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Showing posts with the label applied linguistics

Dreams Deferred: A First-Hand Account of a Returnee

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I shared my story with a senator (about the DREAM ACT) over his website, which I want to share with everyone on my Facebook account: I lived for 10 years in the USA, from the age of 12 to 22. Then I moved to Mexico (I left by my own will) knowing that I was not going to be able to come back soon. Still, I took the chance and finished my major in Mexico because I couldn't in the USA (even with a scholarship). I then won another scholarship (while in Mexico) to do my MA in Applied Linguistics at Georgia State University. While I was doing my major, I applied for and got a VISA to visit my relatives who still live in the USA, undocumented. I do not wish this last part to be shared publicly (on TV or radio, I meant in the original message), as I fear that my relatives will be deported. I have a brother who could have benefited from the DREAM Act, but he is being deported as we speak. He is now in Atlanta and will be deported in a couple of weeks, even though he arrived to the USA when

The Cost of Dreams: The Struggle for Undocumented Students in the US (and in Mexico)

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Published originally on January 8th, 2010 Hit by the acute economic crisis during Carlos Salinas de Gortari in Mexico and with the added pressure of a false accusation at his job, which those who know Mexico might sadly know that they often happen, my Dad was lured by “the American Dream.” My uncle knew that my Dad had a family of four to feed back home, so his reaction was of course to help him come to the USA. Three years passed when my Dad realized that he had to go back to Mexico only to bring us to the USA. My older brother was 14, I was 12, and my younger brothers were 7 and 6 respectively. My sister was born here . I went to middle school and high school, from which I graduated with honors. Deep down, I was convinced I was going to work in something I did not like for the rest of my life, as my father was. However, my dad had always instilled in us that we needed to get an education. He and my Mom would always set themselves as examples of people who unfortunately could not get