"An Oppurtunity to Move Forward"
Anonymous,Mexico
Interviewed by, Anastacio Serrano
"I went down a small empty canal. There I saw a trunk of wood and I had to sit there until the boys told me to go. They were watching out for the border patrol."
I went to pick up the analysis in the laboratory in floor one and my mother was in floor twelve. I didn’t know how to use the elevator, so I had to use the stairs. But, when I wanted to go back upstairs, the nurses didn’t let me because I was too little. So, I cried until the nurses let me inside. My mom was sick since I was born and she never got better. Sometimes my mom had to stay in the hospital in Guadalajara for up too three weeks. At that time I was eight and was scared because the nurses didn’t wan me there. But, later on when my mom passed ways I migrated, to the U.S.
I came to Tijuana in the bus, and from there, three boys crossed me, my dad and brother over the border. The boys charged each person 100 dollars. When I was crossing I saw lots of people crossing the same way I was. I went down a small empty canal. There I saw a trunk of wood and I had to sit there until the boys told me to go. They were watching out for the border patrol. When they told us to go I ran over a bridge on top of the freeway and there I saw a McDonalds. My dad said that my cousin was waiting for us there.
When we got there my cousin was waiting for us as my dad said she would. She told us if we were okay and we were. She took us to Fontana, California where my sister lived. I was so happy to see her because no I had someone to take care of me and my brother. In Mexico my father was never home and I and my brother were alone the whole week except on Saturday and Sunday. We had nobody to cook for us but, now we did. I only was in Fontana for a month because my dad wanted to; leave to San Francisco with his parents. So, I went to San Francisco and lived there. My aunt put me in school because I was 12 years old. I only was in school for sic months. Some kids were mean to me because I didn’t know how to speak English. Especially this one girl because she always wanted to fight me and id didn’t even do anything to her. I told on her on the principal and she didn’t say anything to me anymore. A few months later I started to work.
When I turned 13 years old my aunt took me out of school. I started to clean houses with her. It was a very tiring job. Later, I worked in a Taqueria making burritos and tacos. In that taqueria, I met my husband. One day, I was eating on my lunch break and he cam down and sat down and we just talked. I got to know him more. On Halloween the owner of the Taqueria threw a Halloween party. There my husbands ask me to go to the movies. So we went, there he asked me to be his girlfriend. My parents didn’t mind because my dad met another woman after my mom died. But, then my life was better.
When I was married my life was much better. Before, I felt very lonely but with my husband I felt support. Today I still am very happy because we have worked so hard to accomplish all that we have done. Also, because God gave us this wonderful family. I still my home because I have so many good memories. But overall I miss my mom.
When I came to this country I seeked for a better life. I wanted to go to school to get and education but that didn’t happen. Also, I took a risk because I struggled to have a better life. At home, things would’ve stayed the same with me and my brother. But, life is hard and you have to take your chances.
Translated from Spanish to English
