Today we’d like to introduce you to Thais Rodriguez.
Hi Thais, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
My name is Thais Rodríguez. I am 40 years old, and I have two children, one 21 years old and the other 14 years old; we are Venezuelans; in 2017, I had to leave my children with my parents to try my luck in another country. I went to Panama for 5 months, and being there, I no longer wanted to return to Venezuela. Seeing the continued situation, I just wanted to return to look after my children; that’s how it was in 2018: my two children. I was already in Panama; I worked in a mini market where my salary was very low; my daughter, seeing that situation, preferred to return to Venezuela with her father. She told me that she preferred to return, having already graduated from high school so that she could help me. That day I felt like my soul was torn, the only thing that I thought I lost her, I was left alone with my son who at that time was 8 years old, one day I thought about taking a trip to the United States, I had a life but I had never come, without having contacts or friends, my brother-in-law helped me and I was looking for where I could stay, that’s how it was, I traveled to the US, leaving my son with my sister and brother-in-law, full of fear, being in such a big country and not knowing anything, I filled myself with strength and started looking for work, it wasn’t easy I spent two weeks trying and spending the little money I had brought, thank God I found jobs that helped me pay expenses here and in Panama, after 5 months I returned to Panama, the pandemic arrived and again we were in need, it was there where I decided to come with my son to the US waiting for my daughter to reach the age of majority to leave Venezuela, since in 2019 the father of my children died in a car accident, in 2020 I was able to bring my daughter , the three of us lived in one room, we started sleeping on an inflatable mattress and little by little we improved, today my daughter works and helps me with the rent and household expenses, I already liked my son in soccer that his dreams are to be signed and thus do what he likes and he also dreams of helping his sister and me, and I am working in a restaurant, which although I feel that it is not the place where I want to be I always do my best work, hoping may the doors of more opportunities open, but the truth is I thank God for having brought us to this country where they have welcomed us with love.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
It has not been easy since, for my part, I have not managed to have more opportunities for the language, and it is not that I have not tried; I practice every day, but I think that due to the frustration I have, it has not been easy for me to learn it.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My job is not the best of all; it is in a restaurant where they do not take into account your discipline and desire to emerge; my schedule is at 3:00 a.m. since I need to have time to take care of my children and take my son soccer, I am proud of myself because I know that many would not bear to make this sacrifice of sleeping only 2 or 3 hours, also because despite my language I am one of the best workers who knows how to be in all positions, even at the cashier serving in English without understanding it much.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I like the world of social networks and am a gym lover. In 5 years, I have quality time to focus on my goals.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Trodrigueez
