While acknowledging the sadness and loss associated with migration, some find the journey worthwhile. This sentiment is echoed by Yulimar Carolina Sifontes Cardozo, who shares her experience as an international protection recipient in Vitoria-Gasteiz. This 45-year-old Venezuelan woman arrived in the city on August 18th last year and joined the asylum program's reception phase, embarking on her socio-laboral integration journey in a country over 7,000 kilometers from her home.
Throughout her time in the program, Yulimar has faced various challenges, both related to cohabitation and personal circumstances inherent to the reception process. Those who know her closely emphasize her consistent "remarkable adaptability" and her "positive, respectful, and empathetic attitude, maintaining constant collaboration with the technical team".
Prior to arriving in Gasteiz, she spent a week in a shelter in Derio before receiving a call about an available spot in Vitoria within the program. "At first, I was hesitant due to some doubts, until they explained how it would work. I feel a beautiful connection with Adrián, the person who picked me up at the bus station," she recalls.
“"I feel grateful in every sense, the support from the Red Cross is like my family"
Yulimar herself highlights that the Red Cross has been her "greatest support" over the past year: "It's my second home and the biggest support since I've been here." So much so that, even after completing the program, she continues to contribute as a volunteer. "Without the support of the Red Cross, I wouldn't have been able to go this far, because it's difficult to arrive in another country where, even if we speak the same language, the culture is different. You have to learn the rules, know where to handle your paperwork, and everything takes its process," she reflects.
This woman stands out – and the Red Cross staff list many virtues – for her ability to overcome challenges and grow daily. As soon as her work permit was activated, she immediately began an active job search that yielded results quickly: she was hired through a temporary employment agency (ETT) at a physiotherapy center in Vitoria. Furthermore, since arriving in the country, she has obtained a level 3 professional certification in Warehouse Organization and Management, a qualification that complements her university technical training in industrial administration, a degree pursued in Venezuela that lacks official equivalence in Spain.
When asked how her life has changed in the past year, Yulimar cannot hide her tears. "If someone had told me on this date that my life would change so much, I wouldn't have believed it," she admits. "I lived in constant stress, I had no peace in my life. Now I feel grateful in every sense and I feel that the support from the Red Cross is like my family".
We feel much sadness for what we left behind and for all that we miss, but I think it's worth it
Her motivation is clear: "To do my job, be a good person, maintain my values, and no matter how difficult life gets, always remain true to myself." Her outlook for the future, a five-year horizon, blends ambition and tenderness. "I see myself in Vitoria," she states emphatically. "I see myself with a job, in a partnership, with independence, achieving all my goals, being able to help my family, and bringing my mom to visit me," she indicates. She also dreams of traveling to Germany to meet her nephew's son, whom she considers a grandson.
However, like many who build a life project far from their home country, Yulimar seeks refuge in work and daily activities to avoid dwelling on melancholy. "I like to keep busy because I don't like being idle. There's a part that feels nostalgia, a bit of sadness, and being a migrant, I feel a lot of guilt for what we left behind and for all that we miss. But I think it's worth it," concludes this woman whose journey exemplifies the integration process carried out by the Red Cross.
