Jenny, 28

I interviewed my Aunt Jenny. Jenny is Twenty-eight years old. Jenny came to America when she was fifteen years old. The day of her fifteenth birthday she was on the border of Mexico and United states, trying to come to America with her parents. She was born in Michoacán, Mexico. She didn’t finish school. She spent half of her life there and half of her life here in the U.S. working so that she can help support the family.

 

What has been the toughest part of being here in the United States?

Well, the toughest part of being here in the United States was coming to the United States illegally. I had to walk and run about a day in the dessert with no water and no sweater for the night. I saw that everyone that was also coming here was hungry, tired and weak. I felt that about half of us were going to make it. But I am happy that I made it as here safely just like everyone else who came. One of my struggles is living the life I have as a low class woman with a low paying job. Being illegal in the United States isn’t a good thing. You have fewer rights.

What does it feel like to leave your home, your real home in Mexico?

Well all my family is over there; my parents went back a couple of years after I came here. I hate that I can’t see the home I grew up in as a child. I miss my family, parents and friends. I feel that I left a big part of me over there. Half of my life is over there.

 

What does it feel like to be illegal here in the U.S.?

Well, I obviously don’t have the same rights as you. I have to work in a factory, low pay, can’t buy my own home and can’t come and go to America when I please because I‘m illegal. But I just hope that our new president Obama will help us immigrants out. 

 

Do you like it better here in the U.S. or in Mexico?

This is an easy question. I love it in Mexico I enjoy life better than I do here. Here in the U.S. I can’t do much I feel more stressed, depressed. But in Mexico, oh Mexico I miss it. But yes in Mexico I have no doubts about my country. I feel happy when I am there, I feel that the days take longer to end but here it’s just the same thing, same routine in life can’t do anything different. Well that’s what I think. 

 

If you could, would you leave this country?

If I could I would. But I cant, because the economy is a big problem in my life and I have to stay so that I can help support my family. That’s the only reason that I am here so that I can support my family. If I can have a time machine I would go back in time and never come here to the U.S. and I would have finished school I would have probably been a veterinarian. But that’s just a crazy dream that will never come true.

 

Do you feel any marginalization, powerlessness?

Of course that’s what this country is. Everywhere I go I see it and feel it. I can get the job that I want, I can’t get my license, I can’t get much in this country because of where I came from.  When will all of these problems stop? They wont. I just know that I am here for one reason to help my family and my self.

What are the major differences from here in the United States and Mexico?

In Mexico I have more freedom and I feel safer because everyone knows everybody. We are like a big family. We can go outside without worrying that we are going to get pulled over because of my race. Here in The United States I can only go certain places where I know I can walk and make sure that I am not sent back to my country. I fear that one day I will get stopped and sent back to Mexico. I just hope that everything works out so that us Undocumented people can be legal here in the United States.

 

Now that I have interviewed my Aunt Jenny I feel that she deserves a better life. Even though I lived with her I never knew so much about her. But now I guess we can be a little closer.