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Concepcion Guillen Hernandez, also known as Katy, is
a young Latina woman who moved to the United State from
Mexico when she was 7 years old.
I always wondered what Mexico was like and why so many
Hispanics moved to America from there. Hernandez took
time off from her first period to share a little bit
more about herself and her native country.
"I moved here when I was 7, and I am 17 now. Wow,
it has been ten years," she said in her thick Spanish
accent. Her eyes lit up when she said that she was from
Vera Cruz.
"Vera Cruz is very pretty. There are small houses
not like here in America. There are lots of lakes and
ponds too. It's very nice."
Her family moved to America for better jobs.
"My parents were not making a lot of money,"
she said.
Adjusting to life in the United States
When Hernandez found out that she was moving to America,
she didn't know what to expect.
"I was young and kind of went with the flow. When
I got here I was just like, 'Okay, I'm here now. This
is where I'm going to live from now on.'"
Of course, there are many differences between Mexico
and America. One is the tradition of the Quinceanera.
"It is when a girl of Spanish heritage becomes
a woman when she turns 15. It is like a birthday party
only you get to wear a big dress, and lots of friends
and family are there. You get presents like jewelry
and money. For my Quinceanera, I got $300!"
Hernandez says that many of the same holidays are celebrated
both here and in Mexico, but families might celebrate
differently.
"My family celebrates Christmas the same way Americans
do. A big colorfully lit Christmas tree and lots of
presents. Then a big dinner in the evening."
She said her favorite Mexican food is tamales, and her
favorite "American" food is pizza.
She laughed as she said, "I have the best of both
worlds. That's one of the good things of being of a
different ethnic group than where you live; but one
of the bad things is that you always have someone who
is going to treat you different."
Enjoying new opportunities
She plans to go to college, but Mexico is not in her future
plans.
"I would visit because I have family in Mexico,
but I wouldn't live there," she says. "There
is no opportunity to become anything you want to be.
That is why so many people are moving from Mexico, particularly
to America."
"I get to go to school and have a different variety
of friends. I get to try new things like food and different
kinds of entertainment like football and school plays.
I wouldn't have had the opportunity to live, in general,
if my family wouldn't have moved. Do not get me wrong;
I love where I am from, but I'd much rather live here
in America."
As the closing on our interview approached, Katy explained
one last thing to me. I've always questioned if many
Mexicans would prefer being referred to as Latinos.
"I don't know about many Mexicans, but I personally
like to be referred to as Latina because it is a safer
and more respectful way to say Mexican or Cuban or even
Puerto Rican," she said.
"Calling a person by their ethnicity as opposed
to their color or where they came from is much safer
and more respectful."
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It makes me want to come to school every day, and it has given me something that I’m really good at.
