Not long ago, all the FI concepts were very foreign to me just like I was when I migrated to the United States.
When I decided to make a change, it meant stepping out of what I knew, to take on new challenges for a better future.
I am also an immigrant in the United States. I permanently moved here in the pursue of freedom and opportunities. (I tell you a bit about my story in the about section of the blog).
These “migrations” didn’t happen simultaneously but they are very similar in the sense that they involve drastic changes for a better tomorrow. Both have colored my experiences and continue to shape my mindset and identity today.
Every immigrant has a unique story that merges our experiences from back home to the challenges of reinventing ourselves as we become part of a new society.
The diversity of reasons we migrated are as vast as our backgrounds and the countries we come from.
I can only tell my story and what I consider the main ways in which being an immigrant positively influences my path to FI.
I have a head start on being “different”
As many have mentioned before, one of the hardest aspects of taking care of our finances is not necessarily the math; it is going against what is “normal.”
All the sudden you are the one bringing lunch to work everyday, driving the oldest car in the parking lot, and not updating to the latest iPhone.
If you are walking among this crowd, it is very likely you have done something that makes you odd to everyone else around you. That’s just the thing that happens when you decide to live intentionally.
If you come from somewhere else entirely you are likely use to be the one that’s “different.” You don’t really have to do anything, that’s just how it is 🙂
I first arrived to a rural area of the US so my accent made me quite the alien from the moment I said “hi!”
I looked different, sounded different, and eating the skin of mangoes didn’t help with trying not to be weird (grandma always said that’s where the vitamins were!).
Being different comes along with being foreign. Making choices that are against the norm as we prioritize getting our finances in order is just one more stripe on the zebra.
Immigration requires resilience and so does achieving financial independence
Immigration and resilience walk together holding hands.
Leaving everything you know behind to start new is difficult and one must be tough to face the many challenges and keep on going.
The language barrier, the loneliness, the never-ending immigration paperwork they all required me to push myself forward no matter what.
The difficulties I faced and my work situation don’t even compare to what many immigrants have to endure when they move to America.
In my case, I knew I had to be ready to work like I never had to before if I wanted this move to be permanent. Having to hustle became a way I try things out and see what I liked and what I didn’t. I also saw work as a way to meet people and sharpen my skills (including speaking English!).
Taking control of our finances requires resilience and work. We have to be self-starters to dig and learn about personal finance, find side hustles and leap when a better opportunity shows up. We have to be resilient throughout the process to not rely on old habits when things get difficult.
Reframing “rejection”
It didn’t feel good when I applied for my first car loan and I got denied.
Being foreign didn’t open choices for student loans either. Many great internship opportunities specified that applicants needed to be “US citizens only.” It was only fair but still felt disappointing at the time.
Now, I can be thankful for the loan rejections. They helped me avoid the car and student loan trap when I would have so easily signed up – because that’s what everyone did!
Not being eligible for loans and the many scholarships reserved for citizens meant I had to get creative to complete my tuition payments.
I was lucky my parents were helping me complement my main scholarships but as their financial situation changed I had to step up my own contributions by working as much as I could.
Having access to loans would have made things much “easier” but I know now that the lack of options was a blessing in disguise.
I also felt the first sting of vulnerability when I wasn’t given my visa the first time I applied for it. I wasn’t “rejected” but I wasn’t told a clean “yes” – which also felt like rejection.
My future wasn’t here, not there – I was nowhere. It really sucked. I still haven’t broke the silent record of that day. It made me think a lot. I realized then that if I was told a “no” first, it was to keep trying and never take the “yes” for granted.
Recognize my privilege and prioritize generosity
Back home my family was well off relative to most. We weren’t the richest but we certainly had comforts and opportunities that weren’t possible for many.
I didn’t have allowances but if I wanted something all I had to do was ask. I never asked much though, I was aware of my privileges since I was very young because it was apparent many of my friends and extended family members didn’t have them.
Extreme poverty wasn’t out site either. It was very real and very present like it is in many undeveloped and third-world countries around the world. The rawness of it all made me very aware of my privileges, from the food I ate to having the dream-like opportunity to come to the US for my education.
The level of inequality when it came to opportunities never felt quite right. When I was young it was difficult to understand why kids that were more talented than me weren’t given the chances I had. In sports for example, their parents couldn’t pay for them to travel so they couldn’t even participate in things outside our city. It happened often and I always wished I could do something to change it.
One of my why’s for achieving financial independence is still that exact itch to try to even the playing field. I recognize that’s an immense task and I am not sure how much of an impact I will be able to make. But if I can help ONE person, I am already ahead of not even trying to do something about it.
Even the the basic level of financial traction we have gotten so far is already allowing us to help a bit. Personally, this is a great fuel for my FI tank. We may not be able to fix everything but there is always something we can do for someone somewhere.
Extra motivation to make smart decisions
My parents (who still live in my home country) are most likely going to need my support for their retirement.
I am glad to be able to be here for them, that’s another of “my why’s for FI”. However, that requires that I am able to have enough surplus to help while still being able to build a strong financial foundation for my small family.
Sometimes I find that a sense of duty makes us dial up the discipline. We somehow get to believe in ourselves through loving others. I think that happens because we start aligning with our best selves in the process of make it all work out.
Those are just some of the ways being a fimigrant works out for me ; )
What about you? What other points would you add to the list? Even if you aren’t an immigrant, what type of experiences you think have pre-disposed you to the path to FI?
