This was written by an immigrant who came to this country 60 years ago, but it is pretty much the same story I heard from one of our school secretaries who came with her elementary school aged daughter a few years ago. Only she did not have the good fortune to come in safety on an airplane.
Today, November 5th, 2018 is 4 Kan. I’m sharing again my story of immigration when I came with my family from Central America to the United States.
Even now 60 years later. I have a difficult time speaking about this journey.
I was a child when my mother told us we are going to the US. I only had a few days before we left . My mind and my emotions were frozen. I remember those moments in time ...moving as if in slow motion. I looked around at the beauty of my surroundings the green plants the warm temperature the voice of my brothers and sisters. I remember my moms demeanor in her face was without expression. The night before we left no one slept. I was woken up in the cool midnight walking to the bus-stop.
We boarded in the early morning hour with a ride to Managua, Nicaragua. That was the moment my journey started. My body was use to the mountain air & surroundings. I found myself in a city that was totally different busy with cars, people all around me, noise & the temperature was so hot. All I could do is hold my moms hand very tight. We stayed that night at my moms friends house to leave the next morning. We flew from Managua to Miami to La Guardia airport in NYC. My mind went into another transition. That became imprinted in my heart. The reality of my home, my town was all gone it was like it only existed in my mind.
I often asked my mom before she passed. I was younger than 17 years old
“Mama why did we come to the US her answer was always the same
Hija (daughter)
I wanted you to have a better life
We have no rights in Central America we as women
We cannot say NO to sex
We cannot say how many children we want to have
We cannot speak & express our thoughts
We have No rights to an education
We cannot say NO to all of the domestic and field work that we do
We cannot say NO to cooking & looking for food
We have no rights on what clothing we want to wear
We are under the domination of someone else
I brought you here to have a better life than mine
I had NO rights as a women in Central America NO rights at all
So we run- run — run— to find freedom
Love and Light,
Grandmother Flordemayo
#grandmotherflordemayo #familiesbelongtogether
Even now 60 years later. I have a difficult time speaking about this journey.
I was a child when my mother told us we are going to the US. I only had a few days before we left . My mind and my emotions were frozen. I remember those moments in time ...moving as if in slow motion. I looked around at the beauty of my surroundings the green plants the warm temperature the voice of my brothers and sisters. I remember my moms demeanor in her face was without expression. The night before we left no one slept. I was woken up in the cool midnight walking to the bus-stop.
We boarded in the early morning hour with a ride to Managua, Nicaragua. That was the moment my journey started. My body was use to the mountain air & surroundings. I found myself in a city that was totally different busy with cars, people all around me, noise & the temperature was so hot. All I could do is hold my moms hand very tight. We stayed that night at my moms friends house to leave the next morning. We flew from Managua to Miami to La Guardia airport in NYC. My mind went into another transition. That became imprinted in my heart. The reality of my home, my town was all gone it was like it only existed in my mind.
I often asked my mom before she passed. I was younger than 17 years old
“Mama why did we come to the US her answer was always the same
Hija (daughter)
I wanted you to have a better life
We have no rights in Central America we as women
We cannot say NO to sex
We cannot say how many children we want to have
We cannot speak & express our thoughts
We have No rights to an education
We cannot say NO to all of the domestic and field work that we do
We cannot say NO to cooking & looking for food
We have no rights on what clothing we want to wear
We are under the domination of someone else
I brought you here to have a better life than mine
I had NO rights as a women in Central America NO rights at all
So we run- run — run— to find freedom
Love and Light,
Grandmother Flordemayo
#grandmotherflordemayo #familiesbelongtogether
No comments:
Post a Comment