Honor to My Mother (Carlos' Audio Story)

I WANT TO HONOR MY MOTHER

WHY? Because since my father died she took care of us by herself. My mother sacrificed for us always and still looks for the best for all of us because she loves us so much.

She did everything that needed to be done for us starting by supported and accepted my father death.

She went crazy and couldn’t believe it when I was two years old. I do not remember him but I enjoy it when my mother tells me stories about him. That he was her life. She was about to die too but she never did. Because she thought about us and in God before she wanted to do something wrong. She is very smart and intelligent to do this kind of things. I love my mother now more than ever…

After my father’s funeral, my mother had to work in my father’s job which was just for men no for women. Because my father’s boss  was a friend to our family so he made an exception.

She was the only one woman working in this job. She was the supervisor of a big city company that specialized in keeping the streets and parks of Guayaquil clean, like Trash collectors. My mother needed to go to school at the age of 40 because my grandparents never sent her to school. Once my grandfather died, my grand-mom sent my mother to live with her relatives. They had my mother work as a housekeeper instead of sending her to school. In order to get this job at least she had to know how to read and write and she did not know how to read and write so she went to school for Adult Literacy and finished her education. And finally she got the job.... Well at the very end  After eight years working in this place each and every one of the workers or employees including my mother,  got fired. like animals they got fired for no reason.

And then she was so desperate.

Could you imagine a woman with 7 children, feeding them, educating them and doing whatever else we needed to be happy?

One day she was walking and trying to buy some food for us, at the big market in the city.

There she found this fine young man, This person was her distant cousin from my grandfather’s side of the family.

So he asked to my mother, “What happened to you cousin?”

And she told him everything that had happened. This person was and still in a good economic situation.  He had -- or I don’t know if he still has -- a big food market. He owns a whole building where he has or had his business, right in the middle of the city. They used to be very good friends when they were youngers. besides that they are family relatives. So he helped her by giving to my mother everything in order to open a grocery store or bodega again. when I say again is. Because that’s what my mother used to do before my father passed away she used to work at the grocery store and my father worked for the city.

Once she opened again her grocery store or bodega in the south side of the City. where we used to live at. where all the poor people used to live at and we had everything that we needed in terms of food, education, toys, and a lot of love from both of them. But one day it changed everything, it was a different story. it was not the same at all.

Before and after my father died my grandmother used to take care all of us, my cousin also helped us by cooking and doing the laundry while my mom was working and we used to go to school one of my brother had and needed to work and help my mom but he never dropped the school, because the money that my mom used to make was not enough for everybody, i remember. when my mother bought a nice pair of shoes and a shirt for only one of my brothers and we used to said mama what about for me ? and also she used to buy some toys just for two of my brothers we used to tell her mama what about the rest of us ?

But without knowing that she did not have enough money to buy clothes and toys for her children, not even enough food, what she did was very smart,  we used to keep and collect the clothes from my brothers and as soon as  we  grow up we will wear their clothes, same thing with my sisters,  now about the toys we used to make our own toys by using our imagination and talents that our teacher from our. Same school, taught us using glue,  woods and papers. Because we used to receive toys,  in Christmas eve. New Year eve and holidays only and also when our God fathers used to show up.....  the ones that used to always helped us were my older cousins from my mothers side family, Ok.

One day my mother won the lottery wow that was  excellent because she used to buy it every weekends, she used the money to made our house a little bit more bigger than it was. and still was not enough for all of us and then we started rented half of the house to helped us to pay the rent and all the bills that were needed to be paid, such as transportations, education, electricity and gas uff and a lot of more that i can not finished to described. let me tell you something guys compare to other families.

i remember one day i was on the roof lying down and i looked up to the stars and i cried and i told to my self one day we will have a better life. Because  the night i wanted to eat more food and my mother told me mijo, son is done there is no more food left and that was . Tuna, my favorite seafood.

I remember that  my mother was a very strict woman because she never let us to go outside without finishing  our homework first.

I had to give my lessons to my mother even though it was really late and we wanted to go to sleep. sometimes when my mother used to go out to visit my uncles or sometimes she stayed working over time,  we had an opportunity to go out without  permission from her. she is very smart she used to come very slowly without saying anything to nobody and she knew where we were.

Because she asked one of our neighbors that lives in front of our house, and she used to come  with a belt underneath her blouse, so we can not see it. I never knew that she had a belt hidden inside her blouse around her stomach, and then she punished me and everybody else for not listened to her.

