The Other Side of Immigration

               I actually enjoyed “The Other Side of Immigration”. I thought it would be like any other documentary, with facts overwhelmingly thrown out at the audience. However, this movie was structured in a way that made it very easy to understand. I like how the stories are told from the primary source because I was able to comprehend the situation from the perspectives of the immigrants. In addition, I also thought it was a great idea to show scenes of the actual towns in Mexico. The clips of an old town and poor children playing in the dirt definitely reached out to the audience. What I learned from watching this movie is that as difficult as it is to cross the border without getting caught, the walk from Mexico to America is even tougher. Immigrants have to pay large amounts of money to smugglers to show them the way to America, and surviving through the trip across the desert is not always guaranteed.But because of the corrupt government in Mexico and the high poverty rate, many are willing to risk it all. This movie made me understand why so many Mexicans are willing to risk their lives and spend large amount of money to walk through a dangerous desert, illegally cross the border, and live a difficult life in hiding. 

Oral History Project

                  I thought the oral history project was a very fun and informative activity. First off, it gave me a chance to speak with my uncle and learn more about him. I've never gotten a chance to actually sit down and listen to the challenges he had encountered. I was surprised with the stories he told me because I never knew that this care-free and fun loving uncle had been through so much. Yet, he goes by life with such a bright smile and great confidence. Aside from learning more about my uncle, listening to the immigration stories of other people was also interesting. I was able to hear compare and contrast the experiences of these immigrants. I came to realize that even though two immigrants might come from the same country, their stories can actually be far from similar. Each of the several experiences told in class had its own ups and downs, which makes the entire topic of immigration so much more intriguing.