Everything started as a distant dream — just a possibility to improve our lives and, above all, to provide proper care for our 10-year-old son diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). He’s a very active child with many needs that require the support of specialized professionals — something difficult to afford in our home country.
That’s when we set our goal: migrating to Spain. From that moment on, we began to plan carefully with the little we had. Every time I got paid in dollars, we saved them, even if it meant tightening our belts and living on the bare minimum. In Venezuela, getting U.S. dollars in cash is no easy task, but we did our best. When we had some extra bolívares, we exchanged them for dollars right away.
Over the course of a year and a half, we managed to save enough money to buy plane tickets for the three of us. But we still needed more — we had to ensure some financial stability upon arrival in Spain. That’s when we made a tough decision: we sold our old Fiat Premio '96. It wasn’t worth much, but every bit helped.
Then came the news that changed everything: Spain would implement a new immigration reform starting May 20, 2025. It set off alarm bells. We were overwhelmed with anxiety, especially because we didn’t meet all the tourist entry requirements: hotel reservation, full itinerary, round-trip tickets, and sufficient funds.
That’s when we learned about an option we hadn’t considered: applying for asylum at the airport. But it wasn’t as simple as it sounded. There was a big risk: if your request was denied at the airport, you could be deported immediately. We weighed the risks against the potential changes to Spain’s immigration system and decided to go for it. It was all or nothing.
The first step: finding airline tickets. We searched for weeks across different airlines and agencies — physical and online. We compared prices, read reviews, checked their social media and reputation. Finally, we found a reliable agency, but it had no office in our state. They only accepted transfers from U.S. bank accounts, and all we had was cash. So began another challenge: finding someone with a U.S. account who could help us exchange our cash for a transfer. After some struggles, we succeeded. We bought a travel package including round-trip tickets, hotel reservation, and travel insurance.
Next, we had to travel to Caracas, where the international airport is located. We left Mérida at 5:00 p.m. by bus, headed to my sister-in-law’s apartment for some rest and food before heading to the airport. During the overnight bus ride, I completed the online check-in to select our seats — I chose one by the window for my son, who was thrilled about flying.
The trip went smoothly, and we arrived around 7:00 a.m. A cousin picked us up and took us to my sister-in-law’s apartment, where she had breakfast ready: arepas with scrambled eggs and chorizo. After eating and resting for an hour, we prepared a quick lunch — pasta with chicken in tomato sauce — and headed to the airport at 12:30 p.m. It was about 45 minutes away, and we needed to check in early to avoid delays.
When we arrived, we found a long line at the airline counter for luggage check-in. We spent nearly two hours there. Then we rushed through customs and security checkpoints until we finally reached our boarding gate. We waited another hour and a half before boarding began.
It was our first time on an airplane, and the experience was unforgettable. The aircraft looked massive from the outside, and even more so from the inside. Our seats were near the back. I gave my son the window seat — he couldn’t hide his excitement. When the plane began to taxi, we fastened our seatbelts. As it took off, I felt my body pushed into the seat from the powerful thrust. It was thrilling.
Later, the crew served dinner — it was delicious, and the service was excellent. They also gave us pillows and blankets for the cold. The seats didn’t recline much, but we managed to sleep a bit. When we woke up, daylight was pouring through the windows. All we could see was the ocean… until we spotted the coasts of Portugal and Spain. Seeing them from the sky was simply breathtaking.
Soon after, they announced our descent. We fastened our seatbelts and prepared for landing.
We had finally arrived. A new chapter was about to begin — one filled with challenges, hope, and the dream of a better life for our family in Spain.