Yasmin Islas is a young Venezuelan woman who left the Caribbean nation for South America to live with her North American husband and return to school to earn her college degree. She has always given full attention to her studies and pursued a Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Services at the University of California, Davis. Although she has always given the best of herself, recently her parents changed their minds and encouraged her to pursue a career as a nurse and instead of going back to school, they chose to invest in an all inclusive vacation resort in the Caribbean to raise their daughter. While this may seem like a bad idea considering that Yasmin is just twenty-one years old, her parents apparently made the right choice since Yasmin was able to acquire a position as a counselor in a wellness center in the community.
So why did her parents change their minds? According to their reasoning, it was necessary that Yasmin experience a different type of culture and life in order to adapt to her new life. In addition, they felt that it would be better if their daughter married an American since that is where she gained her knowledge and experience in her Bachelor’s degree program. However, the reason why the Islas family changed their decision to allow Yasmin to marry an American man instead of settling in South America was because her mother was from Venezuela and had received only a high school diploma. With the help of a friend who is a U.S. citizen, Yasmin was able to acquire a visa that would allow her to remain in the United States legally as well as marry a person of her choice.
What does this mean for Yasmin Islas? For the next few years, she will have to maintain her US citizenship. Although she is a US citizen by birth, fulfilling her duties as a member of the Venezuelan Nationality can be extremely difficult. In addition, she might not be able to change her profession even if she wanted to since most banks in Venezuela do not recognize dual citizenship status. Nevertheless, by maintaining her citizenship, she will be able to continue her chosen career as a teacher or attorney. It is also important to note that in 2005, Venezuela passed a law that declares American citizens as foreign agents if they take part in activities aimed at undermining the country’s stability.