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Hey guys! I'm Oscar Meza. ;) How you doin'???

Well, I know what you're thinking, "Oh, he's Mexican. He probably crossed the border." Well guys, thats not true! (Well, for some of us) We have ways of getting in here....legally. My story is one that is very confusing for everyone, except my family. I was born on November 23, 1989 in the smallest state of Mexico in a very small pueblo with a name that cannot be pronounced. Now, the part the confuses everyone is that my older brother was born in the United States. This is the point where you go "Huh?", as this is the response I've always heard. Now I shall relieve you of your confusion.

My father came to the United States with my uncle when he was only 14 years old. As every other typical Mexican immigrant, they found work and started working as soon as they came here. Not being able to speak a word of English, it was hard for them to communicate with everyone else except their fellow compadres. My father ended up taking free English classes in a Hispanic vicinity. A while later, my mother came to the U.S. and stayed with my uncle. There, my father and my mother ended up getting together.

After being together for quite some time, my parents decided to have a baby: my older brother. She gave birth to my brother in the United States. Not long after that, they decided to give my brother a brother, or a sister, whatever came out. During this time, my mother started to miss her family and started feeling lonely as my father would work long hours to try to support the family. As a result, my mother ended up heading to Mexico before she gave birth to me so she can be with her family. She gave birth to me in Mexico. After that happened, my mom left to meet my dad in the U.S. so that she can work to raise money to support our family. My brother and I were left behind in Mexico with our grandparents.

Around the age of 4, my mom came to see my brother and I (There were a series of visits in between but I got confused about them so my parents dropped the conversation). She stayed with us until my father came to pick us up to bring us to the U.S. I came here when I was 5 years old and have been here ever since. I have been raised by Mexican parents so I have picked up every aspect of Mexican culture (No that does not include being a mariachi). Since I have been here so long, I have also assimilated myself into American culture. Even though this is true, I consider myself Mexican, and not Mexican-American, because I believe that my place of birth determines what my race truly is.

Email: oscar.meza@baruchmail.cuny.edu