As a poor farm girl in Caracas, Venezuela, my mother did not know the meaning of savings until she immigrated to America in June of 1986. Since Venezuela’s economy was falling apart, many of the country’s citizens, especially students, wanted to have basic and necessary commodities, such as shoes and clothes. Rather than saving money for food and a college education, my mom and others had no sense of how to make sensible day-to-day investments. It was then that my Aunt Rosa sent my mother a small pink piggybank for my mother. Since my Aunt knew that my mother’s habits were unhealthy and would be detrimental for her future in America, she instructed my mom to learn the financial aspects of savings and planning from a Spanish translated bank pamphlet. Before her departure to America 9 months later, my mom began to carry that glass piglet everywhere she went, to school, to work, to church, everywhere. Any bolivar she received or found went straight into the pig. This method was not only effective in getting rid of mother’s harmful spending habits, but made my mom recognize that life challenges should not be taken for granted. And so, the pink piggybank was my mom’s most precious immigration object because it reminded her of my Aunt’s words: “Spend less to receive more.” Thus, my Aunt’s tireless efforts/ life-lessons and the piggybank had been instrumental in making my mother a wiser spender and in keeping track of my family’s financial situations to this day in America.   

– AP

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant