Isabel Reyes (nee Ortiz)
Did you go to school and what grade did you go up to?
Yes, I did go to school, but the grade that I finish up to was 6 grade. The reason I only went up to 6 grade was because
my parents didn't have any money to pay for schooling.
What did you do when you got out of school?
At the age that I started to work was 12 years old. Then at age 13th I went to Rosita, Coahuila to live with my aunt.
To study sewing clothes and other things. Rosita, Coahuila is just about an hour and thirty minutes away from my home town.
I didn't get finish studying sewing because some people who new my aunt told her that they saw me talking to a boy. So just because
that I went back home. I only last a year with my aunt.
What were your duties outside the house?
My duties outside the house were burning the cactus thorns and cut the cactus into little pieces for the cow to eat. I
Would feed the sheep, cows, chickens, horses, and pigs. I would do that every single day.
What were your duties inside the house?
The stuff that I would do inside the house was to clean. We would make the tortillas and cook them. We would cook the
food so we could eat. I would help my mom to sell the cow milk to the people. I like to help my parent in everything that they asked me to do.
I would sew for other people because that the only way I would get money to buy myself material. So I could make myself clothes.
I your have a car or a truck?
No we didn't have a truck or a car. Only the people who had a lot of money had trucks or cars. My dad had a wogan that was pull by a horse to.
He would the wagon to go to the place were he would cut the cane and he would take to the house for the animals. You can eat the crane yourself.
When we want to go some where we would on the bus.
What did you do on the weekend or for fun?
When there were dances and weddings I would go to them. I would go to the plaza with my friends and we would talk. The weekend was like any other to me.
How did your home town look like when you lived there?
My home town is small and everybody knows each other. The roads were dirt and mostly every person was on a horse or on a bike to get around in the town.
The houses were made of mud, straw, and sticks. The houses look like adobe. The houses were close to each other. There were no clothing stores the town. You had to go to the city to go buy clothes and shoes. There little that had the
food that you need at home like the meat, fruits, and vegetables.
When was the first time you came to the United states?
The first time that my sister and I come was in the month of March and the year was 1975 and we stay at your dad's sister house. My brother got married to your dad's sister.
When did you get your visa to cross to the United States?
The day that I got my Visa was on October 17, 1974 and to get it I had to go to Eagle Pass.
How did you meet dad and where?
I met your dad in the year 1978 and it was at his house and he was getting separated from his wife. The reason we went to his houses was because my bothers had bought your
dad a bike and he was taking it to him.
When and where did you get married?
The date that I got married was on July 14, 1979. The place that I got married was at Rodriguez Coahuila. I didn't get married through a church.
My wedding was outside of my house on the street. I was 30 years old when I got married and husband Enrique Reyes was 31 years old. I was the last one
to get married and leave the house of my parent.
Why did you want to come to live in San Antonio?
The reason that I came to live in San Antonio was because I want a better life than the one that I had in my past. I had work a lot to get through life and help my parents.
Since I had lived in San Antonio I haven't work just been a house wife.
How many children do you have?
I have three kids and their names are Irene, Luis, and Jessica. My son got married at the age 19 years old and has two kids' boy and girl. My daughter left the house at the
18 years old and has two girls. One of my daughter is going to Palo Alto College and she is going to major in Computer Information System.
Rodriguez Coahuila It about the history of the town. It show pictures and it tell how the house looked like. How many kids that the women had.
Coauhila. This is a map of the state of Coahuila. The maps show you the city and the town that Coahuila have.
Adobe. It tell how the house were made and what they used to make the house. When they started to build the house and it show you picture of the houses.
Wedding. The way that Rodriguez, Coahuila celebrate the wedding and that the people had fun at the married.
Plaza. It only a picture of the plaza and show the way it looked like.