WETBACK DOCUMENTARY

I have watched a documentary on men that have tried to come to the United states form places like Honduras, Nicaragua and many other Central American areas. This documentary informs us about their journey, what they go thru, the things they eat, the struggle and their heart aches as they make this journey. In the documentary it showed many injured men. It showed people that have tried helping them once they were injured or when they needed it. It shows Border Patrol agents and thier views on this issue. There also were some civilians and what they thought about immigration and what they were doing about it. In the end I think that this video helped me better understand the struggles each person goes thru on their journey to America.



In the beggingin the video shows a two men comming form Honduras. They have to immigrate to two different places. It is specially hard for them because not only Americans are hurtful to them, Mexicans are also hurtful. They have to struggle double. When they went in thier journey in the beggening they seemed kind of layed back, very sure of themselve. I thought that it was kind of increadible that they seemed that way becasue well I am pretty sure that they had heard many stories about what happens ove there. Well that is how they were. They had a few things like a backpack i think. Then they said that they jumped into the train with other men. They did not think much of the men becasue they thought that they were also just trying to go to the U.S. Once they were up there, the men than told them to strip and give them all their money. One of the men had his money in his pants, they were hidden. But surprisingly they found it. The other guy had his money in his private parts and the men still found it. I think that it is so curel how they rob form the porest people. They did not do anything to them. What i also hate is that you cant even trust the police. They wont all help you some of them even hurt you. In the end of the video it said both of the men went backto Honduras. One of them got his job back and the other did not.

There was this one story that really made me very sad. I dont reamember where the lady was comming form but she was injured. She stayed in one of the houses were they help you out and give you food until you bet better and go on wiht your journey. There are many people in those houses. Well she was very helpful around there, she would cook and clean. The man that was telling her story said that she was a great person. Well he said that one day she thanked him and said that she was going to leave, she wanted to finish her journey, She wanted to reach America. So she left and them months later she called him and told her about her journey. She told him that she did reach America. Once she was in America she felt so happy she could not explain it. But as soon as she stepped into american soil, she heard a man telling her to put her hands in back of ther head and to walk back. It was a border patrol. She told the man that she wanted him to shoot her. She wanted to die in america. She wanted the children she left behind that her mother died in America. She wanted them to know that she had made it. The officer than let her go, he said leave women i have never seen you. the woman was calling the man from a payphone in Amercia.

To me that was a very sad and wonderful story becasue she was willing to die just as long as she dies in america. If many americans heard this story and looked at it in my perspective, they would see that these people risk everything to get a job here. Most of these people worship this nation wile some of our citizens destroy it. It is unbeliveable that they would call these immigrants bad people when some of them are willing to die just so they are able to say that they reached America.

Chapter 6

On what day is Enrique finally united with his mother?
Enrique finally reunites with his mother on May 28th @ 8:00 am.

In what state does Enrique ultimately reunite with his mother?
Enrique finally meets his mother in North Carolina.

On November 2, 2000, another significant event happens to Enrique. What is it?
That day his daughter, Katerine Jasmin is born.

Contrast the sides of the Rio Grande. What is Enrique’s life like on his side of the river that in Mexico is called Rio Bravo?
Well on the one side of the river, in Mexico he has to be very carefully. anyone could harm him and he has to work a lot for a little money, he doesn't have anything and he is always scared, hungry and tired. On the other side, he is somewhat safe.

Describe Enrique’s final journey into the United States.
Enrique had to go across the river with El Tirindaro and they had to run from the immigration. They needed to hide form them and then Enrique got into a car, they took him into a house so that he could rest and they could wait for the money to arrive.

What problems develop almost immediately when Enrique is reunited with his mother? Do these problems surprise you?
Enrique and his mothers started having problems like every other family. They started arguing about respect and Enrique has a lot of resentment towards his mother because she left him. They started arguing about her right to tell him what to do. These problems surprise me in a way because they started almost immediately. Every family has these problem. I just figured the fact that they are together was more strong than the resentment he felt.

3 new voc words!! define book sentence, your sentence

Psychedelic
Definition: of or noting a mental state characterized by a profound sense of intensified sensory perception
Book Sentence: Its roof lights flash red and blue on the water, creating a psychedelic sheen.
My Sentence: He had a psychedelic painting.

Cleft
Definition: a hollow area or indentation
Book Sentence: Two nights ago, it killed a youngster he knew, a tall, skinny migrant with a cleft upper lip.
My Sentence: He had a cleft chin.

Concertina
Definition: to fold, crush together,
Book Sentence: When they are allowed into an outdoor are surrounded by a fence topped with concertina wire.
My Sentence: The car concertinaed when it hit the truck.

Chapter 3

Facing the Beast:

Where is Enrique Located?
Enrique is located in Chiapas.

Who are the "Beasts" ans what do they do?
The Beasts are the bandits that rob people in town.

What are the rules about Chiapas?
There are several rules in Chiapas, do not take buses, knever ride alone adn do not trust anyone.
WHat place does Enrique decide is the best place to sleep?
Enrique finally decides that the cementary is the best bet.

Who is Enrique protected by?
Enrique is protected by the Mara Salvatrucha and a man called El Brujo, one of their comrades.

Where does Enrique end up after the Cementary raid?
After the raid Enrique ends up in the Tapachula jail.

How does Enrique escape?
Enrique escapes the jail because he takes a bike that was leaning against the wall.

Where is he headed off too?
Enrique runs back to the cementary.

Getting Aboard:

About how many immigrants does Enrique guess is on the train from the cemetery.
He thinks there are about twenty or thirty of them.

How would are some children that Enrique encounters?
Some of the children Enrique sees are about nine years old.

What does " Race against time and death" mean?
I think that it means that they have to be careful with their timing or it could kill them.

What are the good and bad sides of Box Cars?
The good parts about boxcarts are the fact that they can hide. The bad parts of them is that they can get hurt really bad. They can also be spotted by police and they can lock them in the carts.

Chapter 4 questions

What significant changes take place when Enrique reaches Veracruz?

As Enrique reaches Veracruz people are much nicer to him. They help him out and feed him. They pray for him and for others. They feed them and help them hide from the cops. This is different from any other place because usually they are not that nice to immigrants.

How do people of Veracruz show their kindness?

People in Veracruz show their kindness by giving them clothes. They help them from their injuries and they let them stay at their house for a while until they get better or until they make enough money to leave again.

What does Hipolito Reyes Larios see as his mission?

Hipolito has made it his mission to help all the injured people and bring food to their mouths. They have to help one another.

When Enrique finally arrives at Nuevo Laredo, hes on the banks of what river?

Enrique finally arrives at the banks of El Rio Grande.

What is the significance of the statue of Jesus Enrique encounters?

I think that the significance is that Jesus is with him and he is guiding Enrique.

How does the journey change at the point of this encounter?

At the end of his journey when he reaches Laredo people are not that nice to him. People in Veracruz are much nicer and they helping him. It all changes when he reaches Laredo because people are scared of immigrants.