You make up your mind and prepare to head to Mexico with your family and your belongings, starting with a balance of 420 quetzales ($57US). You do not have a passport because you do not know how to get a visa to Mexico. When you are at the border river between Guatemala and Mexico (El Rio Suchiate), you see various men maneuvering their rafts across the river. There are no custom supervisions, no patrolling police, and no fences or border railings. The rafts are dangerous-- completely different from the old ferry you know in Guatemala city. Do you pay the 15 quetzales ($2US) for the short ride across the river, or do you try to cross it on your own?
You can take all of your belongings.
River crossing guides are experienced, and you are completely new to this.
Rafts of people crossing are more obvious to the police.
It costs money, which you will need when you get to America.
You don’t have to pay.
Border control will find it harder to detect a single person crossing the river.
You have to swim, and you may drown.
You cannot bring all your belongings.