Rosa Maria Perez (nee Rodriguez)
How wasit that your crossed over to the United States?
We crossed the Pierdas Negras bridge in Mexico because a son that came to San Antonio before us sent this man who he payed to have this man cross my family over here in San Antoinio.
What was it like crossing the border?
Ohh for me it was a dream to come and live over here my parents and my brothers and sisters part of my family all lived here in San Antonio and I wanted to come over here as well and that's why for me it was a beautiful thing come over here.
How was life different from the United States to Mexico?
The difference that there is about how life is lived over there is one there wasn't any work and second was because we wanted to make progress and for my kids to have a better education and for us to all be together for everyone to give and help eachother for the intentions to want to come over here
What was the the highest grade level you completed?
Over there it was only up to the second grade because my parents didn't have money. Over there it wasn't a custom for a girl to work because my father was the only one who gave money to the house, the only stabled one and when we were kids it was a beautiful thing. My childhood was just so beautiful I never saw fights in my house.
What did you think the United States was going to be like before crossing?
Because I would here from my family members who lived in Mexico that over there, which is here in the United States, was a lot of ways to learn how to win more money, how to live a better life, for one to make progress which was one of the biggest desires for us to have a house and for me to be with all my family.
Could you ever find yourself going back to live in Mexico?
No! not even in my dreams to say to return to Mexico because now all my family is, here everyone in there own way, there all married that now I dont have no reason for going to Mexico.
How was it that you got your papers fixed (citizenship)?
The way I fixed my papers was already here in San Antonio the only thing was there was a time where we all went to go fix papers so that we could live here legally we tried to within years try to make ourselves citizens, and luckily in the interview we had which was between myself and my son Daniel who were the first to try and fix our citizenship and we did the both of us.
Was it hard living here at first?
In the beginning it was a little hard because we were all living with a sister of mine but, we were used to living in Mexico in my house which was with my family.What we wanted was little by little start to buy things to start living in an apartment.
How was it that you met grandpa?
Oh well over there were I lived we came because my dad in Mexico work had finsihed for him and we stationed ourselves in town were all my childern were born which is called Rosita, Coahuila, Mexico. There they were born and well when we came here we lived close to where your grandpa lived. We took a rout that would pass through the river near where they used to live and that's where I started to get to know him, we became boyfriend andd girlfriend and we got married. Five years of a relationship mija and I came out the way God intended to be done with my vail and with my crown.
How is your life now in the United States?
So much better because now that your grandpa as you know has passed on I am the one who governs. It's ok that I live here with my son Daniel but although with what your grandfather worked he gave me well the governmant gives me a check every month and with what they give me I live off of that here in this house.
Is there anything else you would like to add to this interview?
Well theres nothing to say about Mexico anymore that stayed over there now here I'm very happy because all my kids are married the way God intened for a marriage to be like and above everything we have come to know the truth about who we are because first of all it is that wer received Christ as our Lord and Savior and I cannot leave that out because thank you Jesus we have recognized the truth that over there in Mexico it was all a lie. When we recieved Christ into our hearts thats when he changed our lives not just mine but all of my kids. What else can I say i'm happy that I put in God in this interview but thats how it is you know very well right? You know very well that all my kids serve God and we try to live a life the most straight that one could live his life because of the lies over there but now thank you God I live a very happy life happy although that I already am seventy seven years old. But these last years were the most happiest for me since I recieved God since then on forward they were the most happiest.
There was a lot of things I learned about my grandmother especailly about how here and my grandfather met I never knew that there relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend lasted five years.
As for the most important points in my opinion, were how all of her family was living here in San Antonio. So my grandmother had to forcefully tell my grandfather to come to the Unites States so that she can be with her family. My grandfather on the other hand did not want to leave his family because they were all living in his town so he didnt have to worry about going to the United States. My grandmother fianlly convinced him to come and told him about all the work that was being offerd and finally gave in.
One thing I didn't know about my grandmother is that never once did she know what it was like to work and till this day still doesn't know what it's like to work.
My view on this topic did not change in any way I was eagerly wanting to know about my grandmothers life because if it wasnt for her convicing my grandfather to come over here none of us would have been here right now.
My grandmother was very calm she explained everything briefly and and bluntly.
They taught me that I shouldnt take life for granted because of the fact that back then it wasnt easy to work now as it is now we have everything given to us.
Through pictures and what she told to me my mom also told me some stuff to verify everything.
The benefits are that you really learn a lot about every single detail of there past.
Definitley because its a one on one basis which allows you to get a lot of insight from the person. If they are willing to they explain everything detail by detail of how everything got started.
Wikepedia the Free Encyclopedia is is a multilingual, web-based, free content encyclopedia project Wikipedia's articles provide links to guide the user to related pages with additional information.
Texas Handbook Online . a multidisciplinary encyclopedia of Texas history, geography, and culture sponsored by the Texas State Historical association adnt he General Libraries at UT-Austin . It was produced in partnership with the College of Liberal Arts and the General Libraries at the University of Texas at Austin. Copyright The Texas State Historical Association.
Pierdas, Negras Bridge .The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright© 2004, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products N.V. All rights reserved. Gives details of the town and what its all about.
citizenshipBy Daniel B. Wood | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor from the March 26, 2007 edition
Talks about the detail of the city and how it was.since the 1930s it has become a prominent industrial...
a checkBy Jeanne Sahadi, CNNMoney.com senior writer.Social Security will replace less of your income than it did before, thanks to taxes, Medicare and the reality of hitting your 60's.
Photographs and/or documents on this website were provided by Claudia Gabriela Olivarez and and Rosa Maria Perez.The first picture was taken when she turned 15 the day of her quincenera the second photo is a picture that was taken a day before there official move to the United States, the third picture is of my grandmother and grandfather on there wedding day and the final picture is of my grandma, her oldest daughter and my mother. Who is in the photo/s? The second photo was taken in Mexico in the boder of Pierdas Negras the third picture was taken in Rosita, Coahuila, Mexico the day of there wedding and the last picture was taken at the Westin Hotel my grandmother and her oldest daughter and my mother are in it with her. They were taken our from my moms album and my moms dresser.