Welcome to episode 144 of The American Dream in the Eyes of Immigrants Podcast. I am your host, Heidy De La Cruz, and I am on a mission to change the narrative of immigration one immigrant story at a time! Sarai shares her journey from growing up in Puerto Rico to moving to Florida at age ten, navigating the challenges of a new language and culture, and eventually fulfilling her dream of opening Spellbound Bookstore, a thriving community hub in Sanford, Florida. In this episode, Sarai reflects on her family background in Puerto Rico and the pivotal move to the mainland US in the middle of her third-grade year. She opens up about the struggles of the language barrier in school, the feeling of being "alone" despite having a close-knit family, and how she found comfort and connection through reading. Listen in as Sarai takes us through her journey from being a dedicated "bookworm" and starting a BookTube channel to navigating a "quarter-life crisis" during the pandemic that led her to take a leap of faith. She shares her passion for Spellbound Bookstore, a project she built to foster local community and support independent literature, and how her identity as a Puerto Rican woman and an immigrant shapes the welcoming, inclusive space she has created today. With Love, Heidy   Connect with Sarai: Website Instagram   Learn a new language with https://www.italki.com/ App: https://go.italki.com/heidy2604app Use Promo Code: HEIDY for $5 off a purchase of $10 or more in italki credits!!!!!!! But hurry, only valid for the first 50 users!!!!!      Sign up now and join our exclusive community on Substack!!! 💛 Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.    *This podcast is sponsored by  Far From Home Podcast Kaza Law Immigration Barbara Perez Law 360 Immigration Law   For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]   Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E   Become a podcaster in 6-weeks or less with The V.O.I.C.E. Method Podcast Launch Course! Learn everything from tech, podcast hosting sites, editing, Podcast SEO, and more! Find out more information here. And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for the 1:1 Podcast Launch Strategy, you will receive $50! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.