HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH - Lee Brothers in the Land of Opportunities

Photo By Amy Phillips | HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH FEATURE The Lee brothers are from Puerto Rico and work at Fort Hunter Liggett.  

FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CA, UNITED STATES

10.11.2016

Story by Amy Phillips 

Fort Hunter Liggett Public Affairs Office

Older brother Steven moved here first in September 2014 while Bryan was still in college. He worked at many different companies to make a living but “it wasn’t working out.”
“I love it here. It’s so peaceful here,” said Steven. He grew up in a bustling city where “all you smelled were car fumes and Burger King. Here, you can smell the trees, the grass.”
Steven’s friend, Xavier Vazquez, encouraged him to move to California and helped him sign up to the Army Community Services Volunteer Program. Vazquez works as the Information Technology Specialist at the Cybrary.
Steven helped in various directorates and his more than 300 hours of selfless service earned him the FHL 2015 Volunteer of the Year Award.
Steven is now a federal employee working at the Department of Public Works (DPW) as a real property specialist.
“Steven is a serious minded person and a hard worker,” said Gary Houston with DPW. “He shows a strong degree of willingness to get the job done.”
Younger brother Bryan moved to King City in November 2015. Like his older brother and many Puerto Ricans, Bryan was hoping for a better life but it took him a long time to finally make the big move to the U.S. It was a very difficult decision having to leave a sick father and his fiancé behind. He wanted to make sure everything was taken care of before his move.
“I talked about moving for so long, my parents didn’t really believe I was going to do it,” said Bryan.
Bryan is currently the Librarian Assistant at the FHL’s Cybrary helping the Family, Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Marketing section.
“Bryan has a can do attitude and gives us 110% effort,” said Vazquez.
Both brothers hail from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico and have never been to California prior to their move here.
With a chuckle, Bryan recalls an experience he had when he first moved here.
“I was speaking Spanish to a Mexican and he told me to bring something ahorita. So I said ‘sure.’” Bryan went about his business and the man repeats his request stressing ahorita. This went on several times before Bryan finally asked the man what he wanted. Apparently, ahorita to a Mexican means “now” while to a Puerto Rican, it means “later.”
Soldiers and their dependents move often so they know how the English dialect can differ depending on where you are in the United States. It’s the same with Spanish. Although Hispanics share the same or similar base language of Spanish, the same word can sometimes have different meanings in different cultures.
In addition, what constitutes Hispanic heritage is debatable – some say it is based on a common language while others say it’s based on geographic location. Bryan says that there are many different Hispanic cultures but they have a lot in common.
“What I like most about us is we’re very sociable and family oriented,” said Bryan.
Steven doesn’t differentiate himself or others as “Hispanics” or other ethnic labels. “We’re all the same,” he said. “I don’t divide Hispanics, Latinos, blacks, white, whatever…we’re all the same.”
Life is good for the Lee brothers - Steven has a steady job and was able to move his wife and son to King City shortly after he arrived. “My Goal has always and will always be to get my family afloat,” said Steven. He hopes to bring another brother next year.
Bryan is close to achieving his career goals to work in the marketing field but “I still haven’t accomplished my goals.” He hopes to move his fiancé here when she graduates from college next summer and wants to have his own home.

• Date Taken: 10.11.2016
• Date Posted: 10.11.2016 15:06
• Story ID: 211731
• Location: FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CA, US