My Origins
I was not born in the U.S. I was born in the magnificent country — Mexico. But not just any part of Mexico, I am from Acapulco, Guerrero which is one of the most touristic parts of Mexico, aside from Cancun, because of the ocean and beautiful beaches. I was a very happy child, born by the sea. I loved the ocean more than anything. Since we were so close to it, my parents took my sister and me to the beach every weekend. It was like we were on vacation except for life.
We were very happy there. My dad owned his own company, my sister and I went to a great school. Everything was perfect. At least that’s how I remember it being. Little did I know my parents thought differently. They had been planning to move to the U.S. for some time because crime was getting too high and they did not want us living in that type of environment.
Big Transition
My parents made the hard decision to move in July 2013. I was nine at the time, about to turn 10, and my sister had just turned seven. She doesn’t remember much of Mexico anymore. My parents didn’t tell us we were going to live permanently in the U.S. until 2012, a year prior.
In Mexico, the U.S. is a country that everyone wants to go to someday, and the fact that we were now going to live there was very exciting for us. In my little brain, the U.S. meant Disneyland, so that is why I was so eager to go. Completely disregarding the fact that it wouldn’t be a vacation, this was going to be my new home. And I was not ready.
Hard Time Adjusting
Going to school in the U.S. was really hard. I had English class in my school in Mexico, but I wasn’t anywhere near fluent. The kids also did not speak Spanish, so the language barrier prevented me from making friends.
My teachers were of no help, as the school failed to recognize that I was a foreigner in this country and did not give me proper accommodations. For a full school year, I was alone, with no guidance and no help.
I was a 10-year-old processing the fact that I was no longer home, in a foreign country, with no knowledge of the language, and that did not stop little me. I learned the language fast and in less than six months, I was able to speak, read, and write in English all on my own.
Sure, I didn’t have the best grammar, but I knew enough to be able to pass 4th grade. It was in 5th grade when a teacher made a difference in the school. She wrote to the principal, noting this negligence towards me, and demanded an ESL class to be provided at the school. The principal apologized to me and agreed to the request.
My Two Homes
By then I had already learned the language so it was too late, but it helped give future foreign students guidance in this new country. I am now 19 years old, almost 20 and since July I have officially been living in the U.S. for over 10 years.
I have grown to love this country little by little and I can say it is now my home. But my heart will always belong to Mexico, and I cannot wait for the day I get to visit my lovely old home.
Written By Erika Cano
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Erika Cano
Inset Image Courtesy of kmezon Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
