Humans naturally want to fit in, especially in a completely new place. When my sister was six, she immigrated to the United States from Mexico. Being so young in a world where she knew nothing about the culture and language was challenging. It was a decision driven by parents to unify and raise the living standards of their children. She explained that our dad had been working in the States since 2004. It was hard on the family to have to be apart. With my mom pregnant and then having to raise two kids on her own, my father’s wish to be reunited grew each day. Although father would send mom an allowance every two weeks, it was hard to scrape by. After saving up for months, they decided to make a move. Bringing only the essentials and a few photo albums, my mom and sister made our way toward the States. Mom said she wanted us to carry and remember our time in Mexico because we did not know if or when we could return. Being so far away from everything she knew and adapting to her new reality was difficult. Arriving halfway through the school year added to the alienation. She would bring out the photo album and ask our parents to tell her the story of each picture whenever she missed home. The oral retelling was the primary way to remember her home country’s stories. The pictures include school festivals, birthday parties, and with extended family and friends. Thanks to the pictures in those albums, she can connect to her past and reminisce about her time in Mexico even after 17 years of being unable to visit.  

– Ana

Relationship:  Im/migrant who arrived as a child Im/migrant who arrived as a child