Life as an Immigrant
While having crossed the border into the United States many times during his family’s time living in Sonora, the first time my father moved to the United States for an extended period was when he was in his late 20s. Having worked for the American firm for a few years at that point, and having married my American mother, he was committed to coming to study in the United States. In 2003, he underwent the biggest move of his life as he moved to western New Hampshire to study for a degree in business administration. Describing his experience transitioning to life in New Hampshire, he stated that “She [my mother] was my guide. She understood what living in the States was like, and helped me throughout the process of adapting.” While there, he noted the homogeneity, remarking on how “in many places up there [in New Hampshire] everyone looks the same, and many people think the same way.” Despite entering a new environment, he enjoyed his time studying in the United States, as he made close friends with whom he still stays in contact.
Above: Tuck School of Business, where my father studied after moving to the United States for the first time.
Above: The city of Monterrey, Mexico
After graduating, he moved back to Mexico with my mother, but rather than move to Mexico City where his family lived, they moved to the northeast of Mexico, outside the city of Monterrey. While there, my father felt more at home. Commenting on living in an English-speaking country, he said that “It’s tough speaking another language. You can’t express yourself the way you do in your mother language. You are a different person.” Despite the benefits of being back in Mexico, he still lamented being so far from his parents and family, as Monterrey is an eleven-hour drive from Mexico City. With the increase in violence due to the Mexican war on drugs, however, my parents decided to leave the country in 2009. In January of 2010, they left Mexico for Brazil.
Moving to Brazil was another important experience for him. Much like living in the United States, my father had to adapt to a new language and culture, only this time with nobody there to help guide him. He remembers that “it was difficult, but a good experience.” He also noted that “the culture of Brazil is more similar to Mexico’s than American culture is, which made it easier.” For the next five years, my father lived in Rio de Janeiro, but after changing jobs to work for another New-England based company, he and my mother decided to make the move back to the United States. Towards the end of 2014, my family began preparing to leave Brazil and move to Massachusetts.
Right: My father, Cesar Galan, with the "Two Brothers" mountain in the background
