Trucker Talk: By John & Kim Jaikes When talking to our friend Raiko Graveran in Florida about his truck “Little Blue” and how it came to be, we quickly realized this was more than just a story about a truck – it was a story about freedom, commitment, dedication, and hard work to make his American dreams come true. Listening to Raiko talk about where he came from (the eastern side of Cuba) and all it took to get here – and then to get where he is today – is nothing short of amazing! We take so much for granted being born in the USA, and immigrants like Raiko seem to have a deeper appreciation for the freedoms and opportunities we have here. Growing up in a farming family, both of Raiko’s (pronounced like Rico) grandfathers were farmers. His dad and uncle became interested in driving trucks at a young age in Cuba. When he was four or five years old, his dad would let him sit on his lap and hold the wheel. Later, when he got bigger, he got to sit in the passenger seat. When Raiko was almost a teenager his dad allowed him to park the truck and run the back roads a little bit. Raising pigs and chickens, he got his first bicycle at the age of 13, and then at 17 he got a moped. When Raiko graduated from high school, he got 98.6 out of 100 on his final test, which allowed him to attend technical school for mechanic “stuff” for both gas and diesel. He never worked as a mechanic, but he used this education to learn about what he loved and to help others. In a small town, everyone knows each other, and he would help whoever needed it. He saved his money and got a little farm tractor when he was 22. It took a couple years, but he eventually was able to find the parts (and money), to be able to rebuild the engine. After that, he would drive around town in the little tractor, hauling trash and moving gravel and sand, and helping people move (they paid him like a taxi). In 2007, when he was 26, he and five friends from childhood took a year to build a raft and plan to come to the United States to escape the politics and the economy of Cuba. It’s a dangerous undertaking, to say the least. Their first raft broke, but on their second attempt, they were successful. Building the raft on six 55-gallon drums, they used an irrigation tube to make the front. There was a little engine on the back, but they couldn’t start it until they were far enough from the shore so nobody would hear the noise. They used a compass to guide them, and one of the guys also knew how to follow the stars. I cannot imagine what it would be like out on the open sea for 36 hours, at times in the dark, on a homemade raft, with no life jacket, and having faith they would get where they were supposed to go – but they did exactly that. Raiko had an uncle that got here the same way back in 1961. Other family members made the treacherous trip in the 1970s, so Raiko was fortunate to have family members here that could take him in and help him get work and his citizenship. In the beginning, Raiko worked all day in construction with his uncle, Monday through Friday, and then from 5:30-9:00 PM every weeknight, he went to English class. On Saturdays, he would pressure wash driveways and houses as a part time job. His uncle forced him to speak English and put him with other English speaking co-workers. Raiko had never been in an air conditioned room, and when he first got here, he would often wear a sweatshirt inside because he would be cold. The first year he was in the USA he was on parole, and one year and a day after being here, he applied for his green card. After five years and one day, he applied for his citizenship. He did all the work to accomplish this goal himself and proudly became a US citizen. His dad had a friend in Orlando that told him if he got his CDL he would give Raiko a job. So, he got his CDL, and his trucking career officially started in the US, all the while saving money as he worked and learned. In December of 2009, Raiko had the opportunity to spend his entire savings of $4,000, along with four more $500 payments, to buy a 1995 76 10-4 Magazine / March 2025 AN AMERICAN JOURNEY
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