My mother and I would always sit by the tree in the background after school. There, she would help me with my homework and spend time talking about our days.  The time spent there, helped us grow closer each day. As time went, she announced to me she was separating from my father. She also mentioned that many changes and sacrifices will come with that decision. As a young child, I did not understand what kind of decisions and sacrifices were going to take place. One day, she gave me the news that we were moving to the United States to seek greater life opportunities. Once we moved to the United States, my mother had to take on two jobs to support us. Due to this, I began seeing my mother less and less every day. One day, I became frustrated from not seeing her as much as I used to. She sat me down that day and explained that, back in those days she was always able to give me more time because my father took care of us. Having to take that role of father and mother in the United States, she had no choice but to trade in that time to make sure we were both taken care of. Migration changed traditions I was accustomed to, however, I come to understand the sacrifices that my mother needed to take and thanks to that, I am who I am today. 

– Marilyn

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant