Ricardo De La Rosa Bistrain

San Antonio, Texas

June 27, 2005

Jessica Bistrain

Palo Alto College

History 1302 - Summer 2006

INTRODUCTION

My father, Ricardo Bistrain, was born on February 7, 1935 in Mexico City. He was raised by his mother, Guadalupe De La Rosa, and father, Lucio Bistrain. Guadalupe De La Rosa grew up as an orphan in Mexico City. Lucio Bistrain was rasied in Mexico City and his father was from Germany. Ricardo Bistrain was the oldest sibling out of five children. Ricardo Bistrain was also the only one from his family to immigrate to the United States. The educational level he achieved is equivalent to what is today’s middle school. Ricardo Bistrain married Cecila Cano in Mexico City. He had four daughters, Michelle, Rosalinda, Lulu, and myself, Jessica. Out of all the daughters I am the only one that was raised in the United States. I chose Ricardo Bistrain for this topic because he emigrated from Mexico City and if it was not for him I would not be here today. This interview was held at my dad’s restaurant on a Sunday afternoon while eating lunch.

TRANSCRIPTION

How was your childhood like growing up in Mexico City?
As I grew up as a child my father sent me to a school near by the house. The school that I went to was Williams. When I went to the school they taught the school half English and half Spanish. There was a bus that past by and it was only ten cents to ride the bus. The school that I attended was school where rich people went. I and Santiago used to go to school together and he was mainly the trouble maker back then. I remember the time when we did math class and I was very good in math too. The way we did math was by for example using situations in real life, I could do math on the top of my head. See that is why I am really good with math today. (He paused) Well, I remember they would send us to San Antonio, Texas for vacation. I remember my parents had gotten a divorce and that was something that was very rare over there. My father had asked me one day out of the blue. So who do you want to live with me or your mother because the girls are going with her.? I remember asking what you mean I live with the both of you. (Shaking his head) Back at that time there was no thing such as divorce it was very rare. I remember telling my father that I was going to stay. My mother was ill at that point. She had a heart attack so I would take care of her. My father asked me, so it is either you go back to school or get a job. What do I need a job for I didn’t have to go I have your money. That is what I told my father.

Did you work when you were a child?
Well, when I was little all my father required me to do is go to school. During vacation time we would come to San Antonio, Texas to visit family and I would come with my grandmother from my father’s side. As time went on and I grew older my father made me work with my uncle in Mexico City. He worked in a pharmacy. I would be the one to deliver medicines that people would need. I remember my uncle gave me a bike to ride. So what I would do is got on the bike and paddle as fast and the best thing about it is that I would get a tip. Oh! That was the best part of it. That is when I thought it wasn't as bad to work for him. My father had own his own business which where cantinas (bars) he owned two bars so it was not required for me to work. I remember when I got older my father had kicked me out of the house. He didn’t let come back I just remember we had gotten into an argument about something but I really don’t remember what it was. I just remember coming back from playing soccer with my friends. Then when I arrived at the house the door was locked. I guess I was about 17 when my father had kicked me out of the house.

What did you do to support yourself?
I remember asking my friends for a place to stay and back then I had a girlfriend and her name was Lisa. Well, I remember her coming to me and saying that her father wanted to speak to me. So I went to go speak with him and he offered me a place to stay at their house since I was having trouble finding a place to stay, and in the mean time I looked for a job. I felt embarrassed because I was living with her. Time went on and well I thought of the Navy. I thought, what do I have to lose. What do you know I got in. Oh! I remember getting on the ship and wow was it exciting! I traveled to a lot of places and one of the places I went to was Germany and Japan. They had sent me to Japan for schooling. I would always have a translator everyday as I recall. While I was there I was studying on how they would capture whales in Japan. t was really big there at that time. I spent 16 years in the navy and that is where I met your mother.

What did you do after the Navy to support yourself?
After, I got out of the Navy I opened my own business. It was called BIS-ROS S.A. and what my company did was catch whales. I would catch them and sell them. It was an export and import company in which I did business with England and even Japan. I was very successful at that time. I would catch them in what is called California, Mexico. I had two ships at the time. It was great and I was well off at the time until the law passed that prohibit from catching and killing the whales.

How did you come to the United States?
The way that I came to the United States was well of course you know that I was married before and she past away so that is when I went back toNavy. I did not know what to do I had two daughter at the time and I knew they needed a mother. So I had to leave them with their aunt and uncle to care for them. That is when I went back to join the Navy again and I worked as a secretary typing memos and orders really what ever they needed because I was really good at typing.

How did you come to the United States?
The way that I came to the United States was well of course you know that I was married before and she past away so that is when I went back to the navy. I did not know what to do I had two daughters at the time and I knew that they needed a mother. So I had to leave them with their aunt and uncle to care for them . Of course you know that I met your mother in the Navy and well, my aunt and uncle kept telling me to come to San Antonio, Texas. They thought it would be best for my family at that point since we did have your sister at that time. I had to find a better way to better provide for my family. So I did after all and my aunt was the one who told me were to look for jobs. I remember I went to a restaurant and asking if they had an opening if they had any openings. It was a Mexican restaurant and I told the guy at the time I would do anything if he needed me to wash dishes be a waiter since I would help out once in a while with my father’s bar.

Where did you work?
The places that I worked at was several places I worked. I worked at Mi Tierra and La Fogata. I really don’t remember how much I earned, but basically it was off the tips you made. Of course years had past on and I wanted to own my own business since I worked at all those restaurants I thought how hard could it be. So what I did was save up money and talked to Moto( a friend of the family) since he owned his own business I went to him. Finally that day came I opened my own business and had it for about 13 years now.

Did you ever think you would own your business in the Untied States?
The funny thing when I was small I remember telling my mom that I had a dream that I would come to San Antonio, Texas to live here. They didn’t believe me. I was like a dream come true. The best part is least I made a better living for my family.

ANALYSIS

I learned a lot from my father that I never thought he did in his life. I did not know he own his business in Mexico City. My father had a very interesting life that I never bothered to ask about. My father was a very ambious person and very successful in my eyes. Still today he is a man that can not quite give up working since he worked most of his life. What I learned so much from my father since I did this interview was how he lived his life and how he came about to the United States. I did not know how he actually came to the United Stated and how he came about to live here. I never knew that he had owned his own business and how he lived his life in the navy. The way that he expressed his feelings was excited to tell me his story and parts of the story he was a little upset due to some situations through his life. The stories taught me how life was during that time period compared to now. The way that I attempted to verify of the stories that were told by asking family members that were closer to my father. The benefits of learning was a great learning experience of knowing what my father’s past was like. I would consider that this was a very effective way of learning the past. The reason to that it is because this is some one who is currently living today, and who was and still is apart of history. It became so much more interesting due to I learned a bit more of my father's past and how it has affected my life in a positive way.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ricarodo's Place. This is more information on my fathers business on his success.

Schooling In Mexico City. My father had attended private school while growing up in Mexico. The source is the Institute of International Education. Here you can find the school's philosophy.

Whaling Information In-depth look of the whaling industry from past to present.

Mexican Immigration Source of information regarding the immigration from Mexico.

Map of Mexico Location of Mexico City and the North Pacific Ocean.

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