Undocumented in l
Undocumented in l.a.Undocumented In L.A.
The whole book is basically written to describe the life of an undocumented immigrant in United States. The life of Yamileth L\pez, who came to US from Nicaragua. The hardships and risks that they had to go through before they arrive to US. Before coming to US she had a dream of the US which a picture was painted in her mind that everything will be much better in US here. But until when she gets here, in Los Angeles, she found out that it is not all she thought it would be. Yamileth and her son, Miguel had to leave their own country and come to US for the so call better lifestyle.
Finally after the time they had travel and gone through the trouble and risks to come to US. It is not all what they had in mind. The undocumented status had them had to find the jobs and to put Miguel in school is something that is hard to do since the undocumented status. And then language problem, which is the most important barrier of all, that kept them from learning and find better opportunities for them to work and education.
Later on, Yamileth found the job in Oregon, which she and Miguel went and work and live with Penny and Mark. The life there and the treatment they receive from Penny and Mark was something that is more than what Yamileth expected. For all the modern appliances such as washer and dryer so forth, they are something that She had never seen before and never know how to operate them. She knows that she is suppose to be a worker and can't get used to the friendly treatment that Penny and Mark given them. The fact that Miguel get a better education in Oregon and the father kind of figure to Miguel which is something that Yamileth can't give to Miguel. Miguel learn English in much better environment in Oregon and with the baseball team that he was in, that don't have him out cast by others. No one there in Oregon treats them as undocumented immigrants. And it also gave Yamileth a better life and also gave her the chance to speak out her mind about the revolution since she was involved with the party and so on.
There are many things that happened on the way to US and in US. Because of the modern technology and the environment are so different from Nicaragua where they don't have all that sort of technology to make things easier for them. Examples such as the washer and dryer, the door lack on the train, which is something that they have no idea about. The cultural shock that they faced in US and in comparison to their native country.
Yamileth felt misplace in US where she really miss her own country, Nicaragua, although there is revolution going on, but still, she is used to that type of environment and that is where she lived for all her life. Although everything in Nicaragua is not as good as in the US but in comparison although she is in US there is still not much difference from home. Cause in US she is undocumented and the fact that she is risking her life here cause of the gangs, the police, immigration officers. There is a great chance of her getting caught and get deported from US back to Nicaragua, and she is mostly worry about that if she is the one got deported and will leave Miguel all alone here in US by himself with her sister, Leticia. Which the environment of Leticia's situation is not all that well especially with her own kids and so forth she can't be responsible and take care of Miguel at the same time when she has her own problem at the same time.
The cultural shocks that Yamileth faced was more than just the difference in status but also the color and race. The neighborhood that they lived in Los Angeles, is not a good neighborhood, which they have no security at all, faced by the gangs and the chances of caught or kill by the gang. The more time she spend in L.A she misses Nicaragua the more. And then since she left Oregon, she had no "face" to go back to see Penny and Mark although she knows that they will welcome her back with all the warm welcome like before. But as for Yamileth, she doesn't feel confident enough to go back there although it will provide Miguel a better environment to live and have education. Because of the esteem that she is looking for better job and so forth, and that is one reason why she left Oregon by full of lies by Leticia, and also the reason why she really left Nicaragua.
Somewhere in time she was able to least the bakery and tries to make it in the US for a living. The effort was well done but the fact that they could not make it, but the one good thing that came out of that was it pull the whole family together, ever since her mother die. The whole family work hard to try to have the bakery going and to keep it in business. Also the fact that Yamileth was pregnant where she can't work as many hrs as she could but she did it anyway.
At the end, she left US and returns back to Nicaragua, where she feels that is her homeland. Where she feels that is where she belongs. Over there she don't have to worry about getting caught and get deported back to home country! The hardships of a undocumented immigrants, there are so many other risks and factors that can affect their life. Man of times that it is only for economic factor that they came to US for a better job and better earning so they can have their family in better situation. But that is only for a dream, cause they are being discriminated here in US and also risking all what they have to try to make it here in the US.
The fact that they have to live with the fear and the unfair treatment had them discourage to try to make it better but just as long as they can get y everyday life, then that is good enough for them. The book is a really good one, where it portrait the life of undocumented immigrant here in US. The hardships and the risk and fear that they faces.