Live Your Life as if You Were Not Undocumented.

Hello everyone!


I want to share something that I think has helped me a little bit. I recently travel by plane (domestically) and was successful. I had never traveled by air due to my situation; there's a debate on wether traveling by airplane is safe or not and many people decide they just will not risk it.

I had wanted to fly for quite a while now and experience what it's like to be in the sky and the feeling of easy access to traveling long distances in a matter of a few hours. So I finally had the chance to do it and I did it. The whole experience was so stressful at the beginning because I did research on the matter and it really seemed like a 50/50 thing.

So I get to the airport, get my boarding pass printed and head over to TSA(the scary part). I get in line and I don't know any of the procedures so I decided to watch other people and do what they were doing while trying to act as natural as possible. So I see everyone in line handing their ID's and when it's my turn I do the same. She takes my passport and says "hi, how are you?" I replied I was okay. In reality, I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom; something in my stomach was moving. The palms of my hand were sweaty. She opens my passport, lightens it with her flashlights. Reads. A few seconds later she says "have a nice flight mr ___." I smiled and thanked her. I knew the worst part was over.

Next thing I notice is that everyone is taking off their shoes, belts, watches, keys, change and putting them in a bin. I did the same and put my bin in line so it could be x-rayed, then walked over to the metal detector, walked over to the other side of the x-ray machine and put on my shoes and belt as I waited for my belongings. Then I waited for my flight to be announced and boarded.

Some people went to sleep or listened to music, other started chatting among themselves or pulled out something to read. I didn't. I was alert and wanted to experience EVERYTHING... from the instructions we were being given to the moment the plane tilted its nose up and gravity pulled my upper body against my sit. I was so excited and began taking pix with my phone like CRAZY! Of course I tried to act as natural as possible... I was embarrassed to look my age (22) and still overexcited about flying --something a lot of people my age have experienced many times!

Three years before this event you could find me at a bus stop, waiting for my bus of course. I hated it. School wasn't that close, so I had to take two buses and it was a royal pain in the neck. Sometimes, from school I'd go to work and then home. But I lamented all the time I was wasting when waiting for the buys and when riding it. It was always too full, I could never sit down and read my book. Then I'd see guy and girls my age(and even younger) with their cars. I felt envy and thought about how nice it would be to have a car...even if it was old. But if I had a car, I wouldn't have to wait in the cold, in the rain, or the excruciating California summer heat.

My father didn't want to teach me to drive because according to him, that could bring me problems as I was unable to get a drivers license. But I was determined, I needed to learn to drive and did. On my own. I started watching videos online on how to drive. Yes, I did bump the car once and yes, I did have a small collision I was able to pay with $300.00 I had. My parents still don't know about this. But one day I surprised them and I knew how to drive. Going to work was a pleasure. I no longer cared being assigned the late-night shift at work because I had a car and it was safe going back home.

I was remembering all of this as I was in the plane, I also remembered other times when I had to do things that were against my parents wishes like traveling far for college. All of these times I remember were scary People advised against my decisions --and all because of my legal status in this country. Things that were pretty easy or normal for other people my age sometimes are a bit difficult.

The point of this post is not to say I flew, or that I learned how to drive. The point of this post is to incentive dreamers who are scared. There's nothing worse than fear. I've learned that being frightful will prevent us from many good things in life. I know things are difficult in our situation... But there's always a way around things. Don't let anyone scare you. Follow your dreams. Experience life.
Of course, if you have to do something that's risky, do research and then decide if it's worth it or if it's something you really want/need to experience.

Just look at Antonio Vargas. He didn't get to where he is by being scared and sitting around. He got out and experienced life. He went to college, got a job, and it seems to me that he's managed to live a pretty normal life. Has it been easy? Probably not. I bet sometimes he was scared of doing something he needed to do. But taking risks is very rewarding.

I took the risk of flying, and yes I was scared. But Once I was in the plane, I can tell you that none of my fellow travelers was as exciting as I was of being confined to this little space for two hours with crying babies, and annoying people sitting down next to you... It all was fantastic to me. After one hour of flying I rested my head against the window and I did nothing but look at everything from above. I know I was smiling the whole time.

Are you a chick?

nope...im a guy. lol why?

Are you a real guy?

It's just that the way you wrote it and talk about you're dad not letting you do things it sounded like you were a chick...

You are not being treated like one are you??

Good advice. rAMEN

What?

what the hell are you talking about?

My dad is overprotective by nature. You should see him with my sisters.

i don't think i was ever treated like a chick. Is just that I guess for them (my parents) it would be hard to see me getting in any sort of trouble and deported. You know how teenagers are a little irresponsible and are easily persuaded into things such as car racing etc, so I guess they just wanted to make sure I never did any of that.

I'm a little daring... They have said that I live life as if I didn't realize I am more at risk than the regular person. Any little trouble might get ugly according to them --and to a certain degree, that's true. But I've always refused to be scared of living my life.

I know my potential, and I know all of your potential and desire to succeed and do great things. I think if I hadn't done some of the things I've done and I lived scared of "la migra" I would have gone crazy!

Hopefully the dream passes. If not, I already have a back up plan. I'm just going to wait until I get my bachelor's and then I'll move to Spain. Having a degree is not everything, but it does give you some grounds to survive. Spain is fairly easy to get into and get residency.

I've seen really smart dreamers, people who have potential to change the world. Unfortunately, these young dreamers are being prevented from even living life by disgustingly ignorant Americans.

I love USA, but I won't let anything/one stop me from pursuing happiness. I know there's a place for me in the world and looking for it has got to be fun, not painful as life is here in the USA for people like us.

I believe I was pressured by my parents and my situation close myself and my personality when I was a teen. Now that I'm in my early twenties and have broken free, I have this thirst to do what I want without fears. And it upsets me to know that that's how many of my fellow dreamers live, fearful and hanging by the hand of stupid politicians that only play with our life.

..................

OP, please ignore the side commentary on this thread. This was a serious post deserving serious replies and truly an inspiring one. Your resilience and the way you view everything that comes before you is commendable. Really wish I could live like that too but sadly it seems like what I don't have is even more important than what I do have.