What were your experiences when immigrating to the U.S?
Where did you go next? What were your experiences there?
My Mother past away when I was 16 and the only aunt I has alive lived in El paso, Texas. I still had family in Mexico but none of them were women old enough to take care of 5 kids
After that we went to my aunts house in Texas. I found it difficult because I didn't know English. My aunt wanted me and my brothers to go to school but I was scared. Only the two youngest ones ended up going.
It was pretty fun actually. we crossed the river in a "floaty" type thing. there was a man who charged to cross you and since we were young we did it. it was easy only because El Paso is so close to Juarez Mexico, only the river seperated the two places.
- Born: March 11, 1965 in Chihuahua, Juarez Mexico
- Schools: Maria morelos y pavon, escuela secundaria estatal #4 No highschool
- Jobs: none
- Mother of 5. Midio 31, Daisy 3O, Oscar 22, Emely 13, Gerardo 11.
- Grandmother of 2. Eli 8 & Joey Elizabeth 4.
- Only girl out of 5 children
- even though i couldn't understand i loved american music *soft rock (my fave)
- Hobbies: biking & exercising Now: COOKING! also Renovating my house.
Why did you decide to come to the U.S instead of staying in Mexico?
What was your first impression when you arrived to the united states?
Sonia, Jesus Rene & Luis Alberto
big Mexican flag Emely caught crossing the border
This was not my choice, my family chose for me because they felt it was better for me to go live with my aunt in the U.S . It was really hard for me to leave my grandmother, my friends and everything I've ever known.
Did you have any difficulties understanding the language?
Daisy
In Kansas city .. Sonia
My first impression was that everything was lonely and depressing. No one would be outside and everyone would be doing there own thing unlike in Mexico when they did things together like a family.
Oscar Y Emely
It was one of the main difficulties I experienced. I didn't know English but i began to understand the language even though I still could not speak it. "acostumbre mis oidos." to the new language.
Mis babies
Daisy Y yo in Arizona
Midio Y yo
Oscar y Yo
Joey, Eli, Daisy Y yo
Did you have any difficulties adapting to the american culture?
Did you suffer any discrimination?
Honestly no, but there is always that person that looks "down" on me because I am an immigrant.
Where do you live now? are you working? are your dreams coming true?
The hardest part was the language.I guess when we would go out to eat the food didn't taste good to me. only the fries (my daughter has a potato problem because of me) Its a good thing my family would always cook, the Mexican ways.
I live in Milwaukee Wi. I work at Guadalupe head start program. My dreams are coming true because I have a teaching degree (for children which was always my dream) my children live in the U.S so if anything happens to me they don't have to go through what I did. I am a citizen & I have a job, not all things are perfect yet, but I'm still fighting for my children.