Mexican Immigration Narrative

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As a child, I always loved to explore and learn about livelihoods that differed from my own. This predominately stems from when I traveled with my grandmother at age seven to Mexico, a country I barely knew and whose language I did not speak. My goal was to strengthen my bond with my extended family and learn Spanish. While I have been to Mexico once before with my immediate family, I never obtained an ‘authentic’ experience as I had my siblings to speak English with and remained mainly at my grandmother’s house or the touristy areas of the city. However, this trip showcased another side of Mexico I never saw –– the real Mexico, in my opinion. Within the first week, my cousin brought me to a flea market in an area he called “the slums of Mexico City.” That is when a vendor approached us to purchase a …show more content…
During this time, there was a high rate of kidnapping for ransom, with many being American. This induction did not make me fearful of what was forthcoming, but excited to see a more real side of the city and country. Following this experience, we visited my grandmother’s ancestral town in another state. On the drive, we passed such extravagant houses; however, as we drove up the dirt road, I saw a house made out of sun-dried bricks and sticks with a hay roof – the original house my grandmother grew up in and where my great-uncle still resides. There were no bathrooms, lights, or doors, and I learned that the country allows people like my uncle to live there for free so long as he continues to care for the land. This was my first exposure to such poverty, but it did not limit the wonderful time I had, nor the connections forged despite the language barrier. Despite being away from my family in a country I hardly knew the language of, I had an unforgettable time that profoundly impacted my motivations and

Mexican Immigration Narrative

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