Cristian Medina Maldonado is learning all about Minnesota winters. He’s witnessed his first 10-inch snowfall and last week he learned what sub-zero temperatures and wind chill are all about.
But the weather hasn’t made him think twice about his decision to move from the year-round heat of his home in Salvatierra, Gunajuato, Mexico. No, the chance to come to the United States and experience an entirely different culture was an opportunity he simply couldn’t pass up and far outweighs the cold he’ll have to endure for a few months each year.
“When you come here, you gain something that’s really good, but at the same time you lose something,” he points out, referring to more pay, but missing family. “I know that I’m here because I’m able to help my family way more than when I was there and also making money for my own family in the future.
“We’re able to provide more opportunities for our family that they didn’t have before.”
Medina Maldonado, 24, works with the We Care Team at HyLife in Windom.
Although he left his home in Mexico, he is not living alone in Windom. His brothers — Marco, 25, and Emanuel, 20 — have joined him in Windom. They all work at HyLife and live in Windom. They left behind in Salvatierra their mother, sister and youngest brother.
For much more on this story, see the article in the Jan. 5 issue of the Cottonwood County Citizen on newsstands tomorrow.
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