To Be An Alien: A Journey from Argentina to Vermont — Nations United Event at Champlain College

At the Nations United event, which kicked off International Education Week at Champlain College, I shared my experience as an “alien” transitioning from Argentina to Vermont. This term, in the U.S. context, categorizes non-citizens into non-immigrant and immigrant aliens, each with unique experiences and challenges.

My choice of Vermont was driven not by preference but by necessity, as immigrants often face limited options. This journey was about seeking safety and new opportunities. The process of becoming an alien is filled with waiting and uncertainty, a test of patience and adaptability.

Despite language barriers and cultural differences, I’ve strived to overcome misunderstandings and embrace my role in bridging cultural divides. This journey has been about more than assimilation; it’s about reconstructing an identity that honors my past and respects my present.

This journey, as shared at the Nations United event, is a testament to the strength in our differences. It’s about standing proudly, building cultural bridges, and working for unity. It’s a commitment to make a difference, inspired by the resilience and courage of those who have walked this path before us.

Our diverse backgrounds are the tapestry that makes life rich and fulfilling. Together, we can create a world where no one feels like an outsider.

To Be An Alien Speech

Hello everyone, thank you for being here today. My name is Melina del Castillo, and I work as an Assistant Content Producer in Marketing here at Champlain. I’m excited to share a piece of my journey with you.

As a queer person from Argentina who’s been living in Vermont for two and a half years, I want to talk to you about what it means to be an alien, both legally and emotionally.

So, what is an “alien” in the eyes of the United States government? Well, it’s not little green or gray creatures from outer space… In the legal realm, an alien is essentially a person who is not a U.S. citizen. And there are two main categories of aliens: nonimmigrant aliens and immigrant aliens.

Nonimmigrant aliens are those who come to the U.S. temporarily for a specific purpose, such as tourists, students, or workers. It’s like getting a ticket to a show — you’re here for a limited time, you enjoy the performance, and then you’re expected to go home when it’s over.

On the other hand, immigrant aliens are those who come to the U.S. intending to make it their permanent home. Now, if you’re an immigrant alien, you typically go through a process that involves applying for a visa, refuge, or asylum, and if you get it, you go through the whole process of adjusting your status to become a permanent resident, often referred to as getting a “green card”. Aaand I wish I could say that it is as easy as it sounds.

So, in summary, an alien is just anyone who isn’t a U.S. citizen and is either here temporarily or looking to put down roots.

We’re not talking about intergalactic travelers; we’re talking about the wide range of people who come to this country looking for new opportunities and a place to call home.

I became an alien a few years ago when I decided to express my interest to the U.S. government in making the state of Vermont my new home. And here’s when I dive into the more emotional side of being an alien…

“Why Vermont?” you might ask, and I get that question a lot… I even ask myself that a lot — especially during the winter. But the answer is simple: where to immigrate isn’t always a choice; it’s often a decision based on which option is the only one available. Thankfully, this is actually a pretty nice place to live.

I came here to visit people I knew while looking for a new path in my life because sadly Argentina was no longer safe for me. Here I discovered a lot of opportunities that I couldn’t find there, so I decided to take my chance, with all its costs and risk.

And that’s when the waiting game of being an alien began. I applied, and now I’m waiting for the government to make a decision on my case. I’m waiting to meet the right people to keep growing, and I’m waiting to share one more hug with the people I love and feel I left behind.

Becoming an alien is similar to those moments in sci-fi movies when the hero dramatically escapes a massive explosion and you get that breathtaking shot of their ship flying right in front of the fiery chaos. It’s a rush, an adrenaline high that makes you want to scream at the top of your lungs. But when the dust settles and the euphoria wears off, one thought remains — the innocent lives left behind.

Leaving your homeland feels a lot like being that hero — saving yourself from impending disaster, but it also means leaving people behind, people you’ve shared a piece of your life with. It’s a bittersweet journey, filled with sacrifice and the weight of knowing you’ve chosen a path that brings hope and promise but leaves others to face their own challenges without you.

As an alien, life becomes a balancing act. You learn to exist in two worlds, with one foot in the past and the other one in the future. It’s like standing on a bridge trying to maintain two realities, and it’s not always easy. But it’s in that balance that you discover the power of resilience and adaptation.

Spanish is my native language, which means that I pronounce things differently. I sometimes forget words (not just in one language, but in two), and often conjugate them incorrectly… As a result, I’ve encountered people on this journey who have made comments or laughed when I’ve spoken, making me doubt my abilities to the point that my hyper-focus on my pronunciation prevented me from speaking at all. Fortunately, I’ve found a voice in spaces like this where we are today.

Being an alien often means putting your essence aside for the comfort of others. It’s a constant struggle because no matter how well you assimilate or “pass,” they may not always see you as an equal.

I hid a big part of myself when I became an alien — but I’m slowly rebuilding it. It’s like finding the missing pieces of a puzzle and realizing that you can put your life back together — though it looks different. Some pieces are missing and some are new, and you commit to making it work somehow. I’ve been working nonstop since I got here, not just for documentation, but for my job, and even for love, to build a family.

Now, this is where the story takes a turn and gets better — when you make the conscious decision to be proud of your heritage and how far you’ve come, and to make amends with the fact that you’ll always be an alien and it’s okay.

I’ve come to understand that being an alien is about embracing your uniqueness and using it to stand out. It’s about working for your future, striving for success, and taking pride in every little bit of progress you make, even if you’re the only one who notices.

I decided to focus on becoming a bridge between cultures, a facilitator of understanding and unity in this very diverse world. And just as others before me have paved the way for me to stand here today and speak to you, I hope to do the same for whoever comes next.

When I left my mom at the airport a few days ago, after not seeing each other all this time, and as we said goodbye once again (for who knows how long), she thanked me for all I had done to make her trip possible, and I thanked her for all she had done to encourage me to grow over the years, despite the odds. She made me promise that from now on she wanted to see the new Melina, the person who practices what they preach, who does what they love, and who dares to go on, especially when things aren’t perfect, being human and an alien. She made me promise that I would enjoy my present because of what it cost me to be here. And I will. And this is part of it.

We are all different, we all come from different backgrounds, and it’s in those differences that we find the beauty that makes life worth living. Together we can create a world where acceptance and unity thrive, a world where our unique journeys are celebrated, embraced, and admired. So, from one alien to another, I invite you to work together to create a world where none of us have to feel like outcasts.

Thank you for being here today, and thank you for listening to my story.