Hello 2011

I know all I've been talking about has been how amazing this coming year is for me, so there's very little need for me to repeat what's so special about this new year.

I do want to make it clear though that just because the past years haven't been so drastically life-changing doesn't make them any less important. If you've been following my blog I think by now you realize the type of person I am, I am goal-oriented and make the best of situations no matter how bad they've been. I know life could be worse, but this is not a contest to see how bad life can get, it's just an exposé of what my life has been.

Honestly the more I think about the reality of the changes I do get a little overwhelmed but it's all about taking things as they come. I hope the best for all of you and those around you. Don't think that because things will be resolved for me I will stop blogging thought, we will see a transition for sure, but let's just take changes as they come.

MUCH LOVE!!!

Hector Lopez gets Justice TOO!

Hector Lopez is a 20 year old who has been in the U.S. since he was 6 months old, he literally grew up here. I first wrote about him December 3rd. Turns out he was brought back to the U.S! Hector Lopez's life is set right. Unfortunately his father is still in Mexico, but hopefully something will be worked out for him so their family can be reunited.

Mark Farrales Update

The UCSD Graduate student Mark Farrales who was facing deportation was given an extra year to remain in the U.S. Read Here.

Belated Merry Christmas

Apologies for the belated holiday spirit. In my family our Christmas dinner is on Christmas Eve so all of the 24th we spend it preparing food, I look forward to this day as much as any American-born person looks forward to Thanksgiving dinner. In my family particularly it's not always about the gifts, because we can't always afford an insane amount of gifts like the consumer driven holiday depicts. We have always had a greater emphasis on acknowledging how lucky we are to still have each other, and have the relationship and trust we have.

The last 16 years have had us on edge, and we are so relentlessly thankful that this will be the last stressful Christmas. Like I've shared before, the closer we get to the finish line the more frantic and impatient I become. It's definitely a difficult situation to manage but I've lived with it and now that I'm older know how to better handle my impatience. There's no use in becoming restless, especially now.

Every time we come around another new year I tell myself it's going to be different, that "this is the year", but now, today, 2011 really is the year. I keep repeating this because I still don't believe it, but perhaps by reminding myself I'll be better prepared when the time truly comes.

I hope everyone had a great time with their families over this holiday season. If you didn't get what you wanted this year, be thankful. We must remember that sometimes we are better off without certain things in life we convince ourselves are necessary.

Be thankful for what you have and don't have.

MUCH LOVE!!!

biometrics

Today was the day, it wasn't as exciting as I wanted to think it was haha. It's really more about what it symbolizes rather than what the process actually is. Progress. One step closer, and really the materialization of the prize.

Finger printing is not what it was when I was last finger printed (that makes me sound old haha this was less than 10 years ago!), it's all digital now, no ink on your fingertips to clean off at the end. They took my picture, now the FBI can actually find me, but they won't because I've committed no crimes.

After I got home I spent the rest of the day reading the last 200pgs of Love in time of cholera by Gabriel García Márquez. I first read him in a Spanish literature class at UCSB, I'd gone my entire life hating poetry and he showed up and threw that out the window. So now I'm going to read Las otras puertas (The Other Doors) which was one of the books I picked up from giant pile of books being thrown out by the Spanish department, I've always loved taking books people want to get rid of.

Hope my readers are well.

MUCH LOVE!!!

Grad student facing deportation

This man, Mark Farrales has been living in the U.S. for 21 years and is in danger of being thrown out of the only place he calls home. Way to catch the criminals ICE.

the goings on with the "DREAM Act"

I apologize I didn't report diligently as I usually do with the passing of the DREAM Act at the House and it's failure at the Senate. While it was up for vote at the House I was preparing for finals, three of which I got As in (grade for the 4th class hasn't been posted yet). I must be honest, and those of you who know me or have been following me, may expect this response, I am not surprised the Dream Act did not pass in the Senate. I realize it comes off pessimistic, I consider it being realistic.

Like I divulged before, I'm not exactly sure what those against the Dream Act think they are giving away here, especially after all the changes they made to it before it was voted on in the House. Either way, reality is, the Dream Act has been undergoing voting for 10 years, and it has not passed, so go from there. I deeply admire those who have put so much of their lives into fighting for the Dream Act and refuse to give up, I hope to have that kind of diligence in my life.

On a more personal note, I am on break until dundunDUN, February 14! I've plenty to keep myself busy with: reading, reporting news and sharing myself with you, writing, exercising, preparing for the GRE, further researching Nutrition Masters programs, and who knows maybe even looking for a job :X

This coming Tuesday I'm getting my biometrics done (or taken/measured all of that), and I'm pretty sure that will be all the progress we make since it's Christmas this weekend. So unless my interview date has already been set and it gets sent out before New years, I won't be hearing anything until January. Either way, the interview most likely won't be until January or February, it's the most amazing thing I've had to look forward to since I sent my Intent to Register to UCSB.

