Rodrigo's story

Rodrigo's Story

By Marlyn Martinez

Rodrigo is 17 years old, boy from El Salvador. He has been in the United Sates 1 year and 4 months. He always smile, he likes to help others and helps the teachers. He is a good student and good friend. Rodrigo is a boy that likes to be better everyday and many reasons that make

His family decided to help him to immigrate to the United States.

United States is a home for Rodrigo that live with almost all of his family. He is studying in San Francisco International High School where he could find good friends and many opportunities that he knows he couldn’t find in his country forever.

But above all he misses all his friends and the people are very warm and kind.

Before he immigrate here, Rodrigo's uncle was killed by the gangsters and all the family

was threatened. Rodrigo's family and he were afraid and they choose to leave their country was like escape from all the badness.

In situations like that Rodrigo felt scared and concern, because he didn't wanted to die, and he thought that would be better their life without tragedies and leaving everything in El Salvador and all one life ago.

Their plan was to travel but without documents and with time to take it, Rodrigo's bothers that live before here, they saved money to pay Coyote (the person that bring here immigrant people) and they left in October 19.

Few days before they left from Rodrigo’s house where they lived and they went to San Salvador and for pass the border they had to pay for pass Guatemala’s border, they stayed for 3 days and they went to Mexico.

Next, they had to move another place from Mexico, and they stayed a hotel called “Hotel 5 letras” to the next days they walked in the desert without water and food, and to feel scared all the time.

The nights were so cold and Rodrigo had just wearing 3 sweater, 3 jeans and plastic bag to cover him.

After that when they were hiding the immigration police found them, but when the police try to take the people, everyone stated to running away. Rodrigo and his father were separate because they were trying to be safe. When they saw that everything was much better they didn’t hiding anymore and the Coyotes put Rodrigo and his father back together.

However thy kept walking and for pass the border between Mexico and United States They had to Stay like 8 hours from Arizona to Los Angeles in a truck with a group of people without eating yet.

In that moment Rodrigo felt that he couldn’t move his legs, and he thought “I will be Invalid”, and he said “Dear God please I don’t what to be invalid, and when they almost come to Los Angeles he started to feel better.

Finally when they came to Los Angeles, Rodrigo call to his family for takes them out. 3 days later the Coyotes bring Rodrigo and his father to their family and they go to San Francisco all together.

In the end, Rodrigo was safe in the desert with his father and his sister with his uncle ere deported and back to their country. All the group of immigrant people was safe too, because the immigration police never arrested them.

Now Rodrigo live here with his family and friends, He is study a high school for new immigrant’s students with least of 4 years to be in United States and he is looking for new opportunities. He felt good and safe.

Something that he said was this:

“The life when happiness is always better and when there is peace too.”