you from growing and involving yourself in life here." (Quinones, 2007). It crushes the heart and soul of a person when they cannot fully establish roots somewhere because they are thinking they will be leaving. There may not be a definite date, but it will happen. I feel the thought of never having a "home" to call your own would be awful. Reading in Chapter 7 how the people of Atolinga had made lives for themselves in Chicago, but always kept the dream alive to take their earnings and their families home to Mexico.
I believe the pain that people would feel from not being able to put down roots would be terrible. These people went so far as to have houses built in Atolinga, so they could eventually return, but most never did.
In Chapter 6 the way the opera came to Tijuana was very interesting. I believe the situation of the people of Tijuana was very interesting, many people living in Mexico went to the United States to work, but lived in Mexico. I believe this could be considered "The best of both worlds." They could stay in their country, with their families, and work in the United States.
I believe living in a country different than your own is hard enough, knowing that you were going to leave and understanding that you would never need to put roots down is by far much worse to me. When I lived in Austria, because I knew I would be losing my Visa / Work Permit to stay there, I always remembered that I would be back in the United States within 2 years. Not being able to put down roots or feeling like you cannot put down roots inhibits how you socialize and dictates how you act. The Atolingans lived their lives in the US, knowing they would be able to go "home", once or twice a year - never actually making a proper home for themselves.
To live without a proper home is terrible, living in limbo, waiting to leave, wondering if you should stay...
Your reflections are so very true! As I read your post I thought of all of the ESL students that I taught in N.C. who were part of a migrant community. They were always wistful with longing for their own country and never really were able to make true friends because they knew they would be eventually leaving.
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