Well that was long time ago after all my mother loves us so much she just wants us to obey her in  everything that she told us to do.  Otherwise we would become criminals, thief, drug addicts etc.

Well then. Now let me tell you when my mother was traveling to USA. from Ecuador.

My Cousin lives in Chicago, he offered to helps my  mother to come to USA and in the middle of the way he refused to helps her so my mother was supposedly to come to Chicago instead of  NY, she was stock in Texas for a little while,  she was so desperate, she did not know what to do, She called my uncle that lives in New York.

Because when my cousin and most of all our family used to live with us. So this person Is my aunt husband. He helped my mother to come to NY He borrowed some money to my mother also the money that my mother borrowed in. Ecuador, now she needs to work to pay everything that she owns.

Now she is here in New York she needed to find a job. sooner than later, right away, She easily found a job in a. Korean Factory as a cleaner. She used to clean tuxedos, dressers, and much more stuff. She used to make a little bit of money and  She wanted to work more hours so she could make a little bit of more money. So she learned how to use the machines even though was older she learned faster from her friends, She started to collect some money a little by little and then she brought all of us two by two, she suffered a lot.

I remember when she used to call us by phone and started crying every time she hear our voices. We  were very sad also. I did miss my mother a lot,  but at the same time I felt good, I don't know why But I was 10 years old, I think so because I could go out and have fun with my friends, but when I used to come back home I missed my mom.

Well, when I was 11 years old I went to H.S, I felt this first year of school because to be honest with you guys my family put me really late at this school, The students were advanced with the classes and exams, and my siblings also were not in a good way to teach me or to guide me in the school so I felt, and in the next year.

My mother gave an authorization to one of my old cousin, now he is resting in peace because he passed away many years ago, He was an awesome person he put me at this school and I never felt any other year anymore, I graduated in Industrial Mechanic, specialized in, Welding and Lathe,  or windlass.

I was the last one that my mother brought to New York. I didn't suffer like my mother and my sibling did.

I took this like a long trip like I was on vacation I came inside of a fishing Vessel, so I was inside where they keep the fishes but the week they didn't transport them, we were inside of it. I have never traveled in a fishing vessel before, this dream came true, I was throwing out for two days, so after the third day I was ok. I used to eat whatever I wanted to, watermelons, pineapples a lot soup and rice, compare to my friends.

They  were very sick inside the boat, there were no doctors around only our, Captain and three workers. They helped us a lot, They were in charged of cooking and prepared everything.

We last for about 7 days in the middle of the. Ocean Pacific, I saw Dolphins, Big whales and a big    tornado in the middle of the Ocean, that scared me a lot, because I have never seen one like that. When I arrived in Guatemala I got stuck over there for almost two months I was in a bordered between, Guatemala and Mexico, which is call. Tecun Uman. I did everything just to come to New York. It was a long big adventure For me.

Finally after almost two months living in Guatemala the coyote gave us some instructions to cross the bordered from. Guatemala to Mexico. I started to walked for many hours none stop. finally i passed.

Traveling between the cities was more easy than the borders.

I flew for more than three times by airplanes, from Mexico Df to Guadalajara and Mexicali and L.A to New York.

Now my mother is living with me and all my family are togethers. We are not a perfect family but. We still together even though my father died many years ago Just my grandmother still and. Ecuador. With my cousins from my mothers sides. We are taking care of my grand mother. All of us are working to succeed in this. World. God. Bless you. All.

Level 5 NYC: Maria M's Audio Story

Maria M is one of my talented students.  In her audio story, which includes some great music, she shares about her life in Nicaragua (Central America), and the many difficulties she and her family faced after moving to the United States, first in Miami (Florida), to Connecticut  to New York City---All in the pursuit of her dreams. Education is clearly important in her life.  Her story reveals her dedication and persistence, continuing her university education even after the birth of her son.  You may even learn something about the job responsibilities of an accountant.  (I really didn't know what accountants do at big companies!) 

She completed her audio story in the fall of 2012. (I saw her again last Thursday, and received her permission to share this.)

You can also see Maria performing in The Christmas Truce, with our friends Karina and Madjid.

Below, you will find the audio story, and the text for the narration.  Travel with her from Central America and up the coast of the US!


Audio: My Story

My Story 

By: Maria M.

Many years ago, I remember my beautiful city of Esteli in Nicaragua, the country where I was born, my high school study in a convent school called (Our Lady of the Rosary College),

Where I had many good friends, great teachers. I enjoyed my classes especially in the field of Spanish where we had to do many exhibitions of books and dramatizations of some stories, was very dynamic, I finished my high school in the year 1992.

