Familia

Whenever I think of familia, I think of the difference between my Mexican family here in the U.S. and my Mexican family in Mexico. Every time I visit Mexico, I’m reminded of those differences. For example, when I return to Chicago and I relate experiences from my trip to Mexico, people are surprised that families having much closer ties and see each other more often. My brother Danny said he preferred his privacy. Of course, I only see him two or three times a year. Mexicans in Chicago become very Americanized after living here for any period of time. I, on the other hand, enjoyed spending time with mi familia. I try to go to every family event here in Chicago. But I really wish we could get together more often. So I love going to Mexico because everyone really enjoys each other’s company. And they express genuine interest in each other. When I’m in Mexico, everyone hears that I’m there visiting and mi familia makes every effort to come visit me, if just for an hour or two. I never talk as much here as I do in Mexico because everyone is curious about me and my life in the U.S. I mean, no one pays that much attention to me here in Chicago!