Editor’s note: Jorge Ramos is an intern at El Tecolote and a student at International High School in San Francisco. Ramos fled his native El Salvador and has received asylum here in the United States. This is his undocumented experience.
My name is Jorge Ramos, I am 18 years old and I am originally from Cuyultitán, La Paz, El Salvador. I arrived in San Francisco, California in 2015 and since then, I have spent two years experiencing the immigrant life.
I would like to describe what my life has been like in this country since I left my native homeland. On a normal day, without having any travel plans, I received the news that I had to leave my home because my life was in danger, setting in motion anguish and suffering for me and my family. For a long time—the duration of my journey—I had to endure days of hunger.
I precisely remember the suffering endured in order to reach the American Dream that many of us Latinos search for, which took me a month and some days—it’s a dream that not all of us are able to fulfill. During my time in this country, I have had to work through moments of sadness, when I miss my family and I have reached my limit of frustration in thinking that nothing makes sense, but also, I have learned that there’s a solution for everything in life.
My life as a student has been difficult because as soon as I’m off, I have to work night shifts. That’s the only way I can pay my rent and cover other personal expenses. When I arrived in this country, it was sad and difficult not knowing English. At my school, San Francisco International High School, I found it very difficult understanding the classes and overall direction. Over time, I learned to defend myself and began helping others by translating things for them.
In my free time, I rest and I catch up with the tasks and chores of where I live, which, many times, I only have about four to five hours to sleep before continuing my routine. However, I am learning to be a person who is responsible for expenses, just as someone who is a head of household would do.
During days that I don’t study, I work double shifts at other jobs so I can cover extra expenses that often come up, like helping my family that aren’t in this country and that don’t have the same resources. On those days, which are more exhausting, I work from 8 a.m. until I reach my limit at 11:30 p.m. That doesn’t include the time it takes for me to travel to and from work.
I hope that everything I have done during my time here will be rewarded, that after the suffering and effort, that everything works out well. I thank God everyday for the opportunity he gives me to continue living, despite the challenges that often appear in some way or another.
I have advice for the young people who come here from our homelands: we must take into account that after the struggle, comes the reward and profit for our lives. Despite all the difficulties in this country, do not fall in vices, that’s something that with the help of God I have been able to control. The wise see the evil, and the last thing we must do while in this country is to see ourselves involved in problems with the law or with the community.