Then I study bilingual secretary for two years at a technical school, my career was not over, because I felt the need to seek a better opportunity for the future, even without financial resources, I had help from my mom to finance my career, who take the opportunity to make an application being classified in college in my second option Accounting and finance, because the first choice was Business Administration.

In 1995 I enters college in which the first three years of study in Estelí in public accounting and finances,The career heavy as it applies much mathematics, but mostly much financial analysis of any company, I most enjoyed was the management company, because it was very interesting and very important, Three years after I graduated technician in this career in the year 1997.

Then I moved to the capital of Nicaragua (Managua), where I completed two years of study to get a degree in public accounting.

In the year 1998 my dear son was born at 7 am on the 24th, one of the happiest days of my life. I remember I was going through Nicaragua Hurricane Jeanne, this caused much damage to our country, destroyed houses, bridges,cities were cut off, landslides, volcanoes which killed many people, buried in mud caused by torrential downpours.

After seven months of having my son, I continued my studies at the University, culminating in 1999, I receiving my B.A.

Then I did a job application for a company that was engaged in the purchase and sale of tires for vehicles of all kinds. The tires were from Guatemala, Panama, USA and Ecuador, the brands Goodyear, Continental, Firestone among others, I started working for this company as a bookkeeper where I had many jobs as cash accounts, processing checks for suppliers of the company, verify that all vouchers have complete documentation, record the data in a particular accounting system and do all that the accountant general and administrative department requested. But the area where most enjoyed was serving as Head of the Imports, which was to manage all customs formalities as documentation verifying that the goods were correct and complete payment of customs duties, warehouse service payment, once the merchandise enters into the hold of the company, this has to be prepared for sale, as posting it in the inventory of the company with their respective costs incurred, Check price lists and finally Put into the store for sale. This in itself was entire mechanism when it was concerned with Import.

After four years working in this company I was assigned as a counter, in which my work had much more responsibility to those I already had. I worked for this company for six years, in which every year, I received recognition for my work as well as increases in salary.


In 2006 we decided together with my husband and son to move to U.S.A, for the purpose of seeking the American dream. We first arrived in the city of Miami, which had many experiences. It is noted that it has been very hard. The first jobs are very physical that one acquires, due primarily to the lack of language proficiency. It reduces many opportunities, primarily what we did was to find a school for my son. I signed up immediately, my son came to dominate the language six months after.

My first job was in a factory where all clothing selected under very bad conditions, no air conditioning just fans. Eight hours I was standing, my arms rested not until it was time for lunch. I work one year in this place.

In 2008, we decided to move to the city of New York, in order to continue looking for better opportunities and also wanted to be near my husband's family. We first decided to stay in Connecticut, because there in lie my nephews who assured us work. After a month to live in this place I could not find work and frustration was eminent, then I found a job at a bakery on the recommendation. The schedule was super heavy. I came at 6 pm and did not leave until I finished pack all the bread out of the large ovens. Most of the time I was out at 3 in the morning. It was the same. my arms and legs with long standing pain.

At six months, we finally decided to move to my in-laws in New York, a small apartment, but we had no way out. After three months I got a job in a supermarket where I continuous working. I work six days a week, three days in the area of ​​Deli, two days a cashier, I cook a day, in this area is where I think a lot and I tell myself, I have to keep studying English for many years keep my studies.

We live in New York almost four years. We rented an apartment in which we live alone three. My son is about to start high school. I occasionally go out for a walk in Manhattan, the place I love most is Central Park , Time Square. I'd like the statue of liberate, museums, St. Patrick's Church and other tourist attractions.

Note that my goal is to master the language very well, to get a better job opportunity, and above all be able to go back to my country, Nicaragua, hug my mother with my brothers, to visit my old friends.

Hakima's Arts Memory!

Hi Students,
I wanna share one of my drawing memory, this picture has four years ago, I draw it while I had been here in New York City for two months, it's an imaginary because I was looking for a mosque in the surrounding area. So, for me and my imaginary its looked like this.

Level 5 NYC: Maria's Audio Story

Maria H. was a successful businessperson in Mexico, owning and operating a wholesale egg distribution company.  And she built her company "from scratch."  When she moved to New York City, she dreamed of expanding her business in Mexico.  But life in NYC can be difficult for anyone, and she found that she would have to "build from scratch" all over again.

