Rio-Grande

Teacher took me there for a visit on a late afternoon. It was still sunny in Texas at 7:30 PM even. As far as I was concerned, Texas is further the equator than Viet Nam so I can enjoy the sunlight longer in summer. This interests me always. (More fascinating, to the further Northern States of the US, the daytime is even longer. I would insist Cindy of visiting Alaska some time in summer. The purpose is to see sunlight at midnight!!!)

We decided to have a quick stop at Ranch village where rich Americans were living. Fancy houses were close together. Expensive cars were seen in front the houses. I didn’t forget to take the chance for pictures. I am interested in the housing designs here. But I even liked the plants and the grass in front of them better. That’s the reason for my pictures. I even caught the sight of a lot of palm trees, which somehow made me homesick.

  ( Click on the image to see larger version :))

“Up’s, we are here in front of Rio-Grande”, said my Teacher and also my tour guide. If he hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have noticed that as I was sticking my eyes to the other side of the road to the-first-time scenes. Rio-Grande means “Big River” (I learned a Spanish word by the way. “Rio” in Spanish language means “river”.”Grande” means “big”. In fact Grande is a French word with the same meaning. Rio-Grande means “the Big river). Well, Rio-Grande is very different from the Perfume where one can further their eyes from Trang Tien bridge to Bach Tho, which is over 1 kilometer apart. Rio is just not that straightforward. But if we are in front of “boat for rent” boarding, then a sight within 500 meters is available. Well, I was lucky enough to be exactly in the place (in fact we failed to get through the other gates as they were all closed. We arrived late actually.). Well, as always, I have new lesson for a new place. Mexicans who have immigration wish in the US often cross the river. Sadly enough, they were either caught in action and sent back to Mexico by “Border patrol” staff or sank on the way. Teacher said the Rio was in fact deeper than it was supposed to be and the current was quite strong. The current led those people backwards of their directions and drove them further and further apart the destination board to be reached. Neither could they afford enough energy to be back home. Poor them! Might that be the reason why the river didn’t look happy? It has been witnessing many tragedy deaths and burying those unfortunate beings.

Yes, it’s very kind of US Government that no punishment was ever applied to those law-breaking people. They were just being sent back home. But the camera on high above may have reminded that crossing the river to US is not an easy job at all. On the way home, I just wished there would be less or no more Mexican people who would end their lives on the Rio.

 

Comments

[Tuan]

The US government isn't being kind, they just don't want to spend any money to jail those illegal Mexican immigrants. It is better to depot them and make them Mexico's problem.
It takes time to get use to living in America, I hope you will get use to it soon. It can be lonely and hard when you left your comfort zone in Viet Nam and start all over in a new country. Good luck.

Hey Tuan, I am okay now. Thank you!!!

Yes, you may be right about the American Government and the Mexixans stuff. In my opinion, it's proper and wise of the US Government to do that. I just feel sympathetic for the Mexicans....

And how are you now? You sound like you are in Viet Nam and working, huh? What was your major? Which US Uni were you in?

Okay keep in touch and take care. Best to you!!!

[Tuan]

About the Mexicans:
They borrowed or spent all their life saving money to come to America in hope to make some money to support the family they left behind. When the US shipped them back to Mexico, they will come back to America illegally again because of either they broke or they owned too much money. Their journey to America is perilous and it just a vicious cycle.

About me, my family immigrates here in 1997. At that time, none of us were able to speak English and we were only able to write a little. Me and my older sisters went to high school in Illinois and we finished college in Northern Illinois University. High school is really bad when we weren't able to speak the language and American kids weren't friendly at all. When we went to college, there was a good size of Vietnamese students so it makes the transition much easier, hence I suggest you looking for a Vietnamese Student Association.

I was in the same boat as you and there are days that I wonder why we even come to America. America sounds so good on magazine, movie and story but the reality is so much hasher. I understand what you are going through right now and the best way is to make friends. It is easy to make friend if you are living in a dorm, sometimes it is too easy ;p.

I wish I am working in Vietnam now. I am currently working for an scuba certification agency in Michigan. My major was Computer Science.

You just need to get use to American college life and then you can have fun too. The first step is hard but I have no doubt that you can do it ;p. Take care!