For my MeSearch product in US history I chose to research my father Guenceslao Rosales. I selected him because I know that my father is a hardworking man and his journey has been hard to get to where he is right now. He has done alot to provide for his family along with his wife Milagro. I only knew bits of my fathers story but never the full thing. So I took the chance to learn more, specifically on his intentions of leaving his home country and what drove him to make the decisions that led him to where he is today. One new fact that I learned about my father was that his dream was becoming a mechanic which he unfortunately never reached due to deciding to cross the border into the US.

Guencelao Rosales was born on September 21, 1976 in the Municipio de Geneva in Guatemala. Born into a family of farmers most of his life, work is all Guenceslao has known. His parents: Pedro Lopez and Berta Rosales raised him along side his 5 siblings. His father was a very strict man and a drunkard who put Guenceslao to work constantly on the land and doing oddjobs around the house and his neighborhood. Guenceslao would wake up before dawn to start his chores before school would begin. As he father was a drunkard, Gueceslao experienced a lot of abuse in his household and tried to find a way to leave his home.

His opportunity to leave home in search of a better life came when he was 18 years old. He managed to find and paid a group of "coyotes" who eventually helped him to get into the US. The journey across Mexico's deserts and mountains was tough. As each person had thier own supply of water and constant walking. Guencelsao endured an entire months journey to get into the United States. He arrived at Tucson Arizona and eventually hopped on a plane that was going to New York since his brother was already there. 

Guenceslao is a hardworking man, as all those years that his father put him to work, this mindset of constantly working hard to provide for his family has stuck with him. In his early days in the US he was tasked with finding a balance with work and family. He has overcome many challenges in this life and continues to do so by putting all his trust in God as he found the christian faith here in the states. 

Guenceslao defines the American dream as just having the opportunity to live a better life here in the US. Back in Guatemala work was scarce was wasn't a very reliable source of income for a family. Here in America he had a chance to find a job that provided for himself and his family. In the US he believes that there is a promise of better work. He has also been able to raise a family here and belives it was easier to raise a family here than in Guatemala. He is proud to see his children grow up with many opportunities. 

Guenceslao also believes that the American dream is obtainable, at least in some way, for everyone through hard work. The US is just genrally a better place to live in. He is just grateful to be living a better life here in the United States.