Group 2- Yan Li
This is a sticker or bookmark I created after my Arrupe trip to Guatemala. During the trip, we stayed in a village with different families and saw a glimpse into their everyday lives. My host family was Gonzolo (on the right in the photo), Teresa (on the left in the photo), and their children.
The videos and readings from this module reminded me a bit of the trip, because the module highlighted the importance of understanding stories. Dr. Alvarez and Sarah Gallo are inspiring because they do not try to make assumptions. They go into the everyday lives of migrants and try to understand them. Before the trip to Guatemala, I was completely unaware of the personal and collective struggles of Guatemalan people.
During my stay with Gonzolo’s family, we had many conversations around the dinner table. The other Boston College girl that was with me spoke fluent Spanish, so she translated every sentence for me. When talking about the Mexican-American border, Gonzolo said that “We are treated like less than animals. Even animals could eat the grass from the other side of the wall”. They are happy for their friends that have successfully crossed the border, but they knew that it would be too dangerous to do so.
I thought it was very interesting when Dr. Alvarez mentioned in the video that contemporary globalization intentionally covers up undocumented travel. She mentions choosing between two evils of life of experiencing racism, violence, under-the-table unemployment in their home country or facing the same issues in the new country. The video definitely helped me gain new perspectives on what I had heard from Guatemalans, and helped me consider the bigger issue of migrant struggles and feeling unwelcome everywhere.
Hello Yan Li,
I love that you created a bookmark to give others perspective into the life of someone who lives in Guatemala. The text on your bookmark gives the reader insight into the lives of Gonzolo and his family. You have perspective into the life of a someone living in a country where it hard to survive, as well as what life is like for a family, in a country that does not have the opportunities we do. That is what I sincerely appreciated about the interviews with Dr. Alvarez and Sarah Gallo. They give perspective into what real life is like for a migrant family and a migrant child. I have perspective into the life of an immigrant because I also heard stories around my grandparents’ dinner table. My daughter has perspective because she traveled to El Salvador to work with families and children.and heard about the horrific conditions and real deaths of family members. Yet, so many people and educators do not have the perspective to understand the challenges and fears that migrant families face every day; fear of the law, being arrested, being deported and separated from their families without being able to say goodbye. There is fear of getting medical help for fear of being judged or sent back to their home country, and as Gonzolo shared, there is such fear for many, that they remain in living conditions in their home country that make it so very hard to survive. Thank you for sharing your story of Gonzalo and Guatemala.
Thank you for sharing this story. I think it’s an important point you make regarding the intentional omission of undocumented travel. I also think that sitting at a table and having conversation and life with others is so important. Our dear friends came to the US from Mexico illegally when they were only sixteen. They left behind a son, whom they had as young teens. To know them and share life with them drastically changes the way I see discussion about the border. They have had two children here in the States (our godchildren), and to know the sacrifice and hardship and sadness they carry is eye-opening. Seeing the humanity of others I believe is what God calls us to do.