a bloodbath financially, because here things are four times more expensive in every way.

There was also the fact that being at a friend’s house, we couldn’t enjoy the same comfort we felt at our home. Then there comes a moment where you wonder if you’ve done the right thing and that feeling doesn’t go away fast. In my case, personally, I would say that it has taken me between four or five years, where I still wondered and said what if I am in a place where everything is supposed to be beautiful, pursue the American dream, you can go to all the opportunities, but It is very difficult, very difficult to begin.

And we came with papers and when one migrates legally, many doors open, many possibilities. We both got work experience, good jobs, but that transition period is really hard. Finally two and a half months we finally get the resident’s card.

Ariana: During that kind of process, did you have moments, such as I’d better go?

Sonia: Yes. In many instances in many times during the first days, I would say three years, at least yes, we have reconsidered. We said well, we have tried, it has not worked.

But the idea of personally, the motivation, the idea of showing my children. That throwing in the towel, it was not a possibility. In other words, I had to show them that when you set your mind to something, when you want to achieve something, sometimes it costs a lot of work, but you have to keep fighting. So, for me yes, I have considered many times I saw my husband extremely tired.

He had shifts at night, he slept during the day, he couldn’t take or bring Mauricio who was barely 11 years old to school. He was the last to leave the house and he was the first to arrive when he was little. He had to open the door we would leave food to warm up. I mean, it was tough. And those moments were where I said well, what are we doing here.

In the case of my husband. Yes, I think that after 10 days, he wanted to return. He absolutely didn’t want to know about U.S., he was also very frustrated with the process of getting his driver’s license. They are long bureaucratic procedures that a far and we didn’t have a car. So we had to bother the friends to get them to help us get to a certain place.

We didn’t know things. Everything was very expensive. So yes, he was determined, super determined to go back to Bolivia. But, my children Majorie, 13 or 14 years old, Mauricio, 11 years old as a family, we sat down, talked and being children they told us no. We’re not going back, we’re going to keep trying. It’s going to take time. it’s amazing but sometimes children are stronger than adults themselves.

Ariana: And at the same time that you have had people who helped with all of this in the moments that you have been here in the United States have you dealt with people that were not good or that there had been mistreatment?
Sonia: Yes. I think we have had both. We have been blessed in many ways. We have been very lucky. One of the first families that has contacted us, that has opened the doors of their home to us, has oriented us. He was waiting to help us in the process of clearing up doubts.

It was just your dad. And that is a gratitude that I always keep with your family. He helped us find long-time friends, former colleagues, schoolmates. These people were looking out for us. He had a friend from the embassy who we had treated very little, but he was always calling,
“buy these things from there, work here, where are you going? There are going to be this, there are going to be the other care, be careful with the social security, go here, go there”. Several families, friends who have held our hand.

Yes, we have also experienced, how can I tell you a little about the disappointment of people who at first, let’s say, can offer you a hand, but who inevitably return to their work life routine.

And then you can’t count on them. And we have also experienced the fact of feeling like one, is a nuisance. In my friend’s house, invading her space, her daughters’ space, we had to depend, let’s say, on what they wanted to see when they wanted to eat because it was their house, right?

So I cannot say that they have treated us badly, but I have seen my children cry. At school also at work, I have felt discrimination in many aspects. So, I think of the two forms of experiences. We have received, we have lived, but thank God many people have always had a helping hand

Ariana: In respect to what you said of your children that you have seen them sometimes cry, had there been moments were they told you there was conflict or difficult parts being in school where there was a majority of distinct people there.

Sonia: I think the impact has been less than I expected, because I was very afraid that, because they are Latinos, they would be segregated or not taken into account.

However, I think that it has been an aspect that has weighed a lot so that they do not suffer. To a very strong extent, this situation of discrimination that is not a secret to anyone here is experienced day by day. It was the fact that they were in Bolivia in a private, Catholic and bilingual school. So they had a good command of the language when they got here, I think that for the children who arrive, without command of the English language, it must be much more difficult. The mere fact that they put them in this program is like leveling them or giving them a more leisurely course of subjects until they have a good understanding of English. And already, although it is an opportunity, it is already segregating them a little from the rest.

