Amado Nunez
What do you remember about your childhood?
Just waking up every moring and going to work and after coming from work just doing what ever kid dose play with all my friends. We would all go to the river near by and fish or just play any kind of game we would make up. We didn't have much money so we had to use our imagagination a lot.
What did you know about the United States before you came?
I didn't know much about it I just knew that it was my opportunity to make a better life for my family and myself. There are more jobs there that paid more than i would get paid working in Mexico. And that my family would have a better life living there.
How was it when you first came to the united States?
It was hard at first I didn't know any English what so ever and I still don't know it very well but any ways it was just hard getting used to a different life other than Mexico. The people are very different I didn't know much people and tried to keep out of trouble because I was here in the United States illegal so that makes things even worse for me and I could get deported right away.
Did you live any other place other than Texas?
Yes I did I lived in California
What part of California did you live in?
I lived in McFarland California that's where all my brothers left first and decided to stay and live there that's where I had one of my first jobs there.
Describe the job that you had while living in McFarland?
I was working in the fields picking and packaging grapes. It was a very difficult job you had rats running around at times and sometimes snakes and it was very hot working there under the grape vines.
Why did you leave McFarland and how did you end up in San Antonio, Texas?
I did get in a little bit of trouble there in McFarland, while I was staying there and decided it was best if I left there and moved somewhere else because I knew I would just keep getting into more trouble. I ended up in San Antonio by your mother,all her brothers migrated to Texas and she didn't want to leave them plus your mother didn't like McFarland at all. I think to this day she still dosen't like McFarland.
Describe your journey coming into the United States?
They were rough journeys of course, there were more than one journey. I had to swim across the river that was always a really scary because you never knew if there were strong currents or if there was just something under that can bite you. I also came in a train what I was always afraid of when I was coming in a train was the possibility of getting my leg or arm cut off the train. The whole journey was very difficult you never knew when the border patrol can just beat you or even kill you. It was all how lucky you really were.
In what ways were you discriminated against living in the United States?
There were very few times I was discriminated; do remember this white man calling me mojado (meaning wet back) that got me uspet but I didn't do nothing about it because I in a way was better than him.
What do you mean you were better than him?
I could of stayed there and called him names too but I just thought to myself, if it wasn't for us "mojados" a lot of there outside work wouldn't be done. Like theis farm labor, there construction work,a lot of Americans depend on us "mojados."
Were you ever deported back to Mexico?
Of course
Why were you deported back to Mexico?
When I was living in California, I got in trouble with the law and had to go back to Mexico. And then when I was working here in San Antonio in one of the construction companies the border patrol came and got a lot of us that were immigrants and deported us back to Mexico.
Are you happy you raised your family here in the United States?
Yes, I wouldn't choose a better place to raise my family at. I think I made the right choice living here in the United States. You and your sisters have a better life here in the United States than Mexico here, you girls go to school and have better job opportunities than in Mexico.You can make a better life and raise your own family here better.
Did you come to the United States before or after you got married?
I came to the United States before I got married, I came very young to the United States .
For how long were you an illegal immifrant?
Humm...I think for about eleven years. After I married your mother really I was able to become legal here in the United States.
Is there anything that you miss living in Mexico?
Yes of course I miss the most is my childhood. Imiss playing with my brothers and all my friends in the river or with our pretend cars that were rocks. Or just playing soccer and baseball. We were'nt very wealthy but I was happy growing up.It wasn't the wealthiest place but it was just fun being there. Now you have all these big houses everywhere that take up all the nice places that I use to play at.
Was it hard adapting to a new life here in the United States/
Yes, it was becuase I had so much freedom in Mexico that coming here I was pretty much just at home.It felt like I was in a jail. It was hard because when you don't know one word of English you have trouble going to places because no one understands you and I didn't understand anyone.
Did you become a citizen?
No because I don't want to I don't think I need to. I'm proud of being a Mexican cizitien and thats the way its going to stay.
Would you ever go go back to live to Mexico?
No because now my family is here in the United States and I wouldn't want to leave them. You, your mom, and your two sisters are here and I couldn't see myself somewhere else without them.
Through this intreview what I learned about my father is that he is and was a hard worker. He struggled through a lot to better his life for himself and his family.Some of the important points that he made in the intreview is the fact that he went through a lot just to come to the United States to have a better life than he had in Mexico.One thing that I learned about my father that I did not know before is the fact that he became a legal by marrying my mother. The stories that I heard made me realize that father is a very hardworker and how unfair sometimes life can be. Just the fact that he had to go through so much just to come and live in the United States. It shows me how lucky my sisters and I are.I do think this is an effective way of learning about our past. Because you learn so many things that you did not know about someone. Its also a very interesting way of learning about someones past.
McFarland California. WikipediaŽ McFarland California. The Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia is a multidisciplinary encyclopedia of California history, geography, and culture sponsored by the California State Historical Association and the General Libraries at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McFarland,_California Last Updated: April 2006.
Neal and Associates. Gives a brief description of the vines and farm labor in McFarland California. It also shows a lot of pictures of the fields. Copyright @ 2006 by Michael Neal, Neal & Associates. The website www.mrneal covers many things it shows different pictures of the vineyards and the farms. Micheal Neal & Asscoiates potographs were taken by, and are property of Neal & Associates http://www.mrneal.com. (2006).
http://www.jalpazacatecas.net Jalpa's Government It show pictures of Jalpa Zactecas and the towns that are aound Jalpa. Gives information on new projects that they have plan for the towns. http://www.jalpazacatecas.net (2006).
Images of the Border Patrol: Different Border Patrol images of the workers and immigrants . Border Patrol- Google Images Search, pictures if immigrants and the Border Patrol.