Journey to a new place

Analise used to dream about going to the states. She used to dream of what she would become, the friends she would make and the home she would live in. It had always been a dream of hers to start over with opportunities to grow. Analise was from the virgin islands. Warm weather and sandy beaches surrounded her, but she always wondered what it would be like to live somewhere else. To not live the same routine repeatedly.

One day Analise was walking by a build board and notices an ad saying, “Great opportunities in the U.S., caregivers wanted. Please contact 855-247-1723.” Never did she imagine that she would be able to have her dreams come true because just like most families, hers was just as financially unstable as the next. So she decided to take the paper with her. On her walk home she began reading it again, searching for a number to call. When she had reached her small hut at the end of the road, she placed her bags down and pulled out her phone. The phone ring about three times before a woman answered, “Thank you for calling Catholic Charities, how many I assist you today?” Silence filled the line for a moment then Analise began to say, “I saw your ad on a bulletin board outside of the college I attend. I had a few questions regarding the position. Can you explain to me what the job consists of?” The woman on the other line began to speak, “Well, first I’d like to thank you for inquiring about the position. We are a caregiver agency, we supply families with the care they aren’t able to receive from other family members or even friends. Our employees mostly shop for their clients, cook for them and sometimes even take them out to their appointments. Do you have any other questions you’d like me to answer?” Analise then said, “What are the qualifications to apply? I think that it would be a good opportunity. How would I go about applying?” The woman answered, “Well you need a high school diploma and to be a citizen of the United States.” Analise thought about it for a moment, then she thought about all those times she fantasied about moving to the United States. She thought, this is my dream, it can finally come true. Then it dawned on her, “Is this what I want to do? She then proceeded to answer the woman on the other end, “Can I give you a call back after I’ve thought it over? It seems like a good opportunity to grow and I’ve always wanted to go to the United States.” The woman on the line said, “Sure, take all the time you need. We are always hiring because our client list is always growing. Look forward to hearing from you soon. Have a good day.” Analise then proceeded to thank her for her time and began thinking about the opportunity at hand.

She thought, “This does only come once in a lifetime.” How else would she ever get off this island? There was no other way. Analise considered it, but she also considered missing her family and friends. She put all those things into consideration but at the end of it all, she decided to pursue the opportunity. Yes, she would be leaving behind a beautiful island where she grew up, but also starting a new adventure and fulfilling her dream. The next day she went down to the embassy to apply for a green card. On her way home from the embassy, she reached out to Catholic charities to find out the process of applying. Three rings later she heard, “Thank you for calling Catholic charities, how many I help you?” Analise then answered, “Hello, I am calling in regards to the caregiver ad that was posted outside of the college I attend. I wanted to know how I would go about applying for a position with your agency.” From there the conversation was pleasant and filled with all the information Analise needed to completely make up her mind. She began the process as soon as she reached her house. Filling out paper after paper with a smile on her face, daydreaming of the new adventure she was about to begin.

A few months had passed before she heard anything about her green card. Feeling like she would never get an answer, then one spring morning as she was walking through the time she received the call. Analise was now able to receive her green card to move to the United States. She couldn’t believe it. There were so many emotions floating around her head. She couldn’t wait to tell her family and friends. Just a few weeks back so was offered the position as the caregiver in the Massachusetts area, however, they had been waiting on an answer from the embassy at the time. She couldn’t believe it, she was in shock but wanting to jump up and down. As soon as she hung up she began running the rest of the way home. She burst through the door and saw her mother standing in the kitchen cooking dinner. Her mother turned around and said, “Analise, slow down. What is going on?” With a huge smile on her face and barely able to breathe she told her mother about the phone call she just received. As she was explaining to her mother how she had finally received her green card, her father walked in. She shared the news with her father and both her parents hugged her tight and told her how proud they were. They began talking about her new adventure and things she would need to bring. As the night came to a close, Analise said good night to her parents and parted off to her room.

It was there in the quiet night that she began thinking of all the things she needed to pack. She thought of all the things she would encounter out there in Massachusetts, her head began to spin with all the excitement she was feeling. Morning came and she hopped out of bed ready to begin the day. The countdown had begun and she was feeling nervous and excited all in one. As the day dragged on she realized there were more things she needed. She had spent the day packing, gathering all her belongings from clothes to bathroom necessities and even some reading material. There wasn’t anything she wanted to leave behind because she realized that she was going to miss her home. She wanted to make sure when she left for the states that she would be comfortable no matter where she was headed. Her journey was finally about to begin and she was ready to go tomorrow morning at the break of dawn. As she settled in for the night, she said her prayers and thanked the Lord for the opportunity at hand. She asked the Lord to calm her nerves as she was kind of freaking out about being away from. She then turned out the light, laid her head down, and floated into dreamland. The next morning she arose, ready to go.

As her parents and she arrived at the airport, they exchanged their goodbyes. Analise proceeded to board the plane. It was about a five-hour flight and Analise couldn’t wait to arrive. The plane was ready for take-off and five hours later she was stepping out into Logan Airport in Boston, Massachusetts. Feeling confident and excited she proceeded to grab her bags. This was it she thought, she was here. It was time to begin this new opportunity. To fulfill her dream of being here in the United States. She grabbed her luggage and proceeded to exit the airport. About thirty minutes later she was checking into an Air B&B, unpacking and going over all she needed for her first day. The following morning she awoke, got dressed, did her make-up, ate breakfast, and headed out the door quarter past seven. Rushing down to Catholic charities, Analise couldn’t wait to begin the day. As she arrived at the agency, she introduced herself to the secretaries and asked for the manager. A few minutes later a short, black-haired woman came walking out of the backroom and introduced herself to Analise. She welcomed her to Catholic charities and couldn’t wait to work with her. They proceeded to go into her office, sat down, and began going over the schedule for the day. As 5:00 pm began to roll around Analise had been trained on how to shop for the client, clean their homes, run errands, take them to appointments and even administer medication. She was exhausted. When she finally returned home, she gave thanks for the day and crawled into bed. The thoughts of the day began to circle in her mind. She had a wonderful first day, she had learned so much and known that she had made the right choice. However, she was missing home. Missing her family, friends' warm weather since here in Massachusetts it was cold, but she reminded herself that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and she then once again reassured herself that she made the right choice. Analise drifted off to sleep with thoughts of the days to come. A smile on her face as she fell fast asleep. Waking the next day to begin once again. Analise enjoyed her time in the states even though she was missing home every now and again. She became successful and eventually made a trip home. Analise visited her family yearly, she bought a home and eventually even married. She was happy living in the states and now about ten years later she will tell you that she has no regrets. So take that leap of faith or opportunity, even if it means leaving the familiar. Leaving the islands wasn’t a mistake and if she had to do it all over again she would make the same choices. Don’t be afraid to make your dreams come true just like Analise didn’t let the virgin islands hold her back from experiencing life in the states.