So yes, I think so. For example, Majorie told me many times that she, since she was young, since she was new she didn’t have many friends. Sometimes she couldn’t get to the place to pick up lunch during break time.

Because of this I don’t know if she felt less or was made to feel less because Majorie had these teachers who were Asian teachers who were always very contemptuous in their treatment, In the case of Mauricio we have lived more closely to issues in sports. He was a good football player.

But they always entered the children of the American parents and many times they were not exactly the best players, but Mauricio was left out. And that happened in lacrosse, it happened in wrestling at some point when he was in middle school, the science teacher made fun of him because he had been more withdrawn and quiet.

Any time there was a situation with student the principal of Mauricio, especially in middle school had called us. I think, he was more of a victim, so to speak. There was some group situation and the american students would not be called upon. The principle wouldn’t call their parents but he would only call upon us. I can name a lot of things that yes I have felt mistreated at first hand. Quite a bit of discrimination, maybe my kids haven’t noticed it either because they’re young people or because children have a greater capacity to overcome it, to ignore it.
But a mother suffers, she sees all those things up close and suffers, and you says wow, I’m working the same as my children, I still pay my taxes, I still contribute to this country. But nevertheless, I think that the opportunities are still unequal.

Ariana: And with all that have there been moments where there has been something like how am I going to balance the culture that I grew up in Bolivia with the culture here in the United States? Was there has some conflict?

Sonia: You have a confusion as an adult, because on the one hand you want your children to absorb the culture, the values, the way of life of the country to which you have migrated, because it is a developing first world country, with opportunities like we had said before.

On the other hand, you are realizing that there are things that you did not have where you came from, especially materially and economically, that do not exist here. And, and I’m specifically talking about values, family time, respect for the elderly, eating together as a family, praying, respect, let’s say, obedience that exists in the countries or in the environment that we have grown up in that we haven’t had here. Here the boys come to your house and there is no such filter. So yes, there are many instants in many instances we said what do we do? In other words, we want, we need them to integrate. We live here we have to get into the rhythm of life. Within how this society moves. But on the other hand, I did not want them to lose what we brought from there and it has been difficult. Balancing what you say in the question, we have done is to try to identify some way in which they feel exposed to Bolivian culture.

And we have searched for dance groups, here is sitting in the largest Bolivian community in all of the United States in the Virginia area. And there are many folklore dance groups. So we have put them there for three years. A little to make them feel in touch. Regarding the part of culture of traditions, let’s say we have looked for a Catholic church. That we did not want them to lose that for us as a family, a value was always to have God as a priority and we always went on Sundays and every special day of obligation like Christmas or Easter or Pentecost. There the tradition in Bolivia is very strong so we have searched for that here as well.

We searched different Catholic churches until we identify ourselves and find where we keep that. Follow those traditions, the Holy week, the visit to the churches and all that. And in the aspect of food, which is very, very important, it is one of the things that one suffers the most. For a long time, I would tell you to this day, we still maintain part of our diet based on what Bolivian food is.

Many things we have had to sacrifice, for example, the time to eat together. Each one arrived at a different time. The pace of work, the hours you spend outside did not allow us to sit down, for example, something I did in Bolivia. I can’t always do homework with my kids to keep up with their school development here, you can’t when my husband and I both work, so it’s very difficult.

Maintaining that balance of which you speak of the two cultures, it is not impossible. I think that deep down, yes, we have transmitted them and they are retaining something, what they do later I don’t know, because they inevitably become more immersed in the culture of where we are in the country we live in.

But yes, we have tried and continue to try to maintain that balance of getting the best out of here, of retaining, of maintaining it better with what we have grown in Bolivia,

Ariana: So respect for that of the balance. If someone themselves would ask you, do you feel like your American or how you would describe it?

Sonia: We are American citizens since 2017 we have dual citizenship. But I feel super identified with my country of birth. Yes, I respect the rules here, because I think that when you go to a place and as we have been received with open doors, that has opportunities.
If you work and study and you know how to take advantage of it you feel that identity.
I am extremely grateful to God for my work, which has been the embassy that has given me the opportunity. And and well, I abide by what is done in this country in terms of cleanliness, respect in rule of the streets, in for those in all areas. However, I feel super identified with my country, with my love, my traditions, my rules. So, I can’t tell you that I feel 100% American, 100% Bolivian. I think it’s 50 and 50.

