Undoubtedly, this post has been one of the hardest for me to start, especially because my parents always taught me that no matter how bad we were doing financially, no one had to know about our limitations or our needs: "The dirty laundry is washed at home".
I have told that at home we were very humble people, but hard workers. My father and mother worked to give us the life they had not had: we had education, food, clothes, travel. I never knew that we didn't have enough to cover those needs. The only thing I particularly remember is that I was always very craving and would ask my parents for things, but they didn't always oblige because they said that if they bought them for me, they should also buy them for my siblings. A wise justification for not indulging me.
Here, buying books
In fact, I have also said that my parents taught us that we should help people of very low income, so I was in charge of telling my parents to help my friends' parents to buy them uniforms, shoes, school supplies. Although sometimes they scolded me because I supposedly asked for more "than an old car", they always helped my friends. At home there was enough for us and for others.
Out for a walk with my friends
However, I must say that my parents did not allow me to work, because I was studying. My first job was as a university teacher trainer, I was about 20 years old. I was a kind of teacher's assistant and they paid me a "lot of money (jajajaja)", but my father never allowed me to help around the house: with that money I bought my things and saved.
Doing my master's degree
When I graduated, I started working at the university, as a teacher, and I began to help financially with the household expenses. We continued our usual life, only more comfortable: we no longer had only Dad's truck, I also bought a car, and we not only had a house, we also had another house for vacations in the countryside.
On vacation
In Venezuela, the only condition to live well was to work. If you worked, you could buy the things you wanted and needed, but that changed with the revolution, with the arrival of Chávez, and especially after 2015. The whole Venezuelan society began to feel in its own flesh the strong whip of the regime: we knew the face of hunger, of bad life, of human misery.
Shopping at
That same year I sold my car and many gold items I had acquired, to cope with the situation and because my father had become very ill. Then came the death of my father and we had to sell many things because the situation seemed like a monster with a thousand heads that threatened to kill us all. My salary was barely enough to eat and there was nothing left for those things that were part of my life such as traveling, buying books, buying CDs, going to the movies, eating out, going to parties. Survival was the watchword.
The Nancy of yesteryear
When the old platform came into my life, I began to see a glimmer of light under the door. I clung to that little light tooth and nail: I started posting every day. I remember the first time I got a high vote, my post reached something like $50. I was happy!!! At home my mother, my sisters and I cried with happiness because we could buy many things we needed. I remember I bought food that we couldn't buy with our salary; like meat, milk, butter, olive oil and I had the luxury of buying myself a perfume, because I had two years that smelled like a monkey. Hahahaha. I laugh now, but at that time I cried a lot.
The Nancy of now
Then came the pandemic and HIVE. I kept working and tried not to give up on my purpose: that my family would not go to sleep with an empty stomach. I remember when my other account was hacked, I almost had a heart attack and my intention was to throw in the towel, but I couldn't: the money was missing, so I started from scratch.
I remember when Dad was sick and asked me: "How are we going to do, daughter? I always told him: "It will work out, Dad. Don't worry. And that's maybe the idea: "Resolve". There are days when I feel the weight of our situation on my back like a cross that humps me and does not let me get out of bed, but it is enough for my mother to tell me: "How do we do, daughter?". "We solve, mother. We have to solve!" and I get up and put on my best smile, even if inside I am very afraid of not being able to solve.
All images are from my personal gallery, translated in Deepl
This is my participation this week for our great friend @ericvancewalton's initiative: Memoir monday. If you want to participate, here's the link to the invitation post
Thank you for reading and commenting. Until a future reading, friends
It’s a heartfelt real-life story. I’m also thankful of our platform and this community in many ways.
Thank you very much for your support, friends
I'm so sorry to hear about your years of struggle, Nancy! I can't even imagine what it was like when the economic situation changed so abruptly. We've had struggles through the pandemic in this country but nothing close to what you describe. It sounds like blogging has played a roll in helping you get by financially (and if you're anything like me it's helped psychologically as well). I'm glad to hear this and the old platform have helped to offer a little relief. I remember the old days of the big upvotes! It felt like magic sometimes. My family and I didn't believe it was even real at first because we didn't have any experience with cryptocurrency. I hope you have a wonderful evening and a peaceful rest of the week!
Likewise, my friend. Forgive the indiscretion, but how is your wife? Needless to say, here's a window to talk to someone. I know that writing is a vehicle to soothe the soul, so here are my eyes to read you (can't say my shoulder to support you). I don't speak English, but that's what the translator is for, the rest is done by sensitivity. A hug
I appreciate the concern, Nancy! Life is kind of a roller coaster for us these days, good days and bad. We're very grateful for the good ones. I hope you're having a good week. Another weekend is almost upon us.
Indeed we kearn more from crucial circumstances and they are the one that make us strong. It was painful reading your story but I think you have becone Strong enough to support your family.
"What doesn't kill you, makes you stand out", says a saying and yes, I believe that with time adversities make us stronger. Greetings and thanks for commenting