I don’t necessarily find it erroneous when people migrate from one country to fulfill a better future. Everyone has their own sense for craving to migrate to another country, it can either be for financial reasons, educational reasons, better futures, health reasons, or even owing to the fact that their country isn’t safe for them and they simply need to live in a higher quality environment. I can’t imagine how living in a country, city, town, or an environment contaminated with gang wars, food or water shortage, inadequate education, etc. will cause for people to want to stay there. Imagine living in a place where you are barely dozing off to sleep as a result of  the sirens, people shouting, and the sound of gun shootings, which have kept you awake, you have still not adapted to it, then a few minutes later, you jump. Why? On account of those noises that keep you up, you feel like they will never end. When people think of a better chance at a successful future they think California. An innumerable amount of people I know have immigrated illegally to the U.S and are undocumented. For example, my grandma, Mirna immigrated to California illegally.

Mirna illegally came to the U.S in 1980. She was born and raised in Guatemala, where all her family was also born and raised. In Guatemala and in Central America in general, there is a great amount of poverty. Mirna did not live in much poverty, but she wasn’t underprivileged. Her family has invariably been able to support her in every way possible. She has regularly attended school, aiming for a successful future and worked to help support her family. For these reasons, my grandma did not want to move to California, “I don’t wanna come here, but your grandpa told me to come over here.” Moving here would cost her and unsatisfactorily affect her since she would be leaving all her work and the countless things behind in Guatemala. “I just barely graduate from secretary over there in Guatemala and I was working in a French college.”

My grandpa, Adrian, had lived here in California for a year and he had already received a head start before my grandma in succeeding. She came alone, “Yo vine solita… el se vino como un ano antes que mi.” (I came alone… he came like a year before me.) My grandpa believed that as soon as he arrived here, everything would be better and he was immensely fantasized about life here. He intended to give his daughters a superior future and ensure their safety. He believed they would acquire more money here and be able to buy a house in Guatemala. Adrian was hoping they would both work here, earn money, buy the house, and move back. Adrian and Mirna both believed this would be living the American Dream. He had so long dreamed in his daughter’s owning a house since he wanted them to be able to have more than he ever did as a kid.

When Adrian finally convinced Mirna to come and live with him, she didn’t assume she made the right decision. She was still highly hesitant and nervous. Can you imagine leaving your daughters behind and moving thousands of miles away? My grandparents left their daughters, parents, education, and work behind. They were going to start from scratch in a country they knew truly little about. They knew what they were risking and it impaired them to leave their daughters in another country feeling abandoned, alone, but it was all worth it if it meant having an improved, an improved life. At her first attempt trying to come to California, it didn’t work out. She was caught by I.C.E and was ordered to Tijuana, Mexico. She explained there were loud helicopters hovering over them, "...andava un helicoptoro ensima de nos otros...y yo tenia miedo de estar en un lugar que no conocia." (...there was a helicopter on top of us... and I was scared of being in a place I didn't know...) My grandma was terribly scared and also incensed at the same time. That was one of the most horrifying events she has lived through, following leaving her daughters. My grandparents didn't totally abandon their children in view of the fact that they were under the care of my great grandparents. "...deje mis dos hijas y era lo que mas me dolia...yo vivia en Guatemala en La Capital y cuando me vine deje mis hijas con mi mama y con mi papa..." ( ...I left my two daughters and that's what hurt me most... I lived in Guatemala in The Capital and when I came I left my daughters with my mom and dad...)

After Mirna's first attempt at "trying to cross the border", she was ready to try again and reach the U.S. It was all for her future but most importantly, her children's futures. After all, her two children were the main reason Adrian and Mirna decided to move to California. Mirna was more terrified now than she was in her first attempt because she didn't know if she'd get caught and get sent back once again. She stated, "...y deyi atemptamos pasar de regreso y la segunda ves ya pasamos." (...and then we attempted going back and the second time we passed.) Mirna did not completely come alone, she came with other family members, but they were few. They came to the U.S through 4 different ways of transportation. "Yo vine primero en un bus y venia mucha gente y tardo dias y dias en llegar... despues nos suvimos en un tren y que tambien tenia mucho miedo de venir en esos lugares y despues de ultimo nos metieron en una ven donde aviamos vastante gente y de ultimo ya pasamos una montana caminando... caminamos como talves pienso que una hora pero rapido." ( I first came in a bus and there was a lot of people and it lasted days and days in getting there... and then we got on a train and that also I was very scared of coming in those places and then lastly, they put us in a van where there was a lot of people and lastly, we passed a mountain walking ... we walked like, about, I think, an hour, but fast.) All of this was playing with the emotions in my grandma's head, she was tired, scared, and was extremely scared of what can happen to her. Mirna still wasn't sure of coming over here and leaving her job she had over there that took her a while to study for. She didn't know yet if it was worth leaving that all behind for coming here, it was a wearying decision.

Mirna has been living here in California since then, 1980. She has lived in three cities which are Arleta, Burbank, and Los Angeles as an American Citizen. She has accustomed to ways here in California and is no longer regretting coming to the U.S. My grandma believes she made the valid decision moving here seeing that she was able to give her daughters a better future, which lead my siblings and I to having a life full of opportunities, "...pienso que si era una buena decision venir nos aqui porque aqui ay mas opportunidades de salir adelante..." ( I think that it was a good decision for us to come here because here there are more opportunities to succeed...) She truly liked it here so much that she claims if she had the opportunity to live in Guatemala again, she wouldn't take it, she would only visit. My grandma had it all planned out on how she would succeed in California and live the American Dream she and my grandpa would fantasize about. "...estudiando ingles, superando me, ir a la escuela, y si lo ise." (...studying English, advancing myself, going to school, and I did do it.) Mirna's perspective on the American Dream has somewhat changed, "...el sueno americano es como tener una buena posision como en trabajo y ganar dinero." ( ...the American dream is like having a better position like in a job and earn money.) Since my grandma has moved to California, she doesn't feel as if she is living the American dream because she feels the American dream is more ideal for people who want to earn an endless  amount of money. Mirna claims she will keep striving to finally succeed at living the American Dream as an American citizen.