Ideaolgies of a better opportunity

It is an image for a young boy, girl, or an immigrant for that matter to want to escape their poverty stricken and sad life they have to come to the United States and work. On top of wanting a better life for themselves they want to reach their full potential in the United States to send back to their families in their home countries. We have all had moments where we have observed immigrants doing work we would describe as a demeaning but it can also be a dream come true. 

The ideology of wanting to come to the United States for a better life could be viewed as a common misconception at the same time. Frankie experiences this misconception when he comes to the United States and shortly after turns himself in. As we have all learned in life nothing is ever guaranteed, we see in both Sin Nombre and Which Way Home the hurdles and obstacles these character go through just to make it to the border. On top of making it to the border the sketchy process of going through a hired people smuggler.

Many of the people on the mission to jump the border of the have some sort of a family in the United States. Syra had family in the New Jersey who she gets into contact with once arriving in the shopping center; Frankie has a grandmother in Los Angeles. A very vital scene in Sin Nombre is scene where Syra’s father is having her recite back the phone number to their family that they have in the United States. He wants to do everything in his power to instill the number in her head in the even they get separated, which they did.

During my time living in Los Angeles I met a number of immigrants who went through these measures to make it to the United States. I was working in the entertainment business and met paparazzi that came to Los Angeles with a 100 dollars to their name and went to start making 10-20 grand a month. That is just one example so it is at the very least realistic to have idealogies of coming to America to want to come to America to live a better life and make money to send home.

These films were difficult to watch for me at the least, more Which Way Home then Sin Nombre. The scene in Which Way Home with 10-year-old Jose in the child immigration office, I almost lost it. The fact of the matter is that is life for them so you cannot blame them for the image of wanting to come here. The boys exclaim on the train everything they have scene on television and how amazing it would be to do to New York City. Some images I have scene from these films will never escape me and I find it easier to be grateful for living here.