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Introduction
I decided to write my WeSearch product on my father, Ariel Demarchi. He often let slip snippets of his eventful life during meets with family or friends but I never received a chronological story. Because of this, I decided to interview him to put the pieces together. Originally he wasn't very descriptive and just talked about his education and journey to the United States but after some follow up questions and reviewing pictures together he began to paint a more complete picture. He had previously talked about adventuring and leaving home a lot as a child, but I learned my father went as far as Chile, Brazil and Uruguay. I don't know how it slipped me, but I also learned that he lived in Orlando for a few months before coming to NYC. It was also a surprise to me that he worked as a paramedic for a brief time in Argentina.
A Brief History
Ariel Demarchi was born in Rosario, Argentina in 1975. Rosario is a city in the center of Argentina located in the humid Pampas region in the province of Santa Fe. It is in this city that Ariel Demarchi grew up in, and lived until he emigrated to the United States. Ariel lived a typical life for a lower middle class Argentinian child, he resided in a small brick house with his mother in the suburbs of the city. He didn’t see his father much, but when he did he was assigned to assist him with manual labor. His father left his home very early in Ariel’s life, and spent his days looking for a living as a fisherman or shopkeeper. His mother worked as a nurse at the city's main hospital. Ariel went to school every day despite not being a great student, and once he got home he would spend the rest of his day playing with friends on the streets. He would mainly spend his free time playing soccer with his friends. Ariel also recalls the Falklands War, which deeply affected all of Argentina including my father. He lost a neighbor to the war, and it brought the country even more political instability than what it currently was experiencing. Because of the tough times the country experienced and a lack of parental support, Ariel had to start working a job at 12 years old along with spending summers at a ranch to help his family. In his teens Ariel joined a boarding school where he received an agriculture degree. He then became a paramedic and on his off time he would go adventuring with friends. Ariel really enjoyed nature and exploration, and he traveled all over Argentina and to surrounding countries as a backpacker. One day a friend living in New York sent my father a letter telling him about the awe inspiring city and the opportunities available there. Looking for new adventure, he decided to prepare for a trip to the United States. He worked in a mason jar factory for months to save up money, but his time in the factory was grueling. Eventually he flew to Orlando and found a job in construction there. It wasn't the most stable livelihood but he saved some more money there and then flew to NYC. There he made friends, and one of them ended up becoming his wife Sandra Ruiz which he had 2 children with. Needing a consistent source of money, Ariel started a metalworking business in 2012. It was a very taxing job but his dedication to his craft led him to be sought out by the most high end customers.
American Dream
When asked what he thinks the American Dream is, Ariel said it’s the hope of one day achieving a stable life with access to all basic human needs and the ability to enjoy your life. Ariel didn’t start life with these capabilities, and he had to work hard and be disciplined from a young age to secure everything he has. 12 years later after starting his business, Ariel considers he achieved the American Dream because he can comfortably provide for his family and owns his own house.
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