About work and family as an immigrant.

A couple of months ago during one of our game audio hangouts, I had a chat with someone in a leadership position at a studio. He (European) had spent many years living in Los Angeles and working in Hollywood, with decades of experience. I was sharing how difficult it can sometimes be for me to make decisions about my career because I always have to consider how my choices might affect my family in Latin America.

He told me not to worry about such things. According to him, no matter what I do, my family would just be happy knowing I am doing well. He emphasized that to succeed in the AAA gaming industry or Hollywood, I need to put myself first and foremost out there. He said I should not let ties to a place or family hold me back.

I understand his perspective, and I know he meant well, but the advice felt odd to me, like he just did not get it. I may be the first generation in my family to emigrate to Europe, but I am not the first to emigrate. My mother and her sisters moved from Bolivia to Argentina to study during a time when universities in my country were periodically shut down due to martial law. They supported themselves while also sending money back to help my grandparents. And when I was very young, my father worked in a factory in Uruguay for months at a time and sent money back so my mother and I could be okay.

Now, I find myself far from Bolivia. My parents are getting older, and I have two teenage brothers who still need care. I feel an obligation to carefully consider my choices, not just to build a stable future for myself, but also to find ways to support my family back home. For me, thinking only about myself is not an option.

I know many people who emigrated from developing countries share this feeling. When you grow up in a place where opportunities are scarce, family often becomes a cornerstone of your decisions. Many of us watched our parents or relatives sacrifice their comfort to provide for us, so it feels natural to want to give back once we find opportunities. For some, this means sending money home. For others, it means making career choices with the family’s future in mind.

I do not know if this sense of responsibility is cultural or simply a product of growing up in a third-world country, where community bonds often come from a need for mutual subsistence. But it is undeniably part of who many of us are. It shapes how we define success and how we balance our ambitions with our connections to home. And is not just about money, either. It is about honoring the sacrifices that made our opportunities possible and maintaining a connection to where we came from. This feeling of duty can be overwhelming, but it is also deeply grounding: a reminder of who we are and what truly matters.

These were just some thoughts I had today as I reflect on the year, sitting 10,000 kilometers away from home during the holiday season.

Embrace your loved ones, everybody.

Me and my Family at Titikaka Lake, 2023