Despite my frustration during the period of my arrival, I attempted to look at the positive side of things. Of course things were not easy, but luck was definitely on my side in many ways. I remember thinking how fortunate I was to be able to travel across the border with my tourist visa. So many people had it worse than we did – many had to cross the desert or the river. However, despite our ability to enter the United States with our visas, we were not allowed to work legally. We had to turn to the only alternative that we had – false documentation. It was a very difficult decision, not to mention risky. But at the time, we did not foresee any other way. We knew that we had to do our best to provide for ourselves and for our families. We wanted to work because we did not want to be deadweight to the country that we were now living in. So many people want to come into this country and work, but due to documentation, things get complicated and it becomes very difficult. That was our experience.
After acquiring the proper documentation, we began to apply for jobs. Not even a week had passed before my younger brother and I had jobs. We were both very excited to have an opportunity, even if it was very long hours without much pay. Fortunately, we were both hired at the same restaurant as busboys. There, we helped clean the tables. I remember feeling very satisfied with this job. Sure, the pay was not ideal – but at least it gave me an opportunity to make some money for myself and become independent. No words can express how badly I wanted to have my own place so that I could set my own rules. I did not like feeling dependent on the people who allowed us to live in their homes, even if it was temporary.
In my job at the Mexican restaurant, most of my co-workers were either Mexican immigrants or first generation Mexican-Americans. Although all of us were Mexican and spoke Spanish, most of our clients that sought our food were American. I remember thinking it was very difficult to communicate with them. Even though most of the time they wanted to ask little things, such as where the restrooms were located, I could hardly understand them. I felt so defeated due to the language barrier. Due to this, I felt even further away from home.
Luckily, this new adaptation to a different world allowed me to develop tougher skin and a stronger character. I forced myself to overcome as many obstacles as I could. Although I was not able to seek proper schooling, I did try to toss around a couple of words here and there. I soon learned how to navigate my way around the language barrier. I felt more at ease soon after.
I worked tirelessly at the restaurant for a year and saved enough money to send for my wife and daughter. Fortunately for them, they were also able to acquire visas and passports and were able to enter the country as I did. Less than three months passed before they arrived to join me.
Although we were apart for a year, I remember feeling extremely motivated to reunite my family. My wife provided me with support that I never thought was possible. I leaned on her when times were rough and I was scared, sad and homesick. Most of the time she told me to follow the plan that we had outlined. I was supposed to migrate first, then my family would follow, we would live in the United States for a couple of years at maximum, we would save up some money, and we would migrate back to Mexico as soon as possible. The plan was never to permanently stay in this country. However, due to the economic situation that Mexico was in at the time, our plan to return to Mexico was pushed further and further back.
That short year in which I migrated from Mexico to the United States was a period of growth for me. I learned to be independent and self-sufficient. However, soon I had to re-adapt. Once my family joined me in this new world, I was not alone anymore. I felt as if part of my culture had come to join me again. We were a tiny Mexican family that had to adapt to a new life.
NEXT SECTION – Assimilation, Invisibility, and a Difficult Decision