Growing up in a Russian family I didnât think we were “immigrants” at all. I didnât think that we were any different than my neighbors to the right who spoke Spanish or neighbors to the left who spoke Korean.
My parents have a deeper story than I did. My parents left Russia for good when my mom was 36 and my dad was 31. They brought their 3 little munchkins, my sister at 5 years old, me at age 4, and little brother at age 3.
My parents didnât have a mission or a solid plan prior to migrating to a completely foreign country. They didnât know much English and didnât even know where to begin. But they did have a massive dream and hope that everything will work out for the best.
My mom being a stay at home mother, didnât get much college education so she relied on my dad for everything. Not a bad thing, because my dad is just super cool and chill.
Life was not all about roses and daisies. We grew up on government aid (food stamps, Welfare). Shopping at the thrift stores was our ideal âshopping spree.â I honestly heard the phrase, âwe donât have moneyâ way too many times in my childhood years.
Getting food at the food bank was a weekly ritual. As kids, we thought that was completely normal because we saw other folks there. We were not alone.
My dad went off to school and learned engineering at the same time working full time at a company, being a husband and a father to three kiddos. Heâs had his heating and air conditioning business for over 20 years now and loved it ever since. He found his true passion and his calling in a foreign country.
My parents instilled the values of education to us and we picked up English, and the workforce early on. I got my very first job at the age of 14 (yes, all legal) at a local community college. I graduated with a Bachelorâs of Science at the age of 21 and moved right into the workforce.
This story is not about me.
This story shows the mere fact that there is a way out, in every situation in life. Can you simply imagine picking up everything right now and moving to a foreign country? Yes, you would be leaving Bruno along with his dog toys behind.
If youâre planning on starting that business youâve always dreamed of, you wonât get anywhere by doing all that research day in and day out. You will only gain traction by acting and taking the very first steps towards starting that business. Everything else will come to place and all the right doors will be open to you.
Now if an immigrant can do all that, you have an abundance of opportunities waiting for you to grab! You can perservere and thrive!
