داستان کوتاه انگلیسی

Imagine a Commercial for a Better Life (part2)


4.) So what would you say your main goal was for leaving home, did it change since you had already come back and forth so many times? Weren’t you scared to get caught again?
Johnny: “ My main goal at first was just to come and see if it was what everyone said it was. The limitations and the poverty I grew up in was so normal to me that I never thought anywhere else would have been different or in other words better. It was more of a reflection on my life and what I had to do when I was younger. Not much school, working when I can at a very young age. I knew one day that I wanted a family but there was no way I wanted this lifestyle for my kids.

To be able to give your kids a different and better life than what you had is the most rewarding thing and it makes you forget about all the bad things that may have happened when you were younger. So I would say my main goal for leaving home was a better opportunity and an actual future for myself, my wife and future family. But now that I’m older I can’t wait to retire and go back home! To answer your other question about being scared, I was terrified. It was terrifying but sometimes you have to push yourself to get things done. I knew my intentions for coming to the US weren’t bad, so I was confident in myself and was willing to risk what it took just to have a better life.”

5.) Since being here what would you say was the hardest thing to adjust to?
Johnny: “People usually say the language barrier, but for me it wasn’t. It was very difficult at first but after a while you just find a way to communicate. The hardest thing for me was just getting over the fact that people would look at me like I was so different. Although since the beginning San Jose to me has always been so diverse, you would still get people who treated you differently. That was the hardest for me, I didn’t care so much about what people thought of me. I cared more about how they treated me. I’m still a person, just because I’m a little tanner, speaking a different language shouldn’t make me a target for you to belittle or get satisfaction by using power or control or whatever you think you have. It was tough.

There were days where I’d pick up a job doing someone’s lawn front and back, take care of their flowers, trees all of that and would be paid with food or drinks. Not that I wasn’t thankful, I’ll take a hot meal anytime. It was the fact that I was looked at as not someone who was capable of being paid with money. The way I saw it was, you go to work, you do your work and you get paid in order to support my living and household. What was I supposed to do with that meal, I couldn’t provide that sandwich or coca cola to the rest of my family. Some Days it sucked feeling that I Had to prove myself worth more than a sandwich.“


6.) What motivated you everyday to keep pushing knowing that your situation was different compared to someone who already lived here?
My family of course. But more for myself. I needed a reason to get up and prove to myself that I was capable of doing more and providing more. I wanted my kids to grow up and see that they could do anything they wanted. There were days when I was intimidated by others and how easy and natural things came to them but then I realized if I had the same opportunity and learned what you learned I would probably be in the same boat you are.

I noticed I started to get a little envious but I knew that my motivation was to prove to myself that I can take any situation and turn it into an opportunity for myself. Plus there were days where I just didn’t care and whatever happened happened. It was definitely something I struggled with mentally but back then men had to be the strong ones and hold it together. Different times, very different times.”