Note: to build something from scratch is an idiom.  It means: to build from the beginning, or to build from nothing. 

Listen to her audio story below, and read along with the text.

-Eric, NYC

Maria's Story

I never thought things in my life would change 360 degrees, but it happened and I had to start working in a new stage in my life. 

Coming to New York City was a hard decision I had to make because I was a business woman in Mexico. I had to leave everything behind after I had worked for years to build my own business.  The first thing I planned when I got to the US was to find a job and work hard to save up money to expand my business in Mexico.  This was not as easy as I thought it would be. 

I was 16 when I started working for an egg distributor as an associate and learned the trade. I learned to distinguish the difference in quality of eggs. After three years I shared my interest with my boss of opening my own business, I thought he might not agree, but he encourage me and offered his support if I needed. 

After I began to plan how to start working, first I started working from my mother house buying from wholesale for one year, then I opened a small store where I sold the product in retail and wholesale.  After long time working hard, I could start buying from farms.

First of all, everything in NY was completely different.  The way people live in a very small place compared to the way I lived in Mexico, I felt like a bird in a cage, walking from one place to another in the apartment, finding halls and other doors before I found the street.  There were no people that I knew at that time.

I did not stop thinking about all my things I had left in Mexico, but life continued and another hard thing was to find work and started working as a worker again.  My first job was a kitchen helper.  

Nothing compared to the work that I used to do.  I worked in the restaurant for a while, cleaning vegetables, helping people to prepare different kind of things, until a friend of mine told me that a friend of his opened a new Laundromat. They needed someone to run the store and I accepted.

At the beginning I felt scared because I didn’t speak much English. This work helped me to feel more confident and secure in many aspects because I had to take care of the store and relate with people of other cultures. It opened my mind to new experiences of something that I enjoyed. 

Working in the store was a great experience, it helped me to improve my English and I felt more confident with the other people because I worked there as if it had been my own business. After a while, I started making decision in regards to the store and it made me feel good. I worked there for a long time until I solved my immigration status to start making plans about how to build my own business again.

Level 5 NYC: The Lost Dream

This audio story is from Hakima.  Hakima dreams of being a teacher, but life presents many challenges.

The text fo the audio is below.

-Eric, NYC

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The Lost Dream

Everybody has a dream and mine was teaching children so when I finished high school I sat at home for three years. I didn’t find a  job and because my older sister was working, I took care of her children. I felt like she needed  money more then me, so I decided to spend time with them and cook meals, clean the house. It killed the time, but it wasn't my objective in life. I was desperate because I needed to financially support myself and felt options were limited. As I started looking for a  job, I put my resume in every school I knew of, and hoped somebody would call me, so I could start realizing my dream of teaching.                  

After I was waiting for so long, they sent me mail. I was in the living room with my mother and my two sisters on a rainy day. I put on a heavy blanket and drank hot coffee because it was cold. We were  watching TV and enjoy being together when somebody rang the door. I remember my mother went to open the door and I heard my name. It was the mail carrier and he said: ''this is for Hakima ", so I jumped from the sofa, and I remember I started to worry and cry before I even opened the mail. I was surprised that they accepted me at the school as a middle school teacher. My job was to watch the children and help them to do the homework and explain the academic exercises when the teacher was absent.

I was very happy  when some time I couldn't get to the school  the children came to my house  and ask about me .They loved me and I loved them.

I teach too math and science for some kids in my house for less money.

After two years I got married. My husband was in the USA. I remember when he told me to stay at home  his reason was I didn’t need to work now because   he’s my husband now he could send money for me, but nobody understood  me. It wasn’t only about the money, I wanted to work. I said strongly “It’s my life.”  

            Sometime I talked to my self and asked many question, why nobody understood? Life is not only money. For me be myself was my purpose teach children and be with them made me the happiest woman in the world. So when I got to the USA, I was happy finally with my husband but sad too because I lived my dream and all my wishes in my country. For me it was like no more teaching, when I looked around of me, I felt like I was not useful, all the time at home did the same things, I tried to learn English by myself but it was hard. One day I decided to change my life, I knew I didn't have many choices, but I went to the mosque I was learning about the religion and memorizing Quran, so every last month we took a test, I had good score one day they called me to teach children.  I was so happy but I didn’t accept because I was pregnant and for the second time I had an opportunity to realize my dream but I didn’t get it .

So, I wish my two kids and every woman can realize their dream and I hope one day I will be the best teacher in my country .