Antonio and Delfino #3

This blog might be better entitled Down Memory Lane except for the fact that this is a reflective blog for my YOED 6020 class. As I read chapter 6, I couldn't help visualize Tijuana andthe places mentioned in the book that I have seen. Avenida Revolución is the place that I first realized that my Spanish was book spanish when I had to interpret for my mom, mother-in-law, father-in -law, wife, adoptive daughter, and myself during a shopping break in the first of our many adoption trips. The Tijuana Cultural Center was a stop on our second adoption trip in 1997 where I wanted but couldn't afford maps from each Mexican state. I've driven through Cartonlandia and Colonia Libertad on my adoption adventure. The Border wall built between the U.S. and Tijuana was fascinating to me. The wall extends out into the Pacific about 100 yards and then there's no man's land along the coast that is patrolled by U.S Border Patrol helicopter. I have seen the T.V. maquiladoras all in a row Sanyo, Sony, RCA wher some people work first shift at one factory then work second shift at another. Avenida Revolución is just as described on page 165 in the book with motels are upstairs, legitimate shops are at street level and strip bars are below street level and they are all mixed together along the street. The Gigante Supermarket is like a Mexican Big Lots with groceries. You can get anything there trust me I spent 4 hours at Gigante with my wife, my daughter, and my daughter's birth mother waiting for a ride back to Tijuana after a court visit after a hurricane. ( it's a story for another time.)
I think that the situation in Atolinga is a worst situation because the houses built will continue to serve as motivation for future generations of Mexicans to try to cross the border and not all of the dreams of a better life are realized. The crossings are getting more difficult and with the economic situation here the pressure on the hispanic is greater. Whether they are being blamed for the situation or being lumped together and accused of being illegals or drug dealers the pressure of dreams unfulfilled can be depressing. The presssure to make the home town better is also resource-consuming for the successful Hispanics who realize the dream. Having those standing reminders for future generations is the saddest part of the immigration situation and it's why we have people going with coyotes through the desert and dying by the thousands to try to reach for a dream.