35 Verito (El Salvador, Age 16): English

Hi! My name is Verito  I will share about my immigration story .

I come from El Salvador a small country of Central  America  ,  I was 16 years old when my process to Visa started.

Now I talk about how was my life before.I lived in a small town called San Francisco Javier of state Usulutan  ,I lived with my grandparents they are practically my own parents because my parents migrated to United State so my mom arrived first with my cousin Lidia . My mom said to my Grandma “Only I going to live my niece, I payment my sister all she spend in me and I come back” but all was different ,me and my sister cried was hard be without  mother after were lived in grandparents home later of one year my mom were in United State  also my father come to United State for be together with my mother and work together .

I remind when my father leave grandparents home  was the  4 am I woke up  with my blanket in my hand I cried  , my father told me “Don’t cried my baby I love you and I’ll see you soon I will work for you and your sister so that they are well and have everything I  did not, go to sleep is early,” but i cried more and said “Daddy stay here I love you I don’t want you to miss me and my sister.”  My sister is sleeping my father going to bed and cried embrace to me and my sister also he repeat “I love you “ many time , my father left us ,a day after my sister birthday. My Grandpa were leave my father in San Salvador capital in bus .This day was so sad , I think I love more to my father because he was very loving and he was more time with me and my sister  also  I love my mom but I was small and I understood few what happen. My family is so big me and my sister was favorite granddaughters of my grandparents because we are unique  they created.

The time pass very faster in 2007 my parents separated my mom come to new york and my Dad stayed in  Virginia they had many problems my Dad drunk so he was aggressive that why they can’t is together ,they spoke me and my sister and said “When you grow  you will understand  this will be more better “ but I don’t want accept and I cried and I don’t want talk with my mother , in my country and my family this is bad so for me this were bad too , Later I grow and I don’t care they are separated I went to school I was very good in the school and many years I obtained acknowledge my grandparents are proud , my parents too they always had a gift for me but I thank in special to my grandpa because he teached me many thing but in special math  .

In 2013 was a wonderful year because I was Queen in my town , I graduated ,My grandparents had 50 married years (golden wedding)  and ,I celebrated my fifteen years old also my Daddy arrived to El Salvador after of 10 years. I loved 2013 ,Further my process to Visa stared ,I had appointment in the embassy just when I was crowned my mom called me and said “ Visa is ready”.

I went to capital  ubicated in San Salvador for bring a packet where was my passport and a note  of the embassy so  me , my sister ,my father and my aunt we went in the car to a office where had the packet (Vilma is my she is wife of Salomon brother of my Daddy ) She helped in my process thanks to she all can be more easy  she all time was free for help .

All in my family  was disagree that me and my sister come here because they think process were not legal  but I believed they do not want me and my sister we let them they had fear not to meet again so my grandma cried too much and said ”What me and your grandpa doing if you and Nathaly let us  ? only will stay the two aged single “,

my grandpa also cried but he said “ Is for a more better future ,your will be a professional person .“ He understand more that this for me and my sister .

When Visa was approved my mom was happy she brought bulletin for we can fly  in the plane . My family accept we has travel and looking for future , my aunt and uncle device all time also they cried because they considered like her  daught   they all time was  loving with me and my sister.

Come the day me and my sister had that travel and leave all our life we had goal , our family , friends and thousand of remind .I walked around all house crying out and remind all I had lived in this house , my house was so big and tall made of mud in the wall , the roof was shingled  had many door and only one window , the bedroom are big , the living room was big and had many furniture  , the dining room  also was big , the yard was so so so large , We had many animals cow , chicken ,turkey , my grandparents were field families this meant  they had many land they love  created animals also they plants many  fruit tree , I knew i will mis all about my house practically there was my root.

Later a hard moment time to say goodbye another moment more hard . I said goodbye all family that cannot go to airport with me and my neighbors they cried also they considered part of their  life .

Finally we arrive at airport ,there we wait at time while plane was ready .My grandparents was sad and my aunts and uncles talk to me  and my sister  ,while looked when plane rise in the airport .

