How To Succeed As An Immigrant In The USA

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I know it’s been difficult to see images on social media of fellow Haitian brothers being chased by Border Patrolmen on horseback wielding whips. I understand that this is an illegal method of migration, but the treatment as a fellow human being makes it feel like what was once in the past for us is now in the present.

But, for those who made it through and those who are about to embark on the journey, let me be the first to tell you the truth, if you haven’t already been told, and what to expect.

Real Talk

Everything you see on television sounds like heaven on earth when you live in a country where technology is only available when it is no longer in use on the international market.

As first-generation Haitian-American immigrants raised in Haiti, I used to think that when people traveled and talked about their lives in the United States, they weren’t referring to the same country that I was from. Some will make it sound as if you don’t need to do much to those who have never traveled. The government will handle everything as if they are your big brother or something.

They are accurate in some aspects – I’ll tell you below, but for the most part, this is absolutely untrue. If you, like many others, want to succeed, help your parents and family back home, and even set the foundation for the next generation, let me show you exactly how things work and what to expect.

Learn from the past

Many have gone before us, so there’s no need to start from scratch. The best you can do is to ask question, learn from them, make necessary adjustments, and improve things. To be truthful; it’s also that simple to go off-track. 

Many of my friends, for example, are foreign-born police officers, CFOs, doctors, electricians, and the list goes on. As well as others who, despite knowing better, fell victim to the “get rich quick” mentality. It is very easy to commit illegal acts, but keep one thing in mind if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Those who choose to simply forget the past, on the other hand, miss out on its true ability. There are life values to be pulled from it.

Self-worth is more important than what you consume

There’s nothing wrong with wanting nice things. In fact, I recommend getting nice long-lasting items only if you plan on not spending any more money. For example, I’m not a fashion expert, but I’m fine with investing in some high-quality clothing every couple of years. Yes, I did say years. The same is true for my car, which I purchased because I really like BMWs. In 2010, I purchased my 2006 BMW. I intend to ride it until the trans-engine fails.

That, however, is beside the point. I recommend that you first invest in yourself. Frankly, you don’t need to go to school to start making money; if you have any trade skills, you can use them to your advantage, if not, look around to see what others require assistance with or take a look at these side hustle ideas that don’t require much to start. 

Here are some websites I recommend, some I’m still using today:

YouTube can be used for almost anything. You name it, and I’m sure someone is teaching it.
Codecademy for programming skills.
Udemy is a platform for online courses taught by thousands of instructors.
CreativeLive, as the name suggests, is for anything creative, particularly photography and craft.
Coursera for courses usually put together by universities and colleges.

Treehouse for web development and design.

LinkedIn Learning for individual video-based courses and skills for business professionals.

Don’t restrict yourself. Don’t let material possessions define who you’re attempting to be. Invest in yourself today for a better future.

A single failure does not define you

Everything in life has a balance. A battery requires two opposing elements, positive and negative, in order to function. The same holds true for successful people. Many of them have failed miserably before they could leave a legacy for future generations.

Make the most of your failures. Use it to your advantage. Don’t stop at the bottom of the mountain; instead, keep going. Keep in mind, it’s just an event that occurs on a specific timeframe. We must all confront our fears at some point in our lives. But we must maintain our optimism.

Don’t be afraid to fail; it sucks, but life doesn’t end there. It’s critical to maintain a positive attitude and surround yourself with wonderful people from whom you can learn a thing or two.

No one will come to your aid

This is something I had to learn the hard way. Growing up on the islands, it is common to see that anything you do can work for or against you, regardless of whether your parents are present or not. Because, in a community, your next-door neighbor has the same authority as your parents – not fully but you get the point. If you require assistance, they will provide it. If you do something bad, they will stand by you to some extent and let you know that you’ve done wrong.

As I mentioned above, if you ever need help in the United States, there are plenty of support groups and government assistance programs available as long as you qualify. They can assist you with housing, medical needs, and financial assistance for the rest of your life. I’ve seen it numerous times. 

There is, however, a catch. If you become too comfortable, unwilling to give up some of your privileges when you could be more productive to your community, you will always be reliant on the system, which you do not want. These benefits are intended to help you survive rather than to help you grow.

Get out of your comfort zone. Examine the possibility. What is your backup plan if these programs end today? Family, friends won’t be able to care for you or your family for long because we’re all dealing with our own problems and responsibilities. 

Make the decision to save and invest.

Now that you’ve arrived in one of the world’s greatest countries. If you’re young, make the most of the opportunities that come your way. Do not wait until you are physically unable to work or are forced to work past retirement age to take care of things that you could have taken care of if you had begun saving and investing earlier.

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need a large sum of money to start investing. You can begin with as little as $5. Create a budget first, then set aside three to six months of your monthly expenses for an emergency fund. Second, begin investing as soon as you are able. 

You do not want to be me, if you read my previous post. You don’t want to make any of these financial failures. I’m not saying I would have been financially independent if I knew what I know now because I can’t predict the future in the same way we can’t predict the stock market. But, if we act now, I guarantee you that the outcome will be positive, just as the market always goes up and down in the short term and always goes up in the long term. Allow your money to work for you rather than against you.

My financial rule is that if I can't pay for it within my budget, I can't afford it. Period.

In The End

I understand why most of us leave our birthplace and seek refuge in another country: poor living conditions, inability to provide for our children, a deplorable healthcare system, and so on.

Personally, if I were in your situation, I would have probably taken the risk, but since I haven’t been, I can’t say I share your distress. Recognize that life does not end there.

Do not dwell on the past, and do not be concerned with what could have been; instead, create and live in the present.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Photo by Elias Castillo

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