OK, here is my story, I call myself an All-American Polish Hoser.
My father was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1923. (Actually stayed in the same apartment/Condo in the 1990's travelling with my Father).
During World War Two, my father, along with his two brothers escaped the German occupied area by traveling through Forest/Hunting land, ending up in Switzerland and became refugees. They stayed together, and were assigned to Canada, and placed on a boat. When they arrived, they became Canadian citizens, and got permission to work, as there were no real welfare/housing. (They stayed on a military base in tents while transitioning). They all chipped in and got an apartment, and applied to attend the University of Toronto using a war scholarship.
My mother was born in Leaside, a suburb in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her parents lived in Croydon, England. Shortly after getting married, they moved to Canada. My Grandfather actually built the house they lived in (with help). The house held 9, Mom, Dad, my Mom and her 6 brothers/sisters. She graduated with Honors from Leaside High, and got a scholarship to the University of Toronto.
They met at the University, fall in Love, and shortly after my Mother graduated (a year after my dad). My Dad got a job with the Inter American Tropical Tuna Commission, an agency set up through the UN, so in America, the Department of State. That came with a Green Card. Back then, there was more demand from Canadians to work in the USA than visa slots by a few years. So they got to the front of the line by a vote in Congress.
The office was located in Fort Rosecrans (Cabrillo National Monument), aka San Diego. So my parents arrive in 1955 to the USA, the same year they got married. (Mom had to be married to qualify for her green card.). They found a small house to rent in Ocean Beach. My mother was a Medical Laboratory Scientist, and worked in OB. I was born in 1960 on a Saturday at Doctor's Hospital in Point Loma. My mom worked on Friday, and was back at work within 3 months. They both had a Blue VW Bug, which was one of the cheapest cars on the market.
One of the Doctors my Mom knew had bought a House in La Jolla, on the cheap side of Mt. Soledad (Bay facing). Back then, there were very few roads to the area, with lots of open space. At the same time, the National Marine Fisheries was building an office building near UCSD and the Scripps Pier. A deal was made, and my parents got to buy the house from the doctor for around $10,000, as the Dr's family wasn't happy with it. (Middle of nowhere).
While I grew up, my parents sponsored multiple folks they knew to get Visas to stay in the USA. Beck then, you had to pledge to pay for any social benefits they got due to lack of work or medical costs.
When I became 12, I was told to work on weekends, which the law allowed with a school permit. I got paid $1 an hour, a wage allowed for minors, it was $1.65 for adults. In 1974, when I turned 14, the wage went up to $1.65 per hour (Adults got at least $2), I also could work on weekdays. In fact one of my "class periods" became my job. I got graded on my work performance.
I ended up at Army & Navy Academy. My father won a big prize in the Irish Sweepstakes. He let his brother claim the ticket, since he was still lived in Canada, where the prize was non-taxable, thanks to the Queen. So he wrote the checks to the Military Academy. I got a job for a few hours a week at the Snack Bar. (Got me out of the 2 hours of evening "Study: period in your room) I then also became a member of the Security team as the only student, which allowed me to stay up to Midnight, though still had to get up at Reveille.
In college, also had jobs will attending class. Lived in apartments with roommates. After college, never had less than two jobs. Worked for the Greater San Diego Science going to classrooms to motivate students to come up with ideas for projects. Worked for a chain of Bar/Saloons, did computer billing, Tax Accounting, etc. Became a regional Manager for Johnny Rockets, working out of La Jolla.
Saving money to buy a Condo, and then rented it to friends/roommates to help pay the mortgage. After my second Condo (Still rented out the first one), and after awhile, got rid of the roommate in my new Condo and moved in the Girlfriend. Sold the second condo in San Diego to buy one in Tustin. After a few years, sold both Condos, one totally paid off, and a small mortgage on the second, to buy my current house in West Anaheim. It is now free and clear. But it took decades of hard work, and fiscal planning. My first car was a used VW Bug. Still shop at places like Audi, 99 Cent Stores, etc.
Everybody makes decisions and chooses paths to go through life. I was taught/learned that Hard Work and a good education is a valuable path, and you don't need to buy the shiny, newest things.
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