Emelia

Lizette T.

Period 1

April 30, 2012

Emelia

              My mom tells me a lot of stories of when she was young. But my favorite one would be the one when she migrated to the U.S.  My mom and her sister lived in her brother’s house with his wife before they went to the U.S. but his wife would treat them really bad. She passed through T.J. to get here, but the 1^st thing that happens was, she fell over a little hill, that cracks me up all the time. She was 14 when she crossed the border, “The Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965, also known as the Hart-Celler Act, abolished an earlier quota system based on national origin and established a new immigration policy based on reuniting immigrant families and attracting skilled labor to the United States.” (History). She didn’t come alone, she brought her 13 year old sister along. They were coming to the U.S. so they can reunite with their parents. She celebrated her Quinceañera birthday in the U.S. with her family. “Conventionally, the Quinceañera wore a pink dress to symbolize her purity; however, in recent decades, white has become the color of preference to symbolize this treasured quality.” (Wikipedia Quinceañera).

But while they were living there, their parents would send them money, until they can have enough so they can reunite and pass the border illegally. My mom learned English as soon as she could because she had to make a transition between societies. She started as a babysitter to earn money. But after she worked in this sewing company, but it paid poorly. She loved o sell and was persuasive so she started selling Avon and Shaklee, and that’s how she met my father because he was a customer of Shaklee. Eventually she studied and became a medical assistant. But no matter what the case is she always be my number one hero and I love her so much.

Radical Revision

My Jefa

My mom and I may not be the closest. Sometimes it feels like we’re both lost in some kind of forest. But not matter what the case is, she’ll always be there fixing all kinds of messes. See she was only 14 when she crossed the border going to the U.S. looking for success, and to once again reunite with her parents so they would no longer be depressed.  Many come for a new start, for money, or maybe just trying to get away from that honey. Back in the day while she was hopping fences, I’m just here thinking, how should I finish this sentence? Kids now and day have no idea what to say, when they are asked, how are your parents today? It wasn’t like a game that you can just go and play, and save it any day, there was hard labor and just that stack of hay. So next time you’re thinking about talking your smack, just remember that they’ll always have your back. So now you’ll appreciate without a hesitate, that you get to see them day by day, from the time that you awake. And there’s just no other way to say that I love you every single day.