Thanks to Sonya for use of her photo.
Originally living in Sinaloa, her hobby of riding horses was a big part of her life as she would do it when the opportunity was given. She lived with her parents and with her many siblings in a big home surrounded by acres of land surrounded by lots of trees. She enjoyed bathing in the river as she liked to exercise trying to beat the current of water. She would occasionally work in the kitchen as that is what she was taught only going up to the 6th grade.
She was content with her life, lived peacefully with her parents and siblings not having intentions of moving away from there. As they were in a quiet town where you can hear the sounds of the beach everyone was splashing in the hot warm water, Not having to worry about any problems with the gov’t as they were a small town. Some of her siblings as well as her grandmother did immigrate to the US.
When she was 20, she was invited by her friends if she wanted to go to the US – she tagged along with no sign of excitement as they went to the airport. That was her first time riding in an airplane and they went to Phoenix, Arizona.
She was taken across the San Mateo bridge twice, once to visit her grandma and the other to be taken back to her new home in San Mateo. She shared her house with another person which was a new experience as well as seeing the amount of jobs that were available. She started taking english classes as she wasn’t familiar with the language only listening to people using words or reading it on the tvs in her work which was at a Jack In The Box. Although there were difficult times due to new laws, language, and learning the new currency – her friend, she met in English classes helped her a lot with adjusting to the new area.
She is now living with a house of 3 kids – all boys with a loving boyfriend. Missing the days where she would ride horses and go to the warm salty beach but appreciating the new safety of her home surrounded by new friends and family. Deciding she prefers to live in the US feeling as it is more safer as the new government is supporting her. She has few regrets as she is now opened to new languages and new favorite foods such as spicy chicken,Chalupas, tacos dorados, Huaraches, and Chinese foods.
The interview and narrative were done by her son, a student in the Southbay.