Nicollet County, Minnesota The Faces of Immigration

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Interview with Sonia HernandezMexican WomanInterviewed by Jamie PedersonFolke-Bernadotte Memorial Library, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. PeterAugust 2006Jamie: Where did you grow up?Sonia: At the border with Mexico and Texas…like four hours from the border at VictoriaTamaulipas.Jamie: How long have you and your family lived here in St. Peter?Sonia: Almost four years ago.Jamie: Why did you make that move?Sonia: Because my dad came to work and then back to Mexico for the work and the otherreason is that they wanted us to have better education and all.Jamie: So was your dad working in the States and then coming home for short visitswhile you were young?Sonia: Yes.Jamie: What kind of work does he do here?Sonia: Like factories.Jamie: And what work was he doing in Mexico?Sonia: Nothing…like staying certain time with us and then coming back…sort of likevacation for him.Jamie: How long did he do that?Sonia: Almost since I was little; yeah, it was hard.Jamie: What about your mom?Sonia: She stayed with us in Mexico.Jamie: And now?Sonia: She works at a factory in Le Center.45
Jamie: Has the transition been difficult here?Sonia: Yeah…the language and the culture is different from Mexico. The school is hard.Jamie: Did you know English at all?Sonia: No, no.Jamie: How did you learn?Sonia: I don’t know; it is hard to explain. When I start school I was like I don’t knowwhat to do. I also had friends…like chicanos and they help explain to me because theyknow English and Spanish.Jamie: What is a chicano?Sonia: A chicano is like a person who is from Mexico but is born in the United States.Jamie: Oh, so they know both cultures?Sonia: Yeah.Jamie: Did you go to ESL classes or did you just go right to a regular high school?Sonia: I had ESL classes.Jamie: And you were a freshman in high school at that time?Sonia: Yes.Jamie: Tell me a bit about life in Mexico?Sonia: I lived in the capital of the state…Tamulipas is the state and Victoria is just thecity…the capital.Jamie: When you moved to the U.S…was it your first time out of Mexico?Sonia: Yes.Jamie: What was school like there?Sonia: Well school is pretty much the same except that classes are outside and notindoors.Jamie: How did your family actually go about immigrating to the U.S.?46
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Page 5 and 6: Author BiographyPhoto: Kurt Hildebr
Page 7 and 8: GraphsGraphs courtesy of the Greate
Page 9 and 10: Act provides the legal basis for ou
Page 11 and 12: Interview with Patricia MensingLead
Page 13 and 14: To Friends of Nicollet County:Lette
Page 15 and 16: Sudanese ImmigrationSudan is the la
Page 17 and 18: Jamie: Where are you from specifica
Page 19 and 20: age…so I run to Khartoum. I been
Page 21 and 22: Jamie: So what has life been like f
Page 23 and 24: Jamie: Now, what goals do you have
Page 25 and 26: David Gong and Elizabeth ChuolSudan
Page 27 and 28: David: A long process…been there
Page 29 and 30: Jamie: Where do you work right now?
Page 31: Jamie: Do you ever want to return t
Page 34: Jamila SaidSomali-American WomanJam
Page 37 and 38: Jamie: When did you get your job at
Page 39 and 40: ago, I go to London and I travel. I
Page 41 and 42: Jamila: Yeah, she’s head in Minne
Page 43 and 44: Section 8 papers- A housing program
Page 45: Sonia HernandezMexican WomanSonia H
Page 49 and 50: Sonia: I was in AMIGOS when I was i
Page 51 and 52: Letter from Nancy PennDirector of C
Page 53 and 54: Saint Peter Herald, Thursday, Augus
Page 55 and 56: BibliographyAmbroso, Guido. New Iss
Page 57: 1851 North Minnesota AvenueSt. Pete

Nicollet County, Minnesota The Faces of Immigration

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