Ariana: I understand, we have also seen the news, all that regarding the political side, I think you have had your citizenship by this point, but with the elections like we have had while back a president had come to term. Was there any change, a fear of what will happen?

Sonia: In our case, thank God, as we have bequeathed as we have migrated legall honestly, I have not felt any fear, but I do put myself in the shoes of the 11,000,000 or more people who are here without papers, the anguish that generates the fact that a radical party enters that threatens with changing policies or making them tougher. Personally, I consider that this is a country of migrants. Indeed, there are people who have been born here who from their previous three, four generations, are Americans, but there is a point they have also migrated from Europe to Ireland from where they have migrated.

They have an origin and all that, migrant culture. Regardless of status with residency with citizenship, without papers. They contribute to making the United States what it is with work with its contributions, so I think that the time that there has been a political change where all that has been seen, threatened. Yes. It is a stressful situation that is not fair. For the people who, for x other reason, do not have papers because these people, ironically, are the ones who work the most. The one that are not paid, precisely the one that often live with the anguish of their own employment. Those who are mistreated are exploit under the pretext that they do not have papers.

So, personally with my family, it has not generated that situation. Because we did not have that threat to change us. Say, but I do have friends, people I know, people I know who support this country and who have lived through that period in anguish.

Ariana: Another question prior to coming here to the United States for the first time, how many years or months, weeks have passed since you have not gone to Bolivia. Haven’t you seen your family?

Sonia: Returning a little to the part where you said what we have done to balance our cultural change. One of the mechanisms that I have used to maintain this balance with my family was sending my kids back to Bolivia first because I did not want them to lose contact with their family, with their friends, with their cousins, with our traditions.

I was just trying to get back as soon as possible. According to me, when we came, we came on January 23, 2012, I still had a lot of things. It is not easy to close a life in another in a country where you have been all your life. And I said I will return in three months. It’s not like that because in three months we didn’t even have a resident card.

We did not have a permanent job. So, economically it is also not cheap, it is not easy. But we made the purpose. And I made the resolution that my children were going to return at least once a year and we did so at least. I don’t know, let’s see, maybe five years, six years, we didn’t have the money to go all four of us, but we did send them.

And the time they went there I put them to school so they were on vacation here, but I put them there so they could connect with the friends they had had since they were little. They went to different cities to stay with our family. We returned a year and a half later. My husband and I, but the kids did go almost every year for quite some time.

And for that we had to save. It was a sacrifice, but for me it was super important that they be in contact. And to not forget, in other words.

Ariana: When you and my godfather returned to Bolivia, how was the feeling after being here for a while?

Sonia: Honestly, ari the first time you come, it’s more suffering for the extended family because they don’t know how long it will take to see you again, they wish you the best. The sensation that I had that I have perceived in my husband in my children was a total emotion. It was not the new thing, it was the era, going to the country where we had seen all the movies. It was a total emotion, mixed feelings because you felt sorry for the family I didn’t know how much and you’re going to see them again.

But generally speaking, the first time. The emotion was more when you return after the year and a half that we have returned. It has been very, very hard because we had already lived here and we had seen what it was about and we had seen what we had left behind, everything we had given up.

And one of the things that you miss the most is precisely your friends, your extended family. So that time was a lot. The first time we came back already living here, it was much, much more difficult for us. The children more or less accommodate themselves.
But for my husband and I the first time, we have returned after living here much more difficult, sadder.

Ariana: Now that they also have your group here, friends here in Maryland also your friends in Bolivia, do you feel more secure? Is one more of a home than the other, as if home to you is Bolivia or home to you is here in the United States

Sonia: Well, we have been here 10 years. That makes a difference because if you had asked me this same question in the second or third year, I would tell you without thinking twice, Bolivia.

However, 10 years is a big part of one’s life. We are going to be 11 years with January. So, at that time, relationships and ties are inevitably built and you begin to adopt families like yours, like the friends we have, like the family that you choose that are not by blood, but are loving.

So, when we have had that, for example, go to spend New Year’s Eve parties there, madness. The most, the brother, the cousins, the grandparents, but we have missed here. So it’s very difficult when you go out. I believe that your life is split in two and if I were return at this moment, to live in Bolivia maybe it would do it for me.

