I was born in 1994 to Dawn Mowbray and Paul Squeteri. I was the first child of five. My biological brother, Aaron Mowbray–Squeteri, was born in 1996. Within that same year, my parents filed for divorced. In 1998 my dad married Sheena Yates, who had a 1 year old son, Eugene Booth. In 1999 my dad had another daughter, my half–sister, Yasmyn Squeteri. In 2000 my half–brother, Mark Sweeney, was born to my mom and step–dad, Brian Sweeney. My mom had sole custody of me and my biological brother Aaron. For a period of time, my dad would see us every Wednesday night for dinner and every other weekend. My mom had her degree in nuclear medicine and worked for Good Samaritan hospital. Shortly after Mark was born, my Mom left her job to become a stay…
My mom, Gaby Hernandez, was born in April 1972, in a little calm and close-knit village named El Uncidero in Zacatecas, Mexico. She came for first time to the United States in July 1978 by paying a coyote (person who leads others across the border). After leaving about two years later, she came back permanently to the United States in January 1991. Once she had came back to the United States for the second time, she was more mature and was seeking for a better future for herself.…
The tapping on the wood door was enormous in the silence. Shocked out of my solitude, I pushed myself up from the couch and heaved open the door. Silhouetted against the light was a dark-haired woman with a girl clinging to her skirt. I knew who she was. My landlady had told me about the woman I had seen picking up mail at the post office. She'd called her "The Prize."…
I’ve been told the impact of a parent’s passing can carry on for years or forever. I was my mother’s primary care giver for two years. In her last four months, along with hospice, I took care of her full time along with maintaining my full time job. She passed in her home surrounded by me and my other two siblings in January. Just three months later my dad, who was not married to my mom, died unexpectedly in his sleep. I am still in the tender times of grief from my mother’s and father’s deaths. Who would think I could fathom writing about such a sorrowful time in addition to writing about the lessons I learned from my mother’s last months and the graceful way she left this earth. I relive this not only because it is kind of…
I cannot say that my family has a vast American history of a 100+ years, but what I can say is that my family has grown a lot in the past 30+ years. We would not have migrated to the USA if it weren't for my aunt’s marriage. It was 1984 when the first member of my family, my aunt, came to the United States of America. From then on, the rest of my immediate family trickled into the United States of America, looking for a place to grow and expand their family lines. It wasn’t easy to get a stable household income and care for our family at the time, but paycheck to paycheck we managed to do it.…
My mother’s parents would always share stories with us about how their parents came to America from Italy and Germany. They would bring out old photo albums and tell us all about how different life was for them and how they held on to family cooking recipes and every Christmas we make the same dishes that their parents would make. My father’s parents would also share stories about Ireland and my grandpa would talk about what he experienced when he was in the war. Unlike the family I interviewed, I was brought up in a Christian household. Every Sunday the whole family would attend church together and then go out to eat after to talk about what we had learned. We would also pray every night before bed and were always told to give thanks throughout the day for the life we have been blessed with.…
All of my aunts and uncles just showed up. Nobody has said anything about Teddy, so I am thinking that he is at the other hospital with Willow (pg63). When I walk in the hallway I see Kim (pg 63).I am so happy to see Kim, but her mother came with her. Kim’s mother is very emotional, Kim says it’s just being a drama queen. Kim finally couldn’t take her mother's crying any longer, she yells at her mother to get her to stop crying. After Kim’s outburst she leaves her mother in the waiting room while she walks around the hallways. When Kim yelled at her mom, it reminded me of when i became her friend. When we were younger we hated each other, now she is my best…
My mom has always been my biggest inspiration and throughout the years, I’ve learned a lot about what her life was like before and after I came into the picture. However, I’ve never thought to ask her about what her actual experience of bringing me into this world was like. Consequently, I decided to conduct an interview with my mom, Jennifer Lantz, about her experience giving birth to me and then to my sister.…
I’ll never forget having to leave my friends and family behind and having to move across the country. It was the summer of 2008, and I was 10 years old at the time. The huge brown boxes, indicated the progressive yet subtle hints of our departure. I did not know why my father took the job in Washington D.C., but I did know that I resented him for it. However, it wasn’t long before I realized the move was for my own good. Back in California, my family lived in a tightly cramped two bedroom and one bathroom apartment. I soon realized moving to Virginia gave my family unspeakable opportunities, those that some take for granted, such as being able to live in a single family home. Coming to Virginia was similar to coming to a foreign country. The roads were different, the people were different, and the atmosphere was different; everything seemed foreign.…
When I first came to the United States my whole life changed completely. I came from a very poor town where basic needs are privileges and even though I didn’t know the language, the culture, and the people. I was not scared about my new life, my new beginning. When my mom and I got here my dad rented a house which was in very bad conditions. At that time we didn’t have anything, we slept on the floor for almost a month, we didn’t have any furniture and not even a car to go buy groceries. My mom was very disappointed because my dad has been living here for almost 10 years and he didn’t have anything yet. Besides all the bad situations, I was very excited because I was here in this powerful country where opportunities everywhere. After couple weeks I asked my dad to do me a big favor which was start the paperwork so I can get into middle school. At first he was mad because he told me that I didn’t need that, I was devastated about his reaction because I really wanted to go, but he refused to take me. Sometime after what happened my mom decided to take me to the school and start my education. I still remember all the…
In 2011, I came to the U.S. because the U.S. has numerous educational and occupational opportunities. Additionally, I believed that I would find more success. Therefore, come to America was my challenge and opportunity in my life, because I did not know any details about the America, but I knew it was a big opportunity. Moreover, its language is part of this challenge; English is my second language. English has more than 1 million of words, and its grammar is confusing me. When I hear from native speakers, then sometimes I have a difficulty to understand them, because they speak so fast.…
One time my family and I we were moving to New Mexico in the way I was looking how my new house was going to be and my new friends.When we were going we saw my uncle and he said, “Let go to there new house”.Then my dad said,“Where is the house”,Then my uncle said,…
As I walk over to the man at the ticket booth, I can feel my face start to turn red.…
In 2014 I came to America to study. It had been the first time I ever traveled somewhere without my parents and it was a much farther distance than I had ever traveled before. My English wasn't the best and I wasn't sure of how I would handle American customs and culture. When my student visa was approved I was very excited and very nervous, it was a big moment for me. When the time came I boarded my plane and made the journey to America. My time here has been very hard but also very fortunate for me. I have been able to study just like I had planned and I have been able to live in several different states which I am very grateful for. Over time I have been able to improve my English, thus giving me the ability to have a proper conversation with someone I may have met on a random day at the store or during my time in class.…
Growing up as the daughter of 2 immigrants isn't easy. There are a lot of people that discriminate them for "coming and having children just to get the benefits that our government gives". I know my parents didn't come for that. My mom came here because my grandma was really sick and she needed money so she could buy the medicine for her. My father came because he had just lost his brother and his family counted on him to bring food to the table and to keep a roof above his families head. People with power such as politicians describe Latinos as rapist , drug dealers, and thieves which not all of us are. There are always good and bad people where ever you go. They are describing them as if we are doing something wrong for trying to keep…