johnvteixido

I was born and raised in Miami- Florida- mostly within a public housing project in Allapattah. My roots are a mix of Caribbean- Latin- and Catalan—I’m part Cuban- Puerto Rican- Argentinian- and Catalan. My upbringing shaped my worldview and impressed upon me the importance of family- resilience- adaptation- and faith. I grew up in very modest circumstances and have never been on a typical or easy academic track. I don’t have a high school diploma or GED- just some college credits during my time at Liberty University- which had a major impact on my spiritual path. Eventually- my search for meaning- belonging- and truth led me to Islam—discovering faith has been an anchor and gives shape to my hopes for self-improvement. I’m a homebody—but I would like to travel and be adventours when I can- especially to study the Deen. Right now- when not looking for a job- my days are peaceful- and while I don’t always have a packed schedule- I enjoy researching things that catch my interest -especially Islamic teachings- history- and life skills- falconry- jiujitsu and judo- and many other things-- planning future goals- and sometimes just daydreaming about new places or ideas. I like to keep up with current events and international affairs- especially as they relate to the Muslim world. Much of my free time is spent watching Islamic lectures and podcasts on YouTube. I love in-depth talks on fiqh- aqidah- and personal development- and I try to surround myself with positive and knowledgeable voices as a way to stay motivated- and on and off study sessions with International Open University for my general Islamic studies diploma. I also admit to watching movies and TV—in part to unwind or connect with different stories and perspectives—though I actively try to limit this for the sake of my faith and productivity. My social life here in Tampa is non-exsistent. I tend to avoid a lot of unnecessary outings. When I do connect with others- it’s often online or the next door neighbor who is an older man that lives alone and I try to keep in touch but it seems he has more energy then me lol Alhamdulillah- so I barely see him. Real- in-person Islamic community involvement remains something I’m searching for- and it-s part of my motivation to consider a move. Materially- my main asset is a piece of semi-developed property in Sunny Hills- Florida- where I plan one day to build a small cabin. -And to be honest- that’s all I got going for me- materialistically. If I were a Muslimah or her father-wali assessing me for marriage potential- I would probably see lots of red flags- but objectively- I can say: “At least he already has property bought and paid for with ambitions and plans- and they wouldn’t have to worry about being homeless when they-re old—obviously once the cabin is built- lol.”- My work life is unconventional. At this stage- I don’t have a steady job or impressive qualifications. I’m focused on getting my business off the ground by hiring a sales agent or two- so that what am working on now- and playing a future venture in a bird abatement. Bike delivery gigs are also part of my plan at the begining when I move either to the UK or Spain to subsidize our or my income when necessarry. And- inshAllah- someday in Madinah- a city I deeply hope to experience living and working in. I am currently exploring my eligibility for Spanish citizenship by descent through my grandfather- which may open up greater opportunities for our family to live- work- and travel freely within Spain and the European Union. I’m open to building a life—whether in Spain- the UK- or elsewhere—where our family can flourish- grow- and feel secure. -Just not the US- objectively speaking- there is no real benefit as Muslims -or even as a human being- to live here- at least that-s what I think from my experiences-. Spiritually- I am still learning and striving—I don’t yet pray five times daily because I am still learning the correct way- but improving in this and my Isl