Yes, I have friends with whom, thank God, I am still in a relationship of 20 of 30 years at work college friends, friend with parents of my children’s schools, groups of couples, neighbors, we go there and we lack time, not because we feel at home. The Bolivian people are very hospitable and the family, but we are here, that is, being there we miss the people here and the friends that we have adopted.

So it’s very difficult because at the end of the day, you are divided in two when we were there, we missed those here. When we are here, we miss them over there. But also that varies as I tell you depending on the time a person who has migrated is, the earlier, the more year you cry and the more you miss the place you came from.

And as time passes, you are already settling down, as they say, putting down roots and in the end you are in the middle.

Ariana: For you it is like both.

Sonia: I can’t tell you, I mean, if I would go back to Bolivia, I would miss many things and many people and much of the way of life here, and staying here. Well, I’ve been here for 10 years and we’re used to it.

We have already passed, stage of healing duel of wondering. I still need it anyway, my people, the way of life, many things from Bolivia.

Ariana: I understand that it’s hard to choose between both. Now that you already have a love for both Bolivia and the United States. Are there thoughts to return to Bolivia after all your life was there?

Sonia: Again, if you asked me that question about five years ago, I would tell you without fear or without hesitation, I’ll go back. In other words, I just want my kids to be financially stable. My children take off Marjorie of 25, Mauricio is 21. Majorie relatively already defined, already decided. Not anymore, but I’m still missing the minor.

So, if you asked me this about five years ago, I would tell you he takes off, settles down. I’m going back now, at this point, almost 11 years of living here, I don’t know what to answer because. We have made roots, put down roots here, even though were adults, you want to be close to your children, but if the circumstances and the situation, especially economic, I already know the example, I’ll give you retirement.

Retire, I would force myself to warn. I would have no problem going back to Bolivia.

From the pain of being away from my children because Latinos, Bolivians, we are very attached to our family, our children and even adults. It’s not like here that you stay until they’re 18 and then you see they’re married with children, we continue. And it is our way of being part of our culture of our action.

Then you have to be realistic too, right? And and life here is expensive, at least in this area of the United States where we live, I’m not far from retiring. Good at 10, 12 years at most. So I couldn’t maintain the standard of living I have now on a retirement income. So I would have to consider going to an area or a state. It is not cheaper within the United States. In effective I would return to Bolivia, that the truth would not cause me any problem. I would happily return to life with the penalty leaving my kids.

Ariana: And with everything now you have many thing, as you have seen your children grow up, the youngest already being at the university, all of that. Do you sometimes think back to the beginning, how you started from so little and how you grew?

Sonia: Yes, often and I am convinced and I like to convey, especially to people who have just come, that they are going through that stage that is so difficult. I like to transmit my own experience, the experience and tell it.

When you want something, it may cost many tears, many sacrifices, many sleepless hours of uncertainty, but you can really do it.

This really is a country of opportunities, if you know how, take advantage of them for the person who comes here to study and work, soul, life, and heart. You can achieve everything you dream of and not only here in general, but this is a country of opportunities.

There are things that in countries like the one I come from in Bolivia, you can be the best student and have scholarships and want to work. Being a very dedicated person, very efficient. But there are no opportunities here. So, yes I look back and I think that I have opened doors for my children that it has cost us a lot, but I also feel that I have stolen a lot from them in the part of family, friend, and values.

I feel that I have taken away part of their childhood, their adolescence, their youth, but it comforts me to see that they are happy with what they are doing.

Ariana: I think that many feel like that, but in the end, as we have seen, your son is in college and your daughter is also a teacher, I think of dance now.

Sonia: Undoubtedly

Ariana: Yes, and the same with everything about your children. Had there been moments where they needed like a push such as we have come here so you have to be the best a need to be more than what the students here are?

Sonia: I think that they themselves have realized that at different levels, stages of the environment that they have been in since elementary high school, community college, university and jobs because they both work. Mauricio at sixteen years older than 18.

