For immigrant families, the hope is that one day they’ll show their kids their homeland. Parents who immigrated to the U.S. may dream of sharing with their children their ancestral roots to help them learn of their heritage. I was fortunate enough to have made this trip at a young age.
The year was 1992. I was 10 years old and my brother, Paul, was 7. My parents made a travel plan that would change the rest of my life. They decided that my brother and I would go to visit Lima, the city where my parents immigrated from. Since it was not possible for both my parents to travel, my mom, sibling, and I traveled to their home country for about two weeks.
This visit marked my first international trip. I was overjoyed to have the opportunity to learn about my parents’ hometown.
Upon arrival, I recall being happy to meet family members I had never met yet. However, I specifically remember an aunt telling my mom the disadvantages my brother and I faced for not speaking Spanish. I thought to myself, “She’s right. I have to do better.”
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