For some reason, and it happens more often than you would think of, when an American asks me where I am from, and I answer “Venezuela”, their immediate response is “Oh – Minnesota?”. Don’t ask me why, but it is a thing. 

I grew up in Maracaibo, also known as La Tierra del Sol Amado (the land of the beloved sun), and as you can tell by that name, it is not a place where you have different seasons. As I’m writing this, I think one of the things I will never get used to is the cold weather and the snow. 2020 marks my 9th year in the United States and I have learned to love and embrace it for what it is, and all of the opportunities it has offered me throughout the years.

My father moved to the U.S. back in 1999 and since then I began to spend my summer vacations with him. I never thought I would end up living in the U.S., but during the last couple of years of high school, the picture of developing a career in Venezuela was getting more and more distorted. I moved from Maracaibo to the United States in 2011 to pursue a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering. My years in college were filled with intercultural experiences that shaped me into the person I am.

A funny memory during my first semester was when I was being introduced to a woman from Asia; naturally, I went for the kiss on the cheek. This is what I was taught to do since I was young in Venezuela. I distinctly remember the look of surprise in her face and my confusion at the moment. Had I done something wrong? Immediately after, my friends told me “We don’t do that here” and it was then were things started clicking. I was no longer in Venezuela, I was going to have to learn to adapt to different social settings that I had never even thought of. 

My experience in the U.S. has been defined by the privilege I had of being able to enter the country legally and with the support of my parents. When you hear about the Venezuelan migration crisis, you immediately think about people crossing the Colombian and Brazil border – mothers carrying their children in their arms while they walk for hundreds of miles. This is the horrible reality Venezuelans are facing every day and I am among the lucky ones that did not have to migrate because I had to, but because I chose to. I believe that for this reason I have always tried to push myself even harder. Knowing that my Venezuelans brothers and sisters are going through such rough times serves a catapult of courage to pursue my passion and goals in the country that has received me with open arms. 

I am currently working as a Project Manager in Washington, D.C. and pursuing a Masters of Science in Renewable Energy. I hope that one day I will be able to give back to my home country. I dream of seeing it with a working democracy that will propel the living conditions of the average Venezuelan. Foundational to this dream is my strong belief that the Venezuelan diaspora, strengthened through all the struggles we have and still are facing, will be able to give back to our home country.
Among the main issues Venezuelans face in America is the amount of misinformation about the current state of our country. This is why movements such as Hearts on Venezuela are indispensable. The rest of the world needs to see from first hand what Venezuelans are really going through.

As an active Democrat in the U.S., I have seen how the spread of propaganda has negatively affected the portrayal of developments in Venezuela. It is disheartening to see our suffering in one way or another become part of political agendas that have nothing to do with our country. Nevertheless, I am grateful for the bipartisan consideration both political parties in the US take on Venezuela. 

One of the most remarkable moments I have experienced as a Venezuelan living in D.C. was last year when our Embassy was occupied by organizations that were sympathizers of the Maduro regime. For over two weeks the Venezuelan community in Washington, D.C. got together day and night with the same purpose – get the invaders out of our piece of Venezuela in the U.S. Those two weeks in Georgetown reminded me how much I really missed Venezuela. We had the typical tias (aunts) that would come every day with Arepas and coffee and asked us “How are you doing mijito”.

We created our staple Whatsapp group to keep in touch and organize ourselves during our time there. At the end of those two incredibly draining weeks we laughed, cried and celebrated because we felt that our victory was a step in the right direction. We demonstrated to the world that when Venezuelans unite with a purpose and are persistent enough, great things can happen. 

Living in the United States has taught me that the world is not as small as it once seemed in Maracaibo. I have learned that is okay to disagree with someone in the political spectrum and still befriend them. It opened my eyes to different backgrounds that I was not exposed before. It also made me realize how lucky I am and for that reason how much I have to offer to the world. We create change everywhere we go, and as Venezuelans, it is our duty to spread our idiosyncrasy and make the world a better place – because that’s who we are, gente chevere!