Transformation

Just about two weeks ago I wrapped up my international travels for 2015. I could not have looked more eager if I had tried. Two international trips to the opposite hemisphere, both to regions of the globe I have always dreamed of visiting - although every corner of the earth is on my list to visit, for real though who am I kidding.

Vietnam was mind-blowingly beautiful. I did not experience the culture shock I read about so much in my books (you people who have been traveling for years are probably laughing, laugh away, I"m a noob to this)! I've asked myself whether it is because I live in Los Angeles and we truly are the melting pot we boast ourselves to be, or because I have been going to these places in my head for so long I was already prepared for it. The latter sounds totally crazy I realize that, the first may be more likely at this point.

It is strange, but Vietnam felt like home. A country of poverty but with people who seem to be happy and are trudging on regardless. It felt a lot like Mexico, my first home. It could also just be the outsider's perspective with a romanticized view of life there, but people seemed happy. Hanoi was our main hub from which we traveled to several places, Tinh Ninh Binh (very first capital of Vietnam), Sappa (place with vertical rice paddies), and Ha Long Bay (bay with the iconic mountains). I've been putting together slideshows of my trips because I have way too many photos to share of my time there, so a compilation of my adventures to these far off lands is the most time efficient way to go about this. Disclaimer, I am in no way claiming professional expertise in the video making, this is simply to enable the sharing of my shenanigans.

I hope you enjoy the series, and here goes the first one!



Thanks so much for stopping by.

MUCH LOVE!!!

The World Awaits!

I cannot believe this is my life!!! I know it sounds like I say it every time I post, but it's so unbelievable. VIETNAM! I am going to go to one of the most beautiful places in world and I am still in disbelief. I have nothing more to say except holy moly how lucky am I???

Bring on the adventures!

This is Full-Circle

A few weeks ago I joined my very first professional organization, MIT - Millennials in Travel. I am officially a professional in the Travel industry! Just a few weeks prior to joining said organization I also received my very own business cards. It all happened in such a timely manner, I could not have planned it any better myself - and I'm a pretty dang good planner.

This year is going to be my fourth year in the workforce, but this is the first time I feel like I am actually working towards a career. I am not depreciating the jobs I have had, they definitely helped to rebuild my confidence in myself as a competent and more than capable individual. It has been a process - which I am learning isn't very different from what most of us are going through in our 20s - this is what I imagine the awkward teenage years to be. I feel like I missed out on those awkward teenage years because well, I did. I never really cared to fit in or to be accepted, all I was concerned about was getting to college to make my parents' sacrifices worthwhile. The best comparison I can come up with is like when you're breaking your running shoes in, you have to go easy at first, then you just let the insole mold onto your feet and eventually it's magical. I'm starting to get that magical feeling of, "I have actually learned so much," thanks to the fact that I am now responsible for training an intern. I know stuff! haha. I still feel like such a noob, I'm still working on feeling confident from the inside out in the workplace.

The one thing that makes me smile with utter bliss and satisfaction is that I am here, exactly where I always wanted to be from the very beginning. When we first moved to the U.S. my parents emphasized the importance of going to college as it would open up the doors to the world. My mom has always wanted me to be able to see every beautiful corner of this planet with my very own eyes, not to just see it through TV or peoples' stories. Back in high school during college application time, the school I really wanted to go to was Ithaca College because they had a Hotel and Tourism Management program . . . something along those lines. Of course that didn't happen, as I have discussed before. I veered away from that when I got into UCSB and I did not like the Econ classes hah. College then became a process of simple - yet not so simple - maintaining my sanity and just getting through school. Like I've mentioned before, with the on-again, off-again promise of resolve to the residency thing it became so difficult to hold on the possibility of ever actually being a functioning member of society here. I never ever saw a point in trying to prepare for a career. This is not a pity party.

Fast-forwarding to today, I am just in awe in the gift/plan that life has set for you. I am finally seeing a seedling to a career! Yet another surreal side-effect of this beautiful life I have been given. I could not be happier today. It certainly doesn't hurt that I have Vietnam around the corner.

Thanks for stopping by.

MUCH LOVE!!!

Epic 2015

Today was a particularly momentous day. It is truly astounding how quickly we adapt to changes, since getting my greenie my life has been a whirlwind (in the most amazing way possible). This is not a brag post, let me remind you just three years ago I was about to pack my things up and move back to Mexico for good. While I had no problem getting used to this new life, it still feels very unreal and I constantly have to pinch myself to remind myself this is real.

