My Journey from El Salvador
- Henry Guevara
- Glendale
- ESTADOS UNIDOS
- 18
- This personal story was submited in English
My journey begins when my father passed away. Poverty and gangs in El Salvador had never been worse. After the war in 1980 and the anti gang laws people were just outraged. The economy was hard. My mom being a single mother had no other choice but to migrate to the United States. She had to leave us behind. It was hard for my mother to leave three kids behind.
We were too young to understand that she was doing it for a good cause. We were healthy. The only thing we were missing was our mother next to us. I would always hope she would come back. My uncle let my brother borrow money so he could migrate to this country. My brother Maynor left in the year of 2000. When my brother arrived at to the United States he met up with my mother. They had jobs. They would work hard to keep us from needing anything. The money they would send us will save it. My brother Marcos and I would always picture our self as the family we onces were. Sitting down together and enjoying our meals just like we use to do.
In the year of 2001 my brother Marcos and I got the news that we were going to migrate to the United States. It was one of the happiest moments in my life. I was scared and nervous but just knowing the fact that I was going to be in the United States with my mother and brother kept me going. Crossing the border was one of the most unpleasant moments in my life. It was cold I was young and scared. I remember this one lady who dropped her baby in the mud. I remember the next day we woke up in the desert thirsty with just half a bottle of water. That same day my brother and I got in a van. It was a long trip till he told me we had arrived to Phoenix Arizona. I asked him if we were still far, he looked at me and told me no we are here. I remember that moment with detail. We were once again together. I remember my mother crying. We were the happiest family at that moment.
I started school in the United States. It was so different. I was amazed that they were giving out free food. I felt the change. I was new to all of this. Kids would make mom jokes. In El Salvador when they would talk about a mom it was an automatic fight. We were renting in a single apartment. It was three of us. My brothers and I would sleep in the living room my mother would sleep in the room. As the time passed by things were going well for immigrants who started from scratch. We became legal in this country. My mother saved money and she built up good credit. Her friend made an offer to her about getting a house together. We thought it was a good idea. We finally made the decision to get the house. We found the house in Glendale so we decided to move. We are now an accomplished family doing well.