Venezuelan Community in Miami

 

Arriving in Miami for the first time and hearing Spanish in every corner, one wonders if one is really in the United States, and quickly realizes why this city is considered the Hispanic capital of the country. And when visiting the city of El Doral, in Miami-Dade County, you might think you have entered Caracas, where arepas are sold everywhere and the Venezuelan flag is seen more than the American flag.

 

Venezuelans are the latest unstoppable wave of migration feeding Miami's melting pot of Latino cultures. According to the latest Democratic Vision Foundation study based on U.S. Census Bureau data, there are an estimated 200,000 in South Florida, half of which live all across the country.

 

Most have arrived in the last 10 years, pushed by the crisis of the government of Nicolás Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chávez. The number of immigrants went from 164,903 in 2005, to 418,366 in 2017, more than doubling (253%) in just over a decade.

 

"Around 19,000 Venezuelans live in Doral, 28% of the city's population, plus those we don't know about, because they have arrived recently and end up at an aunt's house, a relative, a friend...", says Alfredo Ortega, the Venezuelan head of the mayor's office, in a conversation with EL MUNDO.

 

Ortega highlights the significant increase in the number of his compatriots in recent months, and mentions the efforts made by the mayor's office to help the newcomers. They have given seminars and talks on immigration, and have a network of contacts that offer support, such as churches, state offices, and organizations.

A guide to emigrating with your school-age children and not dying in the attempt

 

Moving to another country is not an easy decision, especially if you have children. You will need to think about the aspects that can affect them in their routine, mainly because there will be an adjustment process for the whole family.

 

Although children can adjust to changes easier than adults, you should still anticipate and prepare to avoid complications.

 

Depending on your child's age, you need to know how the education system works. In the United States, according to its territorial political organization, each state has its own Department of Education, and schools depend on school districts. The schools in Doral depend on Miami-Dade County, being the 4th largest district in the country.

 

If you decide to enroll your children in public schools, they will be assigned to the school in the area where you live. And here comes another variable to consider: the place of residence. A fact to take into account is that the Florida Department of Education evaluates schools according to student performance, and the classification of schools uses letters, with A being the highest and F the lowest.

 

If you don't speak English, don't worry if your children haven't had contact with the language. There are ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) education programs. These programs have been designed to train the student in the use and knowledge of the language.