My parents

© Veronica Sanchis Bencomo

I come from a family of migrants. My father’s father, Bautista, emigrated to Venezuela in the early 1930s from Spain, and my mum’s father, Nicola, emigrated to Venezuela in the late 1940s from Italy. Both of them were looking for a better life in this new country that was welcoming hundreds of migrants from the old continent.

I’m originally from Venezuela, but I hold a dual nationality Spanish/ Venezuelan. I have been living in the UK since 2004. I originally moved to Britain in order to learn English. I arrived when I was 17 years old and I was hosted by an English family. I never planned to stay for longer than 9 months. However, when I embarked on my trip to Britain I took certain objects that still remain with me.

This is a picture of my parents, Ivone and Jose, and a letter written to me by my father. After 8 years living in the UK, I still carry my parents’ photographs in my purse, and now and then re-read my father’s encouraging and inspiring words.