Mauro Picardo
American Dream
I was reading the newspaper, when I saw a title at that said “The end of American dream?” The note was talked about the thousands of American losing those houses and the bad economy on last years. The dream became nightmare for same people. The title was what impacted me, “the end of the American dream?” at that time for being an emigrant, came to my mind otherthings associated with my own goals.
When my wife and I, come to United State, we did this because our goals were start our family, have an own house, finish the college and progress economically. Always we listened about the “American Dream” and we thought this is place where we can do our goals; but what is the American Dream? Could be we part of this dream?
James Truslow states: “The AmericanDream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement” It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in whicheach man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”(Truslow 12)
I could not believe how many people come to this country with the same objective. I heard a lot history of people who risked them life for be here. Who Latino, I metpeople from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and rest of South America and Centro America,
In the beginning, we had much for do; we started to know the place. The language was another difficulty for a find a good job.
The construction was the door for that moment, but it opened my mind for my American dream. I had knowledge in electricity and that was advantage.
With the time, I learned a lot about theconstruction business, but I knew it would not be easy for me, and always, the fear to discrimination.
When I did the first job by myself, I felt I could do. Little by little I began to have more and more customers. I dreamed with my own company. I had the opportunity of be my own boss. “Might this sentiment be considered the foundation of the American Dream? (Declaration of Independence).
Thedesire of grow was the power for go forward; I was very happy with this opportunity.
Also, I had the possibility of my own house, another dream come true. When I was looking for a house; I found that lot of those houses were really cheap because they needed repairs. I saw the opportunity of my business growing up. How can I do it? Buy old houses really cheap, repairs those and resale.
The Americandream is something that everybody wants to achieve but we have put over 100% of ourselves.
Few months ago I noticed an Internet article about a man who was deported to his country after living 40 years in the U.S., he was so concerned that he had come the United States in his youth behind the American dream and now that he had to go still had nothing.
This is very common in my Hispanic communityand discourages me, but I know there are people who follow and succeed (Lcdo. Ángel R. Robles-Peña)… but also very difficult to say who reached or not if we look from outside because there are thousands of American dreams and everyone is here with a different purpose.
According to Mike Palacek, “the American Dream is often associated with immigrants, as the dream of religious freedom, economicprosperity, and meritocracy has historically driven immigrants to the United States. The term is used by many modern Americans to signify success in life as a result of hard work. (Palacek x-xi)
After nearly 10 years in the U.S. trying not to stray far from my own goals, and as a couple made, I leave my little world of immigrant and integrate more to this country and its history. To spend these…
