My Success Story

by Mario Ruiz

My name is Mario Ruiz. I was born and raised in Mexico City. As a child life was very hard on us. I have nine brothers and sisters. In those times my mother worked very hard, washing clothes and cleaning houses for the rich. While at work, my older sisters would watch us. I can say and thinking back, we were a handful, always getting in trouble. Even though life was hard, my mom always pushed education on us, knowing that this would be our way out of poverty and for survival. My school was about two hours away walking or runnning. We had to get up pretty early, eat a “bolillo”, which is like a roll, and coffee, or at times nothing until we got to school. Like most kids we were mischievous, making girls cry, fighting, not getting homework done. My oldest brother had moved to another state to work since work was scarce, still is. He would come every time we needed him. He would check report cards to see how well we did. If we got bad grades he would punish us. If we were really bad, each bad grade was a spanking. Until this day, I thank him for making us walk the straight line. I guess it has worked. One brother is an architect and two are nurses. I graduated from high school and went through two years at the university.

How did I get here? That was an adventure, one that I wouldn’t do again. I came to the U.S. with my two sons and their mother. One of the struggles we had was to understand how to “live” here! There were several things I needed to overcome. First was the language. Everything was in English. Even though we found jobs with people who spoke Spanish, everything else was still English. Then it was hard to find a job. I tried several things including dishwasher, which I quit the same day. I never washed a dish back home, I always traded jobs with someone else so I wouldn’t have to do it. After two years of being here, I invited my two brothers to come over with me. Here life is easier and nicer and there are jobs for everyone. Jobs are hard but your body gets use to it. After five years of being here, my brother passed away. That was very difficult. We weren’t able to go back for the funerals. I say funerals because two years ago, my father also passed and we weren’t able to return. But even though we were heartbroken we continued life and were able to overcome the sadness. One happy thing that came that same year is that my mom was able to get her visa and passport. She now proudly visits us two times a year. But our dream is to get our visa and passport so we can surprise her at her door.

I can remember several different experiences that happened to me at work. I first worked at Samsung in the fabrication of micro chips. It was very clean, beautiful and there were many robots inside. We learned and experienced many ways in which technology is used. Another experience is when for the first time I crossed an iron beam thirty five floors up and hanging from almost nothing trying to screw on large nuts and bolts, hanging like a monkey in thin air. I was really scared but money was very good and that has been my profession for eight years. I continue in this field, because all the schools, universities, and state buildings that we build are going to be used for the good of everyone who can attend schools and vote.

There are several reasons I love this country. I can take my family to the beach. It was my first time because back home money was very tight and it was expensive to travel. Here I can take my family to an amusement park, museums, parks and even go camping. I wouldn’t trade these things for the world. One of my dreams is to have my own business in iron work. Of course I need English, so I give thanks to God and to all the communities that have English programs like the one a La FUENTE Learning Center that help all Hispanics like me to overcome that hurdle. I also thank God for my health, mental and physical and for my family, here and there (Mexico City). I also thank God for the opportunity to live in a country so clean, beautiful and big. Since I was little my mom pushed education on us. I push it on my kids. I visit their schools, I speak with teachers. I try to get involved with every aspect of their lives. I discipline them and I praise them. If they are good we take fishing trips, go camping and/or go to the beach. My wife has shown me different states and towns. We have gone hiking, visited caves and zoos.

Even though life takes you through loops, like my separation from my kid’s mom, I will never forget that life continues. I am now married and have a beautiful daughter to add to my bunch, which are now two boys and one girl. I can say I understand why people risk their lives and the lives of family members to have a chance to live here in the U.S. We are not bad people. We are just looking for the best place to raise our families and give our kids the best of this world and schools, especially education. We want them to have hospitals and restaurants and libraries. It does pay off in the long run to sacrifice something.

I have seen many bad times from the earthquake in Mexico City in 1986, where many people were killed and school buildings flattened, to the September 11 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers, to the Tsunami that killed many people. I continue to thank God for giving me one day at a time. I can say many people do not appreciate what this country can do for them. But like many people on May 1st that paraded down the street for our rights, they do appreciate this country. They would like to have a chance. May God be with all of us!

Thank you,
Mario Ruiz

Story written by Mario, translated by his wife and edited by teacher Carmen Rodriguez.

LA FUENTE Learning Center
2115 E. 2nd St.
Austin, Texas 78702