Man comes for a short time to make some money
then decides to stay

Interviewee: Jamil J. Lugo
Interviewer: E. Tapia
Date: October, 2001
 

What is your full name?

Jamil J. Lugo

What is your nationality?

Puerto Rican

What is your date of birth?

December 3, 1973

Where were you born?

San Juan Puerto Rico.

When did you (move to the U.S./move from somewhere else in the U.S.) to Philadelphia?

I moved to U.S... back in 1994.

Why did you leave your country/State/former place of residence?

I decided to leave Puerto Rico due lack of job opportunities. I was going to college and didn't have any financial aid for my third year, so I decided to come to the U.S. to work, save money and go back to school.

What did you like/dislike about your home/country?

The only thing that I don't like about my country is the not so many opportunities for employment. Everything else I love for the beautiful beaches, mountains, food, people, and culture. The music and the folklore I also enjoy.

Why did you choose Philadelphia/U.S.?

I chose to come to Philadelphia because I already had family members living in the city and knew that coming to live in Philadelphia there was going to be plenty employment options.

How did you travel here?/What type of transportation did you use/take to travel here? How would you change that?

Airplane

How did you find a place to live in Phil?

I originally went to live with my sister and within two months I was able to move into my own house.

With whom did you travel? [Who did you travel with?]

I traveled by myself.

Give 1 thing you remember most about your home town and why?

I do remember the weather. It's warm all year around. Even though the change of climate in Philadelphia is nice, I still miss my hometown's weather.

How did your life change when you moved and what were the differences between the two places?

My life didn't change as much due to Puerto Rico being part of the U.S. We are pretty much like the States. The differences are the climate, language and the culture.

What did you expect about the US/Phil?

Nothing really, except the climate and weather.

What did you come here to accomplish and what else do you feel you still need to do?

I originally came here to work, so I could save money, and go back home to school. However, I found myself not wanting to go back to studying what I started to study. I enjoy my career now, although it is not what I want to do forever. I would like to work full time at a place of treatment. We all know that is very hard to accomplish and very hard thing to do. But it is what I love. There is still a lot of things I need to accomplish.

What are the differences between when you came here and now?

Nothing really.

What did you sacrifice/leave behind when you left?

I left behind my family and friends. In the beginning it was a little difficult but we visited each other very often.

What problems did you encounter coming to the US/Phil?

I really did not have any problems coming to Philadelphia. I already knew English, so everything else came pretty simple.

How much money did you have and where did you get it when you came to Phil/US?

I have saved some money from when I was in Puerto Rico doing odd job in neighbor's homes. It was not much, but I got by.

How did you adapt to your new environment?

I adapted to the environment easily. It was not as different as I expected.

Why do you think it was worth all your changes?

I wanted a better future and although it has been easy, I'm working towards a better one

What education did you have before/after you arrived?

I had two years of college before I decided to move to the U.S.

Do you [ever] regret moving? Why or why not?

I never regret moving. I believe that you will have a different experience wherever you go which will teach you so many different thing to get you by as you grow older into the real world.

What reason would/could make you go back to where you came from?

Probably for retirement.

Describe your first job here. If you didn't have one, who did you get money?

My first job here was as a machine operator in a factory. It was a tough job, but I was able to continue to search for a job that I was going to be comfortable and happy with.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Take life as it comes, always making intelligent decisions, that'll make you reach further in the real world . When you make mistakes, don't think you are dumb, stupid or even worthless. Just take it as a new experience that you can learn from. God Bless always.