This is going to be the year I'll be seeing the other side of the globe, twice! Today, I came home to find an envelope on my desk with. . . wait for it . . . my visa for Vietnam!!! It is the very first visa since Freedom Day. Granted, not the official first visa because my very first visa was to the U.S. when I was a wee one. But since my new life, this Vietnam visa is the very first I am getting! I am so lucky to be visiting this place with one of my dearest friends, thanks for being so awesome!

The second place I'll be visiting is one I honestly never even had on my radar, not for this year, never honestly thought about visiting it at all. Switzerland is the second lucky place that will be seeing me this year. Man oh man, these next few months are certainly going to be a pair of memorable ones. I am ecstatic!

Thanks for stopping by.

MUCH LOVE!!!

Flashbacks with Magic

As I was leaving work today I had a strange sense of déjà vu. I have a corner desk and I push the trashcan as far back as possible so I don't bump into it when I swivel around in my chair. I like to pull the trashcan out from under my desk so the custodians don't have a difficult time reaching for it when they come to empty it. This wasn't the first I'd done this but for some reason today was the day I had a flashback to my childhood.

The first few years living in the U.S. my dad was cleaning apartment buildings as well as office buildings. I would go with him on Saturday nights to this one office where I'd push my little brother around in a desk chair and see how fast he'd let me push him. Before the fun ensued I'd run around the office pulling out the trashcans from under the desks for my dad to come around and throw out whatever filled them. Today I had this tiny moment of, I'm not even sure what you call it exactly. It's not a coming full-circle feeling because I'm not the boss yet, I've got a ways to go, but that's what it felt like. A minuscule full-circle life sort of moment. It was magical.

Thanks for reading.

MUCH LOVE!!!

Obama Announces Immigration Reform

The internet is abuzz with the Immigration Reform today, Thursday, November 20, 2014. Today reminded me why I wish I could've voted when Obama was running.

It blows my mind to think of a version of my life where I would be sitting here today in front of my television thirsty for a solution from the man himself, to be given the chance to live. As hard as I try, I cannot think of what version of myself I would be if I were still here today, undocumented.

I must say I am beaming today and every day to know that thanks to my stubbornness to get closure on my case regardless of the outcome, I am now two years from obtaining Citizenship. It is impossible to know the circumstances of every single immigrant out there, but for all those who deserve it, I hope this is the turning point in all of your lives so you can move on to change the world without the fear of deportation. The grass is definitely greener on the other side.

Here is an article that will give you additional information on today's speech.

#ImmigrationReform2014 #Obama

Much Love!!!

The Blissful Angst of Life

I've become so much less involved in the immigration issue and so much more involved in worrying about what to do with my life, so much so that I've neglected to tell you of the most important anniversaries that have passed me by this year. This May 3rd marked 3 years of Residency, so I am two years away from obtaining Citizenship, yay! And just two weeks ago was my 28th birthday, that makes 20 years since I've lived here! (wowser)

Having celebrated my birthday put me in a very pensive state, not that I haven't been breaking my head over this since getting my greenie. What to do with my life. I've accepted that no one can help me figure it out. There is no right or wrong choice . . . or is there? I feel like there is, this is the one I am having the most difficulty with.

I've realized the reason I'm having such a hard time saying, "this is what I want to do", is because I spent so many years trying to accept (my reality at the time) that I was never going to be able to do anything with my life here in the U.S. It sounds pessimistic, but realize that every year since my senior year of high school was a year my parents and I kept saying, "this will be the year your Residency comes through", and year after year I was disappointed. There's only so much a young person can take of that, so in that time I worked really hard on myself on just focusing in the present and enjoying life day to day. I played the spectator to the lives of those around me.

It's not that I don't know what my interests are, trust me, I know what they are but I feel that being out of college now it is so difficult to say, "I want to try my hand at this". Yes, I am afraid of failing because . . . (writing this now it seems stupid but it doesn't take away the fear) I'm afraid of failing because I just am. Really the worry is money.

This is the battle that's been going on in my head, but I've made some decisions. I'll be taking the GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) so I can have that out of the way once I decide what my Graduate program will be. Some of you may be confused because I took the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) last year, I had a soul crushing experience with that so I am going a different route I've decided.

