The story about Andrea Santander, an immigrant from Santiago de Chile, started in August 1989 when she was sent to search for her husband who came two years ago (1987). The family “reunion program” or “family reunification” ment that a husband or wife who first came to Sweden could apply for family reunion to their partner and family.This program was provided by Immigration Department at the time.
Andrea first thought, when thinking about a new future in Sweden, was her three daughters.
-I was thinking of giving my children a better education than their home country offered them.
She also told me, she was alone in Chile, and it was very difficult to have full responsibility for their daughters and she was forced to have three different jobs to pay for the education for them.
-It`s very difficult to study because education were very expensive at that time.
As an adult she could`t finish her high school studies before coming to Sweden, even though she was studying at night while her children was sleeping.
Andrea fulfills her dream
She also had a dream to fulfill and Sweden had a better chance of doing it. Andrea Santander´s ambition from childhood was to have a college degree, At first she wanted to study for the title of "Doctor" in medical school, but never had the chance.
She as a person with a desire to succeed never stopped believing that someday she could get her college degree.
-It emphasized a famous phrase in Latin America, as she put it into practice.“I always want to move ahead.”
As Andrea came to be Spanish Teacher?
One day a friend of Andrea called to ask if Andrea could replace a Spanish teacher in a school in a nearby town called "Söderrköping". She agreed, but she did´t have the exam for teaching Spanish, she only had courses from the university.
She says that it was very hard for her to learn Spanish, because she had to learn all about the history of the language, phonetics, Hispanic culture and much more.
She decided to continue to study Spanish and to be a professional teacher, because here in Sweden at that time there were high demands from people wanting to learn Spanish.
- I also wanted to fullfil my dream and get the college degree, the exam. Hard work didn´t stop me.
