An Immigrant Without Addiction

By Roberto Osuna

This is a priceless preview of your own immigration story. Offering you further insights, An Immigrant without Addiction will provide you a better understanding of what it takes to be an immigrant as you make the brave decision of leaving home for a promised better future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Jul 27, 2018
• ISBN: 9781982201852

Roberto Osuna

Roberto Osuna is an Author and Coach who attended universities in Mexico and the US. His interest in Education and Spirituality have led him to develop as a Teacher and Life Coach, thus delving into the observation and analysis of human behavior, always seeking a better understanding of man as an individual and as a social being. Osuna has used each function in his life as an opportunity to innovate, propose, improve, and help people close to him. With experience as a Teacher and Coach, it is natural for him to connect with people and empathize to achieve effective communication. Roberto Osuna is the author of the book “An immigrant without addiction”, published in July 2018 by Balboa press.

Book preview

1. Define your objective.

This will be a great day for Manuel. This Tuesday, he will finally get a sheet of pink paper that proved he had access to health insurance, but above all, proved he is currently employed by a company. This document is one of the basic requirements he needs in order to fill out the visa application that would let him legally cross the northern border of his country. He stood up, full of positive energy. Manuel regularly characterized this attitude. He went directly to the bathroom to take a refreshing shower. Once ready and neat, he ate his breakfast. He concentrated on feeling positive, closed his eyes and quietly said: God, help me! You know I am trying to do things right.

He made the necessary preparations and left his house to go and get the documents he planned to obtain today. This was the sole reason he asked for the day off from work. Once at the bus stop, he greeted the people standing next to him, saying Good morning. Only a couple of them answered the others did not. It didn't matter; he had already answered himself and felt positive.

Manuel is one of those people whose facial features always seem to draw a smile. An expression of ingenuity mixed with a permanent willingness to listen to what you may have to say, and tell you that everything will be fine.

The bus was filled to capacity when it passed by the stop where Manuel waited. In fact, it was about twenty people over its maximum capacity. The passengers were standing in the corridors really close to each other and some were also standing on each of the steps that were next to the entrance and exit of the bus. The bus doors were, of course, open and people were literally hanging by the handrails of the bus. That was the place Manuel occupied during the ride.

He could not even pay for his ticket, but he knew he would have a chance to do it later. It was an unwritten agreement not even mentioned between the driver and the passenger. The driver looked into Manuel’s eyes and Manuel looked back at him. With a barely perceptible movement of the head, both agreed that Manuel would pay at some later time. This way, Manuel was authorized to ride the bus for this trip. One foot was well supported on one of the steps but the other not as much as there were other people on the same step. He stood at the back because the front one was really full!

That language without words between the driver and the passengers is an everyday thing. In order to arrive punctually to the morning shift, every day at the same hour, the buses were always filled beyond their maximum capacity. Everyday! That language that existed between the passengers and the driver was used to board the bus, to leave it, to pay for a ticket, to request a stop, to make it go on, and so on.

When Manuel made the sign to board the bus, it did not even stop completely. But there had already been that visual contact where Manuel asked permission to hang onto wherever he could. For which the driver would slow down just enough so that someone could dare to jump and try to grab on. So it is and that is totally normal and acceptable. For Manuel, as well as for the other passengers aboard this or any other bus traveling at this time, this is not an adventure. It is just an everyday activity.

He boarded and unboarded the bus at the corresponding stops to reach the hospital where, according to his understanding, he would receive the required documentation that would allow him to continue with his process. That document meant the beginning of the adventure he held not only in his mind but also in his heart. It was a longing, it was a dream, and this time he would reach it without a doubt.

Manuel:

Good morning!

Female Receptionist:

Good morning. Do you have an appointment?

Manuel:

No, Manuel answered, I did not know I had to make an appointment.

Female Receptionist:

Of course you have to make an appointment! This is a hospital. Unless it is an emergency, and if it is an emergency then go to the emergency room.

Manuel:

No, I just want to get a copy of my pink paper. The one that proves I have health insurance.

You must bring that paper.

Yes, I know, but I do not have it. So I came to see if you can give me a copy.

No, son, that's not done here. You have to go to the main offices. This is a hospital. Here we take care of sick people.

Oh, I understand. So where are those offices anyway?

Well, downtown on Juarez Avenue.

Thank you!.. Do you have the exact address?

No, but here is a phone book. Look for it. Let me see if I have it here anyway…Yes look, it’s 317 North Juarez Avenue, do you understand? But go to the second floor, do not go downstairs.

