Millions of Salvadorans dispersed around the whole world

Immigration Patterns among Salvadorans

During World War II many Salvadorans immigrated to the United States, however, it remained steady and minimal.
In the 1960s the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 whereby legal residency was not based on national origins, but on first come first serve basis permitted the development of Salvadoran based communities in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
El Salvador faced a difficult period in the 1970s as there were human rights violations, overpopulation, economic stagnation, political upheaval, violence and the roots of civil war.
In the 1970s and 1980s Salvadoran immigration grew dramatically as the Civil War intensified and the United States engaged in an immense campaign against the FMLN (the revolutionary front).
It is estimated that approximately 20 to 35% of the Salvadoran population had been displaced by 1985.
In the late 1990s thousands of Salvadorans came to the United States fleeing from the devastation of Hurricane Mitch and to reunite with family.
Many people reside in the United States under the Temporary Protective Status and have work permits that need to be renewed and approved by the Congress of the United States.

Salvadorans around the world:

Receiving countries of Salvadorans immigrants:

Belize England Israel

Honduras Germany Japan

Nicaragua Norway Mexico

Costa Rica Sweden France

Panama Finland Australia

Puerto Rico Italia United Sates

Dominican Republic Switzerland Peru

Ecuador Brazil Chile

Argentina

Most Salvadorans immigrate to areas where there are already family and friends from the same city or village. In addition to enclaves and networks, many Salvadorans immigrate to areas where there are Salvadoran support systems, but then again support systems have been created in areas where there is a large Salvadoran Population. It is estimated that there are approximately 700 Salvadoran organizations throughout the United States.

So where can you find most Salvadorans in the United States?

The largest Salvadoran populations can be found in:

· Los Angeles, California (over 800,000)

· San Francisco, California (over 450,000)

New York (over 421,000)
Washington, DC (over 150,000)

What is the impact of Salvadorans abroad on El Salvador?

Nearly 1/3 of all Salvadorans have relatives in the United States.
Remittances from “los hermanos lejanos” reached an average of 114.5 million dollars in 1999. These remittances constitute the largest form of national income (6 de marzo, 2000, La Prensa Grafica).
This has created a generation of people that are learning to survive on money sent rather than money they have earned.
80% of these remittances is spent on food and little is reinvested in the country.
Almost an entire generation, most aged 14-40, left in search of work abroad

Student Voices

In a brief survey that I conducted with approximately 10 Salvadoran High School students I think that can be valuable information for teachers:

Our students come from all different places in El Salvador, both rural and urban areas, such as:

Usulutan, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Unión, Sonsonete, San Salvador, and Santa Ana.

Reasons why students believe that they and their parents came to the United States:

· To escape poverty and to move up in life.

· To progress.

· To have all the material things that they needed.

· To get money and to give us (myself and siblings) a better life.

· To make money.

· To have a better future.

· To escape the bad economy in El Salvador.

· To study and have a better education.

It is important to understand an issue that students often face within their family structure:

90% of the students that answered the survey stated that they had been separated from their parents for a long period of time and they had to be raised by an aunt, grandparent or other relative. Thus, creating resentment of students toward parents.
Students had been separated from their parents for 3 months, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 15 years.
They also suffer separation anxiety because of the family they left back home and they often feel like strangers in their new home.
Ways that this is often manifested is through defiance toward parents
(they didn’t raise them so why should they discipline them), family conflicts due to lack of communication, resistance toward new culture (all a lot of students did not want to come in the first place).
Students must often face disillusionment; they had false expectations about this country (parents were able to send brand name products and money back home.
All these conflicts soemtimes cause depression.

(generally, however students recognize and appreciate the struggle and sacrifice that their parents have made in order to come to this country).

Most students have family in other parts of the United States and the world such as:

Los Angeles, California

New York
Sacramento, California
Washington, DC
Virginia
Canada

Since most students came at all different ages and have very different experiences they also come with different educational experiences:

One student came at 15 but only finished 4^th grade.
One student went up to the 3^rd grade.
A few students went up to the 6^th grade.
One student was five months away from graduating from the 8^th grade.
One student went up to the 9^th grade in El Salvador.

Students believe that the Salvadoran Community in the United States possess the following qualities:

Hardworking
Honest
Patriotic
Struggle to have a better future
Struggle to own homes
Struggle to have better careers
Loving
United with family
Helpful to family
Intelligent
Good manners
Humble
Good sense of humor (sarcasm)

Our Salvadorans have dreams and goals for the future:

To graduate from High School.
To continue studying.
To study art, own a business, help my mother, and get married.
To pursue a career that does not require so many years of study.
To study and get a career in this country.
To a own house some day.
To take classes in college.
To have a good job, a spouse and children and a car for transportation.