Every person in this world has had a different family experience. Whether families are wealthy, poor, large or small, religious or not, every family is raised differently. Every family is different due to their specific social class and culture as well. This week in Family Relations, we focused on the affects a specific social class and culture has on a family.
One day, we did a role play of a Hispanic family immigrating to America. We learned that the main reason families from Mexico or other countries immigrate to America is so that their children can have a better life. There are so many families that are separated for years just so that they can bring their children to America. Usually the father would leave the country to go to America. I never realized this, but in order for the fathers to get to America, they have to do it illegally. I guess it costs about $4,000 to just get ONE person across the border legally. That was amazing to me. No wonder there are so many people that hop the border.
So, once a father is safely across the border, he then has to find a place to work and live. After spending 2 or 3 years (or longer) apart from his family, he might have enough money to bring his family into America. But, his family can only travel with enough possessions that they can carry. They don't have enough money to bring all of their possessions into America. That would also be very hard. I've thought of things that I would bring if I had to leave the house quickly, but I would be allowed to have a small bag to carry everything. Those that are crossing the border don't have that privilege.
Once a family is reunited in America, the family is very different. Since they have been apart for so long, the children have grown up, and they may not relate or feel comfortable around their father anymore. This would be hard for a family to be apart for so long and then they are finally reunited and they don't feel like a family. Usually, the children have learned to take on different responsibilities and rely on their mom. Now they have a dad back in the picture, and they don't know how to react to that.
It is also very normal for the mom to start working once the family gets to America. Many immigrants will also live in a cheaper part of town because, even though the father was working for so long to earn money, it still costs a lot more in America than it did in the country they're originally from.
There are many instances that immigrants are asked, "Was it worth it?"
Many times you will usually get a response like, "Yes, because my children will have a better life than I did."
What do you think? Would it be worth it to risk your family relationship in order to have your children have a better life?
No comments:
Post a Comment