Okay, miss. Thank you. Have a good day!

Manuel left the hospital and again went to the bus station to take a different bus. One that would take him downtown to look for the office he needed. At this time of day, the buses would not be as full. Maybe this time he could get a seat.

Manuel was happy to make progress towards completing the process. By the time he got back home he was thirsty and ready for a beer, which he usually shared with his mom.

Manuel:

Maaaa, I'm here! Manuel rang out as he returned home that afternoon.

Lupita:

How did it go?

Manuel:

Very well! And with this heat, it’s time for a cold one. Haha…Will you join me?

Lupita:

Now you’re going to drink you young drunk!

Ha…Drunk your brother! That one is a drunk!

Oh, yeah, and there you go following him. I'm surprised they haven’t caught him yet.

No. He says that he lives hidden. He doesn't come out.

Of course not. There's no reason for him to take a chance.

Yes, but that doesn’t take away the drunk. He says he drinks up to 30 beers by himself during the weekend.

I don’t doubt it, you saw him. Here as he was…

Okay, fine! Do you want a beer or not, Ma?

I’ll share a small cup, but don't get drunk. Tomorrow is barely Thursday, and you have to work.

Fine, fine, don’t exaggerate. Besides, I'm partying! I’m almost able to go to Gringoland.

And how did it go? Did you get the paper?

No. But I already asked for a copy and I will pick it up next week. So let me go and get the beers.

Be careful…

Manuel lived with his mother and Leticia, his sister, the elder of the two. His other brother, the eldest of them all, had died when he was a baby. At the hospital they said that he did not breath well and had died one day while he slept. Don Jesus, Manuel’s dad, had died about 6 years before of lung cancer. They said it was from smoking. His sister Leticia worked and so did he. His mother made cakes to sell and floral arrangements. When she received orders, she also made wreaths for the day of the dead.

Manuel:

Come here ma! Here are the beers!

Lupita:

Oh, my son! Why did you get so many?

So many? There are just three. You always say a little cup and you drink the whole quarter.

Okay, just serve it…

Hey, Ma. No, seriously, last Sunday when I spoke to my Uncle Kiko he said that right now there is a lot of work to do. You know how he shows off his truck on Facebook.

I know, that snooty guy. They will finally catch him with all that stuff on his phone…

Don't exaggerate, Ma. Don't be paranoid. Besides, he doesn’t even use his real name on Facebook, he calls himself who knows what…

That's why! Someone will see him and call him out, or I don't know. You know how the gringos are.

Ok, fine! He isn’t a double agent or something…he just kills pigs! Who the hell will look for him? Come on!

Oh son, I'm just worried for Kiko, and you take care of yourself if you ever go. You really listen to him and I want you to call me often.

Manuel left his chair closer to his mom to hug her and kiss her on the head when he noticed she was getting emotional.

Of course Ma! Ok, ok, don't talk like that. Who loves you? Who loves you?

Any decision you take in life, big or small, brings you a consequence. That doesn't mean that consequences are bad or are something to ruin your life. You shouldn’t stay still because you don’t know what the future holds after your decision.

You must not stop trying your projects or the dreams you once had only because you were criticized or because you failed the last time you tried something, whatever it was. This cause-effect relationship is something to learn from and use to our advantage once we discover how it works. It is called experience, but the important thing is to learn from our own experience to avoid making the same mistakes and especially to not suffer from the same consequences.

For example, when one grows and has the courage to look for a job in a company and is hired, then one is faced with the routine of leaving home everyday and trying to get along with random people. This is not always easy because everyone is different and sometimes it can be difficult to have a nice relationship with everyone. Even just trying can be hard.

Finding that job was a decision! When for some other reason, whether for that job, school, or family situations, someone decides to move to another city, that's an even bigger decision. This decision has a larger impact on that person's life and those close to him.

But when that person decides to leave his country, family, culture, goods, to become an immigrant, it is a decision worthy of a warrior, worthy of a conqueror!

It requires courage, humility, but above all, it requires having one’s mind and heart aligned in the same direction, because both will be needed. It is definitely a decision that will forever mark the life of anyone, and what follows that decision will depend on what becomes of the life of that immigrant.

However as with any project, any challenge, once convinced of such an idea it is best to define the objective. If the decision is to change the place of residence to another country, it is advisable to begin making a study about the country to which you want to migrate. Nowadays, this is relatively