Ceni Rodriguez is a student who is part of Literacy Network’s workplace literacy program and citizenship program.
At Reading Between the Wines on May 3, she reflected on growing up in Colombia and over 20 years living in the United States:
I grew up in Barranquilla, Colombia and I had a happy childhood. As a kid, I played with my siblings, I liked climbing trees and swimming in the river, I liked school and when I was 14 years old I graduated as a Commercial Secretary, at 16 years I graduated High School. When I lived in my country I got a job at a vistion “optics” I was working only for 3 months because a man who was a customer saw my potential and asked me to work in the Company for which he was manager. That company gave me the opportunity to continue studying at University of Atlantic and I graduated from Business Administration at 21 years old. But two years before I met my husband in the same Company, and we got married I was 20 years old and he was 25. We set up our company of Imports and Exports, he was a Customs Agent. Our Company Lasted 10 years. After that I worked in a Bank as Commerical Director until November 1995, because in the same month I moved with my whole family to the United States.
When we arrived I went to study English at MATC but in May 1996 it was opening of the Fairfield Hotel and I did not want to miss that opportunity and started working on July 3, 1996. I grew up very fast in that great company, N.C.G gave me the opportunity to be the Housekeeping manager for 16 years. I resigned from the position after my daughter, who was pregnanat, she went into a coma for 3 days when her twin daughters were born on March 22nd, 2012.
Now I continue working with the same excellent company but at the Residence Inn as Assistant, Room Inspector and also as a housekeeper I like everything I do because I have more time to share with my daughter. also I love my job because we have guests of other countries and I can provide Memorable Service and know their culture, I also like when evaluating an employee in order to encourage them to improve Their work, I like to look for the details and take care of the intangible service.
These days . . . I am also livng a great success in my life, on March 22nd it’s my big day because is my naturalization Oath Ceremony as a US citizen in a US court House in Milwaukee and also my twin grand-daughters celebrate their 6th birthday.
And finally I’m also starting a small business in the stock market.
In the future, I want to be retired receiving my pension from Colombia and United States. Also I hope to work only 3 days a week and continue enriching my knowledge to help others.
I want to enjoy my whole family, my friends and continue traveling.
I also hope to continue to increase my business in the stock market.
Thank you, Ceni, for sharing your story!