Getting to Know Your Community

BY CLAUDIA ROMO

Apollo Elementary Parent

My name is Claudia Romo. My husband Octavio Cordova, my one-year-old Julian Cordova, and I moved from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, to Washington state in 2017. Now, Julian is six years old, and he goes to elementary school at Apollo. He really loves his school and looks very happy every morning when I leave him there. My youngest child, Bruno, was born in Bellevue. He is three years old, and he stays at home with me.

We moved to Washington for work, looking for a great family adventure to improve our lives. When we made the decision to migrate from our country, we were very excited because it was a big change.

We have found a beautiful life here. We love that our kids are growing up surrounded by nature. We like hiking, skiing, and camping in the summer. The part we love the most is doing all these things together as a family!

The opportunity that our sons have to be bilingual makes us very happy because of all the doors that can be opened for them.

We are pleased that our sons live with diversity. We like that they are familiar with other cultures and believe that opens the world to them.

Living away from family has brought us closer together as a small family, and we are thankful for it.

But migrating is not easy. Leaving our country was also a difficult decision. Leaving Mexico meant having to quit many valuable things; it meant having to quit the life we had built so far.

In Mexico, people are very friendly. You can be close to people easily. When we quit our jobs, we weren’t just leaving the company; we were leaving all the friends that we made there. I worked for the same company for ten years, and I am pretty sure that if I still lived in Mexico, I would still work there. It is not just because I liked my job; it is because of all the friends that I made there.

When we sold our house, we weren’t just leaving our home; we were leaving our neighborhood, our friends, and the people who we grew up with who have a special place in our hearts. Friendship doesn’t end with distance, but we miss being there for every reunion, every birthday, for every special occasion.

One of the hardest things to do when we migrated was leaving behind our family. In Mexico, family