Narrative
(Parentheses indicate additions I have made to clarify dialogue, and question marks indicate guessing in transcribing because of the tape recorder falling over or bad recording quality) My Journey? Was in 1994. Summer. I took a bus then I crossed the border, and came here, y’know. That’s about it. It took me a week! That was, what? Twelve years ago? A long time ago. When I used to live there (in Mexico), when I saw my uncles, like go over, and then come back I would be like “Oh, when I grow up I want to be like them!” Y’know, because they would come here and work for 6 months, a year, and then go back and spend some time with their families. I thought that was cool. I came before my parents. I came because I had some family living here, like my uncles. They wanted me to come over, and see how it is, so I can go back and really put my mind to school. I was going to school all that time in Mexico. That was in the summertime. I was only supposed to be here for two months, but I decided to stay. Then my family immigrated, after that, like a year later. I didn’t speak any English when I got here. My family spoke Spanish. I went to school. After 3 years of high school, I started understanding, and I was like “Hey I want some new --- (?)” I used to hang out with old, Spanish-speaking people so, yeah. Yeah that’s how I learned (English). School. I don’t know (What I expected the U.S. to be like). No, not really. I wanted to see it, then I decided to stay. I started meeting people and, y’know, started driving, got a job, started making money. Here is not the same (as Mexico), but I had some family here so it wasn’t a big change. Everybody speaks Spanish here, all the people I knew. I mean, even in the school everybody speaks Spanish, teachers so, it wasn’t a big adjustment. It was a little different. People are different, I don’t know. I can say that, when you’re in Mexico, every day is like a different day. You know it’s a Monday, you know it’s a Tuesday, and especially you know when it’s a Sunday. There’s something different. But then here every day is the same. I don’t know why. I guess because you have to go to work and go to school. I believe in different stuff than Americans, but, you know, it’s nothing big. Well, I used to work with a guy, and he would make fun of the things that I believed like religion (Catholic), you know. He would be like “HAHA,” people like that s**t. Stuff like that. Ah, yeah, (it hurts) a little bit. I really don’t care. Who cares, y’know. It’s a free country. So I don’t get bent up about it. Whatever I’m an assistant manager. I’m married now. It’s just me and my wife, and two Chihuahuas. I can say the best (thing about coming to the U.S.); I met my wife. The worst? The worst, I don’t know. I lost a brother here. That was the worst thing. At the time I was 14 (when I immigrated), I was still a kid, so I don’t know (what has changed about me since I came here). I like it here. Just the way of living, and the opportunities. I have a sister over there (in Mexico). I contact her by phone every once in a while…every year. I don’t know yet (if I’ll go back to Mexico). I won’t say no or yes. If I get to go back, I mean, that’d be nice. I could stay here too. It’s nice. Back to My Crossing The Valley Main
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