The World We Share: Meet Gina

More than 25 years have passed since an Ecuadorian woman ventured into the unknown, seeking a change to provide a better life for herself and her family.

That’s what Gina Mosquera Salazar tells us from a café in Cuatro Caminos, in the heart of Madrid. The Guayaquil native, who exudes captivating energy, has been settled in the Spanish capital for a quarter of a century, working tirelessly to support her family, who still remain in Ecuador.

Venturing into the unknown

“My decision was to come here because at the time I had a daughter whom I wanted to help prepare, and it was the only solution. In my country, I had no way to go anywhere,” Gina recounts.

She first tried to find that solution in the land of the American Dream, the United States. But several visa rejections forced her to look for another option. And that’s when she found the Spanish route. “I arrived here and they said welcome to Spain,” she recalls enthusiastically. “They opened the doors for me in terms of work, and I valued and appreciated that.”

Since then, she has been working in home care for the Madrid city council. It is a tough profession that involves providing personal or domestic care to elderly or disabled people. And dealing with the elderly is something Gina has had to learn to do. But she got to work. “In the end, they give me affection, I return it. They give me trust, I return it. I do everything: I’m a psychologist, a cleaner, a locksmith, a nurse,” she explains. “But I love my job, and I’m doing very well.”

Shaping the future of her family

Despite the obstacles, Gina did have the profession of auxiliary nurse, after studying professional nursing for about two years. She had to leave it because, after getting married and having her daughter Zoraida, she decided to dedicate herself fully to her.

The good preparation Gina had was something the Ecuadorian also wanted to pass on to her daughter, although this determination seems to be a family trait. And Zoraida is going for her third degree: after graduating as an engineer and obtaining a master’s degree in image consulting, she is now studying law.

“With the little I have earned, I have made a living so that my daughter can have a career and be somebody,” she says proudly. “I thank this country that opened its doors to me; my daughter is what she is because I am here. She’s the best in the world.”

Sending and dreaming

As Gina herself says, her daughter is very prepared. But it was a sacrifice for this mother from Guayaquil, especially when it came to finances.

“Well, I send money because sometimes my daughter was out of work or because she needed transportation,” explains Gina, who expressed her concerns about her daughter traveling alone, to the point that she preferred to buy her a car so she could get around.

“I can also say that it has been 25 continuous years of sending money through Ria, and I feel satisfied to have made all those transfers; they’ve always arrived safely,” she adds.

No matter how much she tries to meet all the needs of her family, Gina still has her own dream, which is yet to be fulfilled. “My only dream would be to have my own house, because I don’t have one,” she says. But Gina dismissed the idea of having a luxury home; she’s more than happy to have a place to sit, sleep, and eat. “Why do I want luxury? I have to enjoy what I have, and with that, I am satisfied.”

Looking to help and to give back

For Gina, helping others is essential and part of her essence. “I am proud that people count on me because they know I am a good element,” she explains, referring to her profession. “They don’t see me with my phone in my hand; I arrive, I get changed, put on my apron, and get to work.”

Specifically, Gina talks about having helped someone directly thanks to her work. She recounts that one of the people she cared for used to throw away the food they cooked for her, simply because it was already made. “I told her: don’t throw it away, give it to me.”

But it wasn’t for Gina. It was for a man who used to hang around outside her house. “I took that food and put it in the microwave to warm it up,” she says. “I then told him: take this little bit of food, my friend.”

That’s why Gina feels blessed, because even though she can’t give away money, she at least tries to give something that can help those who need it most. “And God blesses you not for what you do, not for what you are, but for what you give.”

A recognizable face

The Ecuadorian also offers some wise words of advice for anyone thinking of leaving in search of a better life. “A recommendation I can give to someone who is going to migrate is to always try to be their best self,” she says, citing humility and honesty as key elements of a person’s foundation. “If you are neither humble nor honest, it’s better if you don’t go.”

That’s why Gina is widely recognized on the street and even claims to be like Coca-Cola: “Wherever I go, they know me.” In the end, Ria has also been a part of Gina’s daily life since she migrated, and it goes beyond the money transfers she has made over the years.

“I have Colombian, Peruvian, Dominican , Cuban friends… They’re all very nice,” Gina explains. “And the relationship I have with Ria is through the people I have met in the store. Pilar, Francis, Klever, Brada, or Martina – I met them all here.”

Gina continues to explain how and why those relationships were formed. “When I went to make my transfers, they treated me with affection, with kindness. If you are kind to the customer, the customer comes back. And they gave me that confidence to return,” she says. In fact, that trust was so deep that they all ended up being friends and they often keep each other company.

Longing for Ecuador

But Gina hasn’t set foot in Ecuador in the last four years, though that doesn’t mean she’s disconnected from her homeland. “What I miss most about my country is the food, even though I make it here,” she admits with a hint of sadness. “Encebollado, arroz con menestra, fish stew… there are many delicious dishes.”

“And of course, I obviously also miss my mother, my brother, my grandchildren. I miss them.”

But the perfect cure for all that nostalgia is a phone call. “I talk to my people every day, and I call my daughter up to three times. And she never gets angry,” she explains, highlighting that Zoraida never says that she calls too much or can’t talk for any given reason.

“She is always there for her mother,” says Gina. And Gina is always there for her daughter.

Need to send money to Ecuador? We’ve got you covered. You can use our web, app, or visit your nearest Ria location.