45 years immigration anniversary to the U.S./Carlos Pueblo

45 years immigration anniversary to the U.S./Carlos Pueblo

August 17 of this year is my 45 years immigration anniversary to the U.S. and I feel that I should congratulate myself for my decision of my childhood and my effort to stay in this great nation for the benefit of myself and my children. In 1975, I had had  a F-1 visa with a teaching assistant to enter the country as a graduate student before I completed all my citizen obligation to the Nationalist Chinese Regime in Taiwan. I have made up my mind to work hard to stay in the U.S. and never returned to Taiwan. I didn't know that the Chiang Kai-sek's Dynasty would be ended eventually.

My stipend from Auburn was $375 a month which was 3 times of my high school teacher's pay in Taiwan. It was enough for me to pay the tuition, room and board, and even a small saving for the left over. In return, I worked at the laboratory as a teaching assistant for 4 hours with a T.A. partner and graded the paper and examination. I could study hard without any anxiety of money. Two years later I finished my master degree and moved to Houston, Texas.

Again, I was accepted another term of T.A. with a new stipend of $450 a month from the University of Houston and the goal was toward the Ph.D. degree in Chemistry. I admitted that I didn't do well at all. It was a booming town and I found a job in a chemical laboratory as a technician with a pay of $5 an hour, then changed to another full time job with a water lab in the Johnson Space Center. The pay was about $8 an hour for almost 3 years. Then, I was terminated from the job. It was hard for a newly wed husband of seven months. I decided not to take a city chemist position in Detroit, Michigan because I desired to try in the field of sales. I started as a real estate agent and an insurance agent simultaneously.

I like the insurance part of the business because the property insurance I get the renewal commission which means I can add new income to the old renewal service commission. I served to a very small Taiwanese immigrant community for their insurance needs such as the vehicle insurance, home owner policy and rental property insurance. I also did the life insurance, health insurance, and some security products deal. My income was improving and there were two children added to the family.

After almost 12 years, I was terminated again from my contract with that insurance company. My brother Yancy recommended me to join his life insurance company and I did. After less than 10 years, I was terminated again and that was in 2001. Since then, I had attempted to be a high school teacher after a two months try at Galveston, Texas and failed, briefly returned to two insurance companies and failed again. However, I still have maintained my individual contract with some independent carriers till now to serve a small group of my old customers.

My personal savings kicks in for all of these years since 2001. The meaningful part of my life is to manage my own finance and help one of my son to have a happy life. I figure out my own way to live a pleasant life in the old age. I am very sure that I have left the poverty class in my life. I am much happier than my parents at their time. I have no longer need to worry about money and I keep myself healthy without any worry about the aging such as senior care like I don't need the life insurance because I have had it in my saving already. I am not worry about the Chinese invasion of the U.S. at all and I am very safe here.