Venezuelans homesick on Xmas

They left their country as a result of a terrible socio-economic crisis, and some arrived in TT in search of peace. But on Christmas, Venezuelans are missing their land, their family and their customs more than ever.

Some have achieved enough stability to allow them to work and help their families in Venezuela. The TT government gave thousands a chance to live and work here for up to a year.

At home in Venezuela, making the hallacas (pastelles), the ham and bread, the chicken salad and the pernil (slow-roasted marinated pork leg or pork shoulder), brings their families together while children play and wait for the arrival of Santa Claus.

Those memories fill Venezuelans in TT with nostalgia. Ivonne Gascon said, “It’s different. I miss my friends and family, who are spread across several countries of the world. In previous years we met to share and celebrate Christmas.”

She lives in Arima with her daughters. She arrived in TT over a year ago and earns a living by cooking traditional Venezuelan food.

“This Christmas we will try to share and resume our traditions with our new friends, but without losing our customs,” she said.

Her daughter Indira Matamoros has spent several Christmases in TT, so she already knows what it’s like to be away from home at this time of year.

“In Venezuela, we still have many friends and family. God separated us because of the crisis in our country and the nostalgia increases with each call, with each message, with each photo,” she said.

For most Venezuelans who came here, their main objective to work. They are taking advantage of the Christmas season to work extra hours and earn extra money.

Roxana Peralta acknowledged that working helps with the feeling of sadness and nostalgia.

“I am working in the morning in an office, and in the afternoon I will clean a house. I will arrive home exhausted and sleep.

“In Venezuela I was with my family sharing and enjoying Christmas, but this is our reality as Venezuelans abroad,” she said. Roxana is a corporate journalist, but could only get a job as a cleaner.

“We have to accept God’s will. It’s sad, because we had to abandon our lives for a new one,” she added. Carlos Martinez also plans to work from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day.

“A Trinidadian family needed Venezuelan people to clean, cook and help see about their guests during those days,” explained Martinez, an industrial engineer. “We are people who will work.

“It’s good, because we earn money which helps us forget a little about our current situation.”

Not everyone will be sad at Christmas. Many Venezuelan families came to TT together and are enjoying the opportunity to spend time together.

“We are doing here (the same) as in Venezuela. We create the joy ourselves and that’s what life is about,” said Angel Gonzalez.

He lives in Chaguanas with his wife, two children, mother and father. His two sisters arrived in TT this week.

“We are all here. We miss our homes, friends and everything we did in Venezuela, but here we are calm.

“We will ask Santa Claus to give us a new government in Venezuela next year so we can return,” he added with a laugh.