I can't even fathom the gates of life finally opening up to me completely, I have gone my entire life with an extremely selectively permeable wall that despite the difficulties I will go through in finding a job and becoming a real person, I won't recognize them as obstacles. Boundaries will be nonexistent.

I will finally be getting my wings!!

Thank you for following and supporting.

MUCH LOVE!!!

Anniversary

Today commemorates 21 years since my dad arrived in the U.S. As I'm typing this he is telling my mom of his arrival and how lost he was taking the buses around here. None of us could've imagined what was going to happen six years later and what we were going to live through and be where we are this very moment.

I a graduate of UCSB working towards a Masters in Nutrition, a son (whose existence none of us could've guessed) who is now half-way through his sophomore year of high school. And the endless sacrifices both my parents have had to make to be here, physically, emotionally, and mentally.

All my best to my readers :)

MUCH LOVE!!!

And by the way, can't wait for Tuesday 21st to roll around :X

Let the Magic Start!

Today, as well as Dec 21st are the new benchmarks! Today, in my mail box was the receipt to my application to adjust status (immigration telling me they've received it) and a date for me to show up and get finger printed. I will be going on the records as an approved human being!

Perhaps I'll be hearing from them regarding my interview date soon (fingers crossed)! This coming year really is going to be a new year, not just changing its digits, but new in what new truly means, uncharted, unfamiliar ground to be traversed, this is so exciting!!!

There is always something great waiting on the other side :)

MUCH LOVE!!!

the Injustice Continues

ICE is supposed to be focusing its resources on criminals, why then was Hector Lopez hunted down? I can't imagine what it must be like to live your entire life thinking you are right with the law when in reality you are not.

I don't need to be reminded of how lucky I am to be where I am today. Prior to having the success I did last month my mom would constantly freak out about raids being reported on the news. I'd tell her she needed to calm down because for one immigration would not be looking for people in the neighborhood we live in, and two, why would they be coming after me? I'm not a drug dealer, human trafficker, money launderer, why would they waste their time coming after me? I've done nothing wrong. To read what happened to Hector Lopez, Steve Li just leaves me dumbfounded, these are young adults in pursuit of productive socially contributing lives, just like me and yet they are being treated like criminals, I of course got the sweeter end of the stick. When neither of them had any control of their circumstances, they are barely finding out the reality of the legal status and are instantly punished . . . there's something wrong with that.

I wish nothing but the best for Hector Lopez, all I can do is write about it in my blog, same goes for Steve Li. I'm sorry you guys are going through what you're going. And this goes out to all those that don't get written about and are just lost.

We need to remember that difficult situations like this only make us stronger, it's easy for me to say because I've never been in such a difficult situation as being arrested, being thrown back into a country I wouldn't know my way around and a society that would most likely marginalize me for not belonging. All I can say is find the best in the worse of situations.

How is the country (the U.S.) benefiting from throwing out people who are potentially contributing members of society while keeping all criminals and dishonest people? I know it's all about where the money is . . . this world can be so unfair but we can't be beaten by it because there is good in the world despite all the pain and suffering.

Stay strong out there.

MUCH LOVE!!

The New "DREAM" Act

I thought the government was to be there for the people?

A new version of the DREAM Act has been drafted and the product is one huge smack in the face.

Personally I think this is going to leave people in the same position they are in right now as undocumented immigrants. They will be required to wait 10 years until they can attain residency. In that time they will not be allowed to have any health benefits, there is no mention of federal aid for school, but chances are there will be no access to that either. If there is no residency there is still no drivers license, no job. Unless the government plans on immediately passing out intents of giving residency and those people will be given temporary documentation until they receive their residency, there is no change in their lives!

They say a 10 year waiting period until residency is attained, that is after however long it takes them to vote on the DREAM Act, and take the DREAM Act into effect. So let's waste another 11 or 13 years of people's lives? For the young ones that means grad school, but how many people's parents can afford to get them through graduate school?

The entire reason for wanting legalization is to become independent individuals!!!! This is not a solution, like they say in the article, it is simply a "political victory" because it is benefiting people in no way at all. Except creating greater frustrations for people, but I suppose having a defined waiting period is better than having absolutely no idea when your situation is going to be solved. I can definitely tell you the weight of the world and universe has been lifted off me since learning how much time is left for my battle to end.

I really really hope something can be done for those people like Julieta Garibaldi, how she managed to get herself through graduate school I can only imagine. I know that my dad could not have put me through it without getting a stress-related illness. This life is economically suffocating, this is not the DREAM.

I'd love to hear what you think of this newly drafted DREAM Act.

Deep breaths . . . Thanks for reading and happy December! :)

MUCH LOVE!!!