Originally from Altamirano, Mexico, Jubel arrived in Minneapolis seven months ago. He joined two older sisters already living here but left behind his mother and six other siblings.
Although he misses the rest of his family and does not know when or if they too will journey to the United States, Jubel says that he left to seek economic opportunity. When he turned 16, Jubel started working in a clothing store. He finished high school and continued to work there for the next seven years but realized that the job wasn’t going anywhere. The money he made was not enough to support his family.
Now that he is here, Jubel works prepping food in the back of a restaurant. He started taking beginning English classes at the ELC in January because he sees the connection between English skills and employment opportunities. Although he isn’t sure yet about his ultimate career goals, for now he would like to become a waiter. He wants to be able to fully communicate with customers at the restaurant.
Beyond work, Jubel is feeling settled in his new home. He enjoys spending time with his sisters and sometimes goes out with friends from work. His oldest sister has lived here 15 years, so nothing has surprised him too much. Although he doesn’t love winter, he actually thinks it’s a nice change. Altamirano is located in a region of Mexico known as “tierra caliente” or “hot land,” and he never really enjoyed the heat. He does, however, miss having beautiful ocean beaches just a couple hours away!
Jubel notes that he is grateful for all his teachers and especially appreciates the one-to-one tutoring help he has received. He sometimes feels discouraged by how much he has to learn but feels good about the steps he has already taken. With time, he’ll surely take many more!