The Distance Between Us

“Like most immigrants, my father had left his native country with high expectations of what life in El Otro Lado [the other side of the Mexican/American border] would be like.”

America can seem like the land of opportunity to many people from impoverished or dangerous countries. American politicians insist that America is the greatest country in the world. Also, potential immigrants have exposure to American movies and TV and might believe that a glamorous lifestyle is within easy reach. Upon arrival, however, immigrants with such expectations realize that life will be difficult for them; they also witness the struggles of other poor immigrants and poor citizens.

“But when you’re poor, no matter how close things are, everything is far away. And so, until that day, my twenty-nine-year-old mother had never been to the other side of the mountains.”

Reyna was born not only in poverty, but in an isolated valley among mountainous regions where travel is difficult. For her, and for her mother, simply crossing a mountain would be an arduous task. Even upon crossing that distance, Reyna’s family would still be isolated; Acapulco and Mexico City are still a three-hour distance by bus.

“I had to keep on believing my parents left me because they loved me too much and not because they didn’t love me enough.”

A neighbor has tried to console Reyna, advising her that her parents left to secure a better future for her. These constant separations, however, cause emotional distress for all of them, destroying the family. Additionally, her parents’ reasons for leaving are not the same, causing more confusion. Her mother leaves various times for various reasons; her father has left in order to work and save money, regardless of the toll it takes on the children.