My New Life

I am watching a movie with my mother and in the movie this lady kidnap a baby who was not hers. And that baby grew up not knowing that that lady was not her mother. Through out the movie it reminds me of what happened to me but not the kidnapping part.

I got adopted when I was 2 ½ even though I was too young but I was able to know where I was going. My birth mother was named Josefina but everyone calls her Pina. Life was hard for her because I have 4 other sisters and 2 brothers. Having to leave my family and living with random people I didn't know was hard. I was not able to know why I was going and why was having to live with different people I didn’t know. When I arrived to the United States everyone was happy and calling me. Although I was a 2 year old girl I was strong.

One day my mother had the last baby to take care of and her mother came i asked my mother “ Mommy was I in your tummy like her?’’ Not knowing what I just asked her and not knowing if it hurt. When I asked that she looked at me and started to cry. Later that day my father and mother sat me down and said ‘’ Mija you were not in my tummy.” I felt like i was lied to but at the time i was also 5 years old. Then they said “ Mija you are adopted. We are not you real mommy and daddy.”

After a few years passed my family has given me lectures after lectures that I have a better life and they been telling my that I have to work hard in school so I can help my family in Mexico and have a good job. But I was stubborn at the time not caring what they tell me. One day my older brother sat down with me when i was doing my homework and he said “Eli do you know why you came to live with us?” I replied “Because my mother couldn't take care of me.” with tears in my eyes. He replied “ yes but that is not the only reason why. They had a hard time with everyone they were poor and didn't have a place to live.” By that time I was baling.

But now that i’m older and with a better mind I finally get why they did what they had to do. If I was still in Mexico i would be here getting the education that I need to help them. Last summer i was given the opportunity to live with my family for 9 weeks. I got a chance to see what would've happened if I staid. Now I am grateful that I left and i came to the United States to have a better life and have this opportunity that my brothers or sisters could have.

Submitted by Anonymous

Family