MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS: RUTH

Read my Intro to Mexican Immigrants here before reading on.

There is too much to say about Ruth*. She is one of the two most faithful ladies who have come to our ESL classes. Even before I started teaching in the fall of 2012 the class was already meeting in her home. She has always been extremely generous with her house, her time, and her energy. She makes such an effort to make sure she is in her house every Wednesday for class even though she works long hours during the week at her factory job. Whenever we have a party for the class she spends a few hours making food, generally her wonderful tamales! 

Ruth attempted crossing into the United States three times. She is from a state in southern Mexico. While in Mexico she had several health issues and had to borrow money in order to pay for those expenses. Realizing she would not be able to pay them off with her earnings in Mexico she decided to go to the Unites States looking for a better paying job. After the second attempt to cross the border she told herself that if she did not make it the third time she would go home. She made it by crossing the desert. She laughs while telling the story and makes it funny but everyone knows and understands the hardship they faced when crossing the border. Her contacts brought her to Indiana where she has lived since. Now she has two little boys who are her life.  

She is very passionate about the fact that Latinos are treated so poorly when the work so hard. She told how some people lend the Latinos their papers so that the illegals can work. If the illegal makes ten thousand dollars during the year then the illegal and the lender split the earnings. That way the lender does not have to work during the year and get their papers back in time to file their taxes. Ruth is indignant that illegals are taken advantage of and pay taxes yet do not receive any of the benefits. 

Ruth has one daughter still living in Mexico whom she has not seen for almost ten years. However she is very close to receiving her green card due to the abuse she suffered at the hands of the fathers of her boys. Very soon she will be able to go back to Mexico and see her daughter and family! 

Thanks for reading Ruth's story! Please leave a comment; I'd love to hear what you have to say. 

*Names changed to protect privacy

Ruth's Family

Ruth and Friend Making Tamales

Ruth cooking tamales

Ruth's Son