TRANSCRIPTION
How was your childhood like?
I lacked of many necessities as a child because we were very poor but besides that I lived a very happy childhood. The setting in which I grew up was very sociable because everyone talked to each other. I remember playing with the other kids from the block around in the evenings and we would play until it got dark and our parents told us to get inside. We played games like Los Encantados (Tag), El Bote Volado (Version of Hide and Seek), and Baseball.
Did you have a TV?
No I didn't have a TV, we had a radio in our house where we would listen to the news, hear music, and listen to radio novelas.
. How was your life in school?
I remember going to school around 8 in the morning. I always walked with my friends from my neighborhood about six blocks to go to school. Every Monday we had to wear a uniform, boys wore white collar shirts while girls wore dark blue color dresses. In the mornings when I went to school they would sell us breakfast at 10 cents. When my parents could I would be given money to eat at school then other times when they couldn't I wouldn't eat in the mornings. I had a professor that would sometimes buy me breakfast because he didn't see me eating. I was a very good student with good grades in all my classes and I had lots of friends. When it was 12 pm it was our break time for lunch and I went home to eat which was something everyone usually did. Then we would have to return to school again at 1 and it didn't end until 4.
Did you finish your education?
I finished school when I was 13 but I wanted to keep on studying. The reason was because I would see my both of my older sisters working on some rich people's houses as maids to where they would leave very early in the morning and come back late night. There is nothing wrong with being a maid it's an honorable job, but I want to be something, have a better job than to be someone's maid. I wanted to study so I could get a better paying job, a better life. I told my parents about this desire of mine to where my dad told me that I didn't need to study because when I got married I was going to be maintained by my husband. I begged him until he finally caved in to my request. My older sisters helped because they told my dad to let me study and they would help with the payment. And even with my sisters helping out financially it was a lot of sacrifice to pay for my studies. My parents had to work hard and sell a few things of theirs in order for me to get an education. . I will always remember that action as the love they had for me and will remember both my parents with so much love and respect the rest of my life. Thanks to my parents and sisters I went to La Academia Commercial Amado Nervo which much sacrifice and graduated in 1974.
What were your hobbies?
I liked dancing a lot, playing volleyball, and playing lottery.
Did you work in Mexico?
Yes after I graduated from the academy I work as a secretary first in a church of the town where I worked for three years. When I got married to my first husband he told me to stop working because he told me that he was the man of my life now and that he was going to take care of me making sure I had everything I needed. In 1985 he passed away and I had to start working again in order to maintain my children. I worked in a big store called Merco which sold clothes and food products for about four years. And then in 1989 I started working as a secretary for DIF in government offices.
What made you come to the United States?
Well I was working to build my own house so my children and I could have a home of our own. In the meantime I was living with my parents. With the money I was making, it was good but I was a single parent that maintained both my children and my parents. And because of this it was hard to save money for my dream house. Then one day I was talking to one of my friends that lived in San Antonio and I told her about how I was saving money to be able to buy the material needed to build my own house. My friend told me that I should come over to San Antonio and find a job because over here I would be able to make more money faster to build my dream house. In the meantime if I decided to go to San Antonio I could stay with her. I thought about it for a month and decided to give San Antonio a chance. I had my Visa so I came over to the US.
What challenges did you face in San Antonio?
That I couldn't find a job because I didn't have anyone that could reference me for the job I wanted. I knew how to talk a little English but not too well which was another challenge I faced, but I still got around and got what I needed. Luckily one day while I was looking at the newspaper for a job I saw that someone needed a babysitter. I decided to call the number and luckily I got an interview with the couple who were looking for a babysitter. I got the job as a babysitter which was something I had never done for another family but it was something I could relate too since I had children as well. I really enjoyed it and I overcame all of these challenges. The couple who hired me were really satisfied with how I took care of their children as well. I worked as a babysitter for 2 years and during periods of the year I would return to Mexico to keep building my house.
What plans did you have for your family during the time you were finishing your house in Mexico?
Well my plan was to live in Mexico the rest of my days but since your dad worked in San Antonio and then came to Muzquiz in the weekends, I saw this as a struggle for him. Your dad and I one day talking decided that it would be best to move from Mexico to the US. I was also thinking of the benefits my children could get because there were more opportunities of them becoming somebody living in the US than in my small town in Mexico
What advice would you give to todays youth?
My advice would be to fight for your dreams and never give up until you reach them