I think it became obvious to them that this is a system, a very competitive society. In all aspects in sports, in studies, at work materially, in the way of dressing, to the car you have, where you live. So, human nature makes you want to achieve more. That however, from my experience in the case of my two children, I believe that the system of competitiveness and the requirement that you asked me at some point. If I have had to tell them you cannot stay behind, we have come far, you have to continue, you are not less. For example, it has had an adverse effect in the older child, an effect in which it has already been placed in a plane for her that “I do not need to qualify. I am fine, as I am in my opinion”, like mom, a mediocre state, neither fu nor fa, but she is happy.

In the case of the minor the opposite, that is, I’ve had and I still have to say it a bit like, calm down, it’s not so much because he want to eat the world up and that’s good. But sometimes in that eagerness is too much, being in such a competitive society, you forget to be happy to live. I mean, yes, it’s good to get material things, to be the best student, to be the best at everything.

But it’s not everything in my opinion either. So I’ve had to push them, it’s my nature, it’s nature, all the moms and me, I’ve had to give lecture and make them see that if they don’t move you’re staying. That has had a different effect on both of them.

Ariana: Now as a family do you feel happy. Happy to be here, happy with everything.

Sonia: As I tell you, when we came here, we were going through a situation. Difficult marriage. We had been married for 15 years and couples and relationships between parents and children of brother’s husbands, friends, wear out over time and have ups and downs. So, I always wonder what it would have been like if I came alone, and Miguel had stayed or suddenly turned back.

At first he wanted to go back, I think that would have been harder, twice as hard for me. I believe that having him here has been a support in all aspects and that he has united us. It has united us, because in the end there has been no other option. Were we come from Bolivia there is a priority for men being in charge, men have a certain role and the woman a certain role. In the case of your godfather, for example, he has not only reached a point where he had three jobs, but he has come to do things that, in their entire working life and in their youth, they had not done.

He learned to cook. We collaborate in chores around the house in the garden, back in Bolivia, he would never have cooked and so I think that you invent yourself a bit as a person and by reinventing yourself as a person, you discover virtues as a couple and in your children as well.

Many times we make them useless in a society and in the environment like the one we lived in. The children, but not the young men, they didn’t know what it was like to wash their clothes, put their clothes in order, all they had to do was eat, sleep and study. Here, when we have arrived, it could not be the same. In bolivia I would work to be all alone then, and the kids 14 and 11, 15 and 12 more or less did nothing. We had an employee, babysitter, a driver, their life was dedicated to free time to play and nothing else.

Well, here they had to do the opposite and I remember that to motivate them I paid them 10 cents for, example each item they folded, we went to the laundry together and we didn’t have a car. So, when we went to buy milk or bread, we would walk about 20 minutes to go and 20 minutes back and so that they go and so they don’t say I don’t want to, they had the right to choose a snack when we went and bought stuff.

I think that kids mature much sooner, faster. Here they become more responsible for their things, and that remains with you as a family. It helps you because in the end, the family is a company. And in countries like the one I come from, the mother is the center, but she is also the one who does everything here that is not possible.

So everyone has to absolutely contribute to taking the dog out tomorrow to do things to a lesser or greater extent. Those things unite you, by example now we are taking out Christmas things and everyone has a role. So, I think referring to the question. Yes, it has helped us.

It has united us and has consolidated us, let’s say because perhaps if we had stayed in Bolivia right now we would be divorced each on their own. Perhaps we would have remade each others lives and the children, I don’t know, I don’t know what would have been. So, yes, I think that as a family we have, since we have reinvented ourselves and we have discovered things that we did not think they were capable of doing.

Ariana: I think that it for the questions I have, but thank you for participating in my interview and for telling me your story and your feelings about coming here.

Sonia: I am delighted with life. A privilege and experience of each person. I don’t know how many people you’re going to interview. It is always, always going to be very different.

Because the expectations, the perspective that the experiences they have lived are going to be different. It all depends where they arrived? How have they been received? What opportunity they have found? There are truly heartbreaking experiences and stories. I believe that within everything, despite having suffered and that it has cost us, we have been very blessed.

And now today, we are stable in many aspects. But the story of each person is different, migrating to another country regardless of whether it is with papers with a residence visa, is hard. It is a very difficult experience, very hard and I think you have to be very brave to overcome it, depending on the circumstances.

Some braver than others.