I felt happy and sad because I will see my mom later 11 years without see she only in picture  but I will let my grandparents that I considered my own parents because they were all time with me they worried by me all time they were there when I needed a device when I cried when I smile , when I achieve  a goal , my grandpa made honor accompanied of his arm by my graduation to receive my diploma all remind more beautiful   I had  with they , I loved my grandparents !

My Grandma said “ I don’t want you go to United Stated I will miss I will be sad but only careful each other do not pay attention boys , your have to  study to be a professional person , your will married some day  when your work and will be ready .“

My Grandpa said “ Careful I want see back study  to be some some in the life and don’t forget  I love you”.My Daddy also devise us and said “ I love you “ , all my family eated Pollo Campero (Restaurant where sell chicken ) We eated together .Time past so fast , time to say goodbye all cried but I have say goodbye.

Later 4 hours we arrive in Kennedy airport ,my mom were waiting by me and my sister .When I was down of airplane inside of airport I felt like new person but all seem rare because I  heard all in English and I did not t understand nothing , a person put a stamp in my passport , I told myself “ Now is opportunity for start a new life and work for your future. “

Airport was  very big , when I were going out a man helped to take our luggage

, While  I walking with my sister from outside  I felt many emotions but felt more happy finally I saw a people I meet my cousin Lidia later of 11 years , husband mother was there  he was happy I seemed nice but I don’t felt trust  for give an embrace ,husband  aunt also was in airport he  was funny and realistic person .

Was  a beautiful moment when I looked my mother in another side of the street I did not care traffic light  only run by embrace my mother I felt very happy never in my life I had felt happy I cried and my mom too , my mom said “ I knew one day I can see and finally this day arrive” She kiss me and  my sister , my cousin also was very happy .

I looked a tall boy and I ask me ”  Who is he ? “ When he looked  me and my sister he said “ I am child that you guys want meet “ so I thought he was proud . “ He was my cousin , I was silent because I felt strange all was new for me .

We arrive at new home there I meet sister of my mother (unique sister) I never had viewed ahe but I seemed nice later my mom showed me and my sister our bedroom in the bed had an Teddy so cute my bedroom smelled delicious like roses , the colors in the wall was very cool : pink   and aqua.

After we opened all suitcases we brought  many food  took many time for see all this , my mom said “ let’s take picture by remind “ So we took pictures ,We had sleep  because we waited long day , when I wake up had snow in the street I went to see snow I took a  little was soft and white  was my first time I looked snow .

I did not  liked climate  was so cold but I had support because I will live here all my life , my mom said “Let’s go to King Plaza is a small “ so we go to King Plaza for buy clothes.

My mom decided we had meet school we were to department of education  husband of mom  had many friends over there so that easily all for find our school  , they needed see all grades me and my sister had for look for a high school , lucky find a school were had Spanish people ,next day my mom me and my sister also jason (husband mother ) go to International High School at Lafayette there I looked a tall man and he said “My name is Carlos today I help all your need” he  make  a process for we can stay there for study finally all was ready Mr Carlos said “follow me “ We seed my mother and following to Mr Carlos  he said “I will show little part of this school there you receive class , here you will do friends. ” I felt Nervous I seemed to much space for be a school.

All was ready so next day we go to school in the bus and my sister single I felt nervous and felt fear all people because I never viewed people all countries finally   arrived in the school  for me school I seemed  building where work people government  because my last school was so small , me and my sister we met Italian  woman she spoke Spanish rare but  I understood what she want  say ;she said “ You are new “ and me said “yes” she presented many boys  spoke Spanish , one of them  were Salvadorian he was funny  he called Victor , the first boy told me in lunch was Anthony (Puerto Rico boy ) ,   after I met many teachers  all was womans , many tried spoke Spanish with me .

All people spoken English so I don’t understood nothing I only was in silent , time pass I learned  little English  later I had vacations almost three  months me and my family went to beach in the ship , I liked beach was fun after many days  I come back to school  in September  and I met new  teachers  I seemed nice .

Now I felt I learned more English and all is more easy  because now I can talk with other people  of different countries .