All in all though, I've had a fantastic three years so far as a Resident. I am thankful for the angst that comes along with making these life changing decisions because I truly never saw this happening for me.

If you read through all of this, thank you for letting me ramble. If you didn't thanks for glancing anyway :)

MUCH LOVE TO ALL OF YOU OUT THERE!!!

PS- I need to plan a trip for this year.

Mexico Reunion

It's been a little over a month since my return from Mexico. I still dream about it, I can't help but yearn to be back there every single day but I do love being back. There is nothing like the comforts of being in your own bed, and having hot running water and not waking up every morning with new mosquito bites to discover. There was no way I'd ever be able to share my 3,000+ photos from my trip so I put a video together. I'm not a professional and I did the best I could with my PC. Click here to get a little taste of my return to Mexico, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed being there and making this video.

MUCH LOVE!!!

It's happening.

So many fantastic things have happened since getting my Permanent Residency, I'm going on three years as of May 2014. I've been lucky to have found employment as quickly as I did despite the economy, and I've gained an immeasurable appreciation for the people in my life as well as every single opportunity that has presented itself.

I'm looking back at the very first blog post, I'm happy to see I had my moments of optimism in that muddled mess. I guess it was just the very last couple years that were the most challenging, those are the ones I remember the most vividly and I wasn't a happy camper. I never thought I'd be able to talk about being undocumented as openly as I do today, but this is not the reason for this post. As a lot of you might know, today I am going to have one of the most, if not the most monumental culminations of my life. I am returning to Mexico.

Nineteen years after leaving for what I thought was another summer vacation, I am finally seeing family members that last saw me when I was a whole foot shorter. This is one experience I find myself at a loss for words. All I can say is that I can't wait to see the people I grew up with, and visit all the historically significant places in my home city, el Distrito Federal. After spending time there, I'll be going to Yucatan where I'll get to see more familiar faces, and a ton of Mayan temples as well as cenotes (click on that link, eat your heart out!)

This has been a long time coming, and it could not have come at a better time. Hopefully by the time I return, I'll have news from at least one Law School, but who knows! Whatever will be, will be. I know I am one fortunate individual and I am so thankful for having every challenge I've had and every beautiful person and experience I've had, because without all this I would not be the person I am today. I don't feel like I say it enough, thank you all, from the bottom of my heart for being as encouraging, loving and supportive as you have always been. It is people like you that make this life worth living.

I'M GOING TO MEXICO!!! (gotta finish packing now)

MUCH LOVE!!!

Human Rights Abuse on the US-Mexico Border

It's been far too long since my last post. Life has certainly gotten busier since receiving my Residency. I recently came across an interesting article I really wanted to share on facebook, but I do not like to use that space for expressing my political beliefs. This is what this space is for.

The article is titled, "Border Patrol to Keep Controversial Deadly Force Rules". Thank you Sarah Childress for writing this, PBS for publishing it, and Cuentame for sharing it. Apparently the Border Patrol has decided it is absolutely necessary to maintain the use of unbalanced force used against people fighting for their lives.

Trust me, I completely understand the Border Patrol POV. Although it is obviously extremely difficult for me to side with them when I have been on the immigrant end. It is difficult for me to understand how a rock can be much of a threat to the Border Patrol when they have so much gear to protect them like bullet proof vests, helmets, and powerful machine guns. How much damage can a rock do in comparison, and how is a bullet a comparable threat against a rock??? Shooting an 16-year boy 11 times for throwing a rock? Are you kidding me?????? That is most certainly use of unnecessary force!

Fisher, Border Patrol Chief states that the environment in which his agents work in is very different from that in which other law enforcement agencies work in, completely granted. For that same reason, wouldn't one think there is even more opportunity to avoid using unnecessary force? He says, “In many cases, unlike a concrete jungle, you have a very narrow trail and the Border Patrol agent doesn’t always have the ability to get out of the way.” Get out of the way of A ROCK? That must be one huge rock those immigrants are throwing.

It seems preposterous to me that this is being allowed. For the majority of the people crossing the border, they hardly have any belongings on their person. The people the Border Patrol is most likely using to make their case for requiring their guns to use against immigrants are the instances when they encounter criminals smuggling drugs or people who actually carry weapons of equal lethal force. With the increasing cases of abuse of force and 19 deaths since 2010, exceptions to the laws governing the use of force against immigrants certainly needs to have exceptions.

Peace.

MUCH LOVE!!!