VA: Do you consent of me interviewing you?

Mrs. Gonzalez: Yes

VA: What country are you from?

Mrs. Gonzalez: Peru

VA: What part of Peru?

Mrs. Gonzalez: From Southern Peru…..Huaral

VA: What’s that exactly?

Mrs. Gonzalez: It’s a state in Peru.

VA: In what year did you migrate to the U.S.?

Mrs. Gonzalez: In 1988.

VA: How old were you?

Mrs. Gonzalez: 36 years old.

VA: How did migrate to the United States? Like where did you start from and traveled?

Mrs. Gonzalez: We left to Panama, then from Panama we arrived in Mexico on an airplane with the help of VISA. Then we arrived at the General District, then we tried to go through the border in a group of ten in a car and my son. And arriving to San Diego, California we got caught by the national border guards and detained all of us. We were imprisoned for 2 days and managed to get out with a bail. Then we got in contact with someone to get on a plane to Washington D.C. and that was when we arrived.

VA: Why did you leave Peru and come to the US?

Mrs. Gonzalez: I wanted to give a future to my kids because I couldn’t give them a proper education. My husband didn’t have a job, he had already retired from the company he worked for. That the reason, so many people told me that it was the best place to give my kids opportunities.

VA: Were you traveling by yourself or with other family members?

Mrs. Gonzalez: Just with my son of 8 years of age.

VA: Did you already have family in the US?

Mrs. Gonzalez: My uncles……I had uncles here they had their citizenships after being here for 15-20 years. But my husband was already here coming in the year 1985.

VA: What was the most memorable thing about you migrating here?

Mrs. Gonzalez: In overall the huge change, it was calm, the people were very educated very nice even though we didn’t speak Spanish they still tried to help. Everything was clear, we wouldn’t see the smoke from the cars in the air, overall a clean city, healthy, much more ventilation. Totally different, from the food to school.

VA: If you could change something in the process what would it be?

Mrs. Gonzalez: I would’ve liked to be able to bring along my sisters or possibly my nieces/nephews because they’d have a better future here. But I wouldn’t want them to go through what I went through.

VA: Did you migrate here for the future of your family or yourself?

Mrs. Gonzalez: My family! The whole time I always thought about my family, their the reason why I migrated from Peru to here.

VA: When you were younger what did the people in Peru say about the US?

Mrs. Gonzalez: They always said it the country of opportunity and they said there was more jobs here, the Universities that impressed me the most because I wanted to see my kids go there and become professionals, learn both languages.

VA: So was the united states what you expected?

Mrs. Gonzalez: Well, in school yes because it was good for my kids, the only thing that is hard and sad is not having legal papers to work or become a better person. It definitely is a hold back for us that don’t have our papers, not being able to study because anywhere you go the first thing they ask you is for your legal papers. Its stressful to be able to have the opportunity but not able to take advantage of it. So I say to myself I can’t but my kids can become successful. Its just very frustrating not to be able to continue what we thought we could when we first came to this country.

VA: What was the hardest adjustment about coming to the US?

Mrs. Gonzalez: The language. Trying to communicate but couldn’t because no one understood me. In time I tried going to the free classes to learn English, I wasn’t able to learned everything but at least I knew the basics. As long as I could be able to mobilize myself and get somewhat of an understanding.

VA: What do you miss the most about Peru?

Mrs. Gonzalez: The family reunions, the food since here in the US its totally different. Coming to the US and eating food completely different, never heard or it or eaten before. But over everything the family reunions, getting together every Sunday, especially coming from such a big family. It’s frustrating because being so far you can’t have them by your side.

VA: Looking back of then and now how would you compare your lifestyle?

Mrs. Gonzalez: Well now my lifestyle has changed a lot, I learned to communicate myself with the English that I learned, I know the laws of this country, I have been able to see my kid futures be successful. I’ve created a family here with my children, my grandchildren, my son in laws. I’m doing good and I’m calm.

VA: If you could would you do it all over again?

Mrs. Gonzalez: No, no its too risky, I wouldn’t do it again.

VA: How was your first day in the US?

Mrs. Gonzalez: The first day was very hard and sad because from the day to night everything changed. Being one day with the whole family and the next day by myself. I wasn’t expecting that waking up and there’s nobody in the house, wanting to go buy something but can’t because no one understands me. Stepping outside and seeing all the houses closed not like in Peru where everyone is outside and there’s always someone outside to greet you. Going to the store in Peru and knowing what exactly to get and here we just go in circles and don’t know what to buy. I remember this specific sweet that I liked called “ La Lechera” and I went to the store here and grabbed penut butter thinking it was the same thing. And when I put it on my slice of bread and tasted peanuts, it was definitely a moment to remember. It happened many times after so eventually I learned to buy certain things from the stores.

VA: If you had the chance to take it all back would you? Why or why not?

Mrs. Gonzalez: No because I wouldn’t want to go through everything that I went through again.

VA: At the end are you happy with being in the US?

Mrs. Gonzalez: Yes, I’m happy I have seen my dreams be accomplished with my kids and myself. But me as a person wanted to do more but unfortunately because of the legal papers I couldn’t but I’m not losing hope to one day accomplish what I really want to do.