Finding My Way Home – A Student Weighs His Options in Florida and Puerto Rico

Photo Courtesy of Alexander Cabello

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For Alexander Cabello leaving Puerto Rico was tough. Cabello, a 20-year-old college student who was studying at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón (USC) in San Juan, PR,  flew out one day before the hurricane without saying goodbye to anyone. But returning seems to be more difficult due to the lack of work opportunities. He currently works full-time in a construction company in Florida and dreams of finishing his nursing studies. He’s also considering joining the army for more economic stability.

How did you end up in the United States to begin with?

My sister was the one who had the idea of me leaving. She lives in Tampa and the day before the hurricane she called me and bought me a plane ticket so that I could wait out the hurricane over here.

What did you expect was going to happen after the hurricane had passed?

Before the hurricane passed I expected to wait the hurricane out and after a week or two I would go back to Puerto Rico. However, that changed completely because of the state that the island was in. The job that I had [in Puerto Rico] was pressuring me to go back or else I would get fired. At that time it was impossible because planes traveling to the island were scarce and I never managed to find one. That’s when I decided to stay.

How did it feel to watch everything that happened in Puerto Rico through the news?

It felt very sad to be honest, because it’s my country, where I was born, where I’ve lived my whole life. Having to leave a place where I have been living my entire life because of a hurricane is something very difficult.

Did you have anyone still living on the island that you worried about?

My whole family was there, my sister is the only one that lives in Tampa. Thank God nothing happened to them but they were without power for a very long time.

Do you plan on returning to the island?

Yes, primarily I wish to finish my studies but beyond that, I left without saying goodbye to anyone, I feel the need to be there. I left the day before the hurricane, it’s been seven months and I still haven’t been able to see anyone from my family.

What do you want to achieve in life?

I want to finish what I started, which is graduating with a bachelors in nursing. After that÷, I want to work as a nurse and then do a Master’s degree in psychology. I also want to be a part of the military, I’ve always thought about doing it but I haven’t contemplated it as seriously as I do now because of the circumstances.

Encontrando el camino a casa – Un estudiante baraja sus opciones en Florida y Puerto Rico

Para Alexander Cabello, estudiante de 20 años quien cursaba su bachillerato en la Universidad del Sagrado Corazón (USC), abandonar a su Isla fue fuerte. Dejó Puerto Rico un día antes del huracán sin despedirse de nadie. Pero regresar parece ser más difícil, por la falta de trabajo.  Hoy trabaja tiempo completo en una empresa de construcción en Florida, sueña con terminar sus estudios de enfermería y evalúa la posibilidad de entrar al ejército.

¿Cómo terminastes en los Estados Unidos?

Mi hermana fue la de la idea de que me fuera. Ella vive en Tampa y el día antes del huracán me llamó y me compró un pasaje para que pudiese llegar aquí en lo que pasaba [antes de] el huracán.

¿Qué esperabas que iba a suceder con tu vida luego del paso del huracán?

Antes que pasara el huracán, yo regresaría a Puerto Rico en dos semanas. Sin embargo, eso cambió completamente por el estado en el que estaba la Isla. El trabajo que yo tenía en Puerto Rico me estaba presionando a que volviera o que me iban a despedir. Y en ese momento era imposible, porque los vuelos a la Isla eran pocos y nunca llegué a encontrar uno. Ahí fue que decidí quedarme.

¿Cómo se sintió ver todo lo que sucedía en Puerto Rico mediante las noticias?

Me sentí triste, honestamente, porque es mi Isla, donde nací, donde he vivido toda mi vida. Tener que irme del lugar donde he estado viviendo toda mi vida por un huracán es algo bien difícil.

¿Tenías a alguien que se quedó en la isla que te tenía preocupado?

Mi familia entera estaba ahí, mi hermana es la única que vive en Tampa. Gracias a Dios nada les llegó a pasar a ellos, pero estuvieron mucho tiempo sin luz.

¿Tienes planificado volver a la Isla?

Sí, primordialmente quisiera terminar mis estudios. Pero más allá de eso, yo me fui sin despedirme de nadie, siento la necesidad de estar allí. Me fui el día antes del huracán, han sido siete meses y todavía no he podido ver a nadie de mi familia.

¿Qué quieres lograr en tu vida?

Yo quiero terminar lo que empecé, que sería graduarme de un bachillerato en Enfermería. Después de eso trabajaría como enfermero y completaría una maestría en psicología. También quiero ser parte de la milicia; siempre pensé en hacerlo, pero nunca lo contemplé tan seriamente como lo hago ahora por las circunstancias.

This story was written by William Gomez Aquino as part of a collaboration between Feet in 2 Worlds and journalism students at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Fi2W is supported by the David and Katherine Moore Family Foundation, the Ralph E. Odgen Foundation, the J.M. Kaplan Fund, an anonymous donor and readers like you.

AboutFeet in Two Worlds
Feet in 2 Worlds (Fi2W) is an independent media outlet, journalism training program, and launchpad for emerging immigrant journalists and media makers of color. Our work brings positive and meaningful change to America's newsrooms and has a broader impact on how immigration is reported and the ethnic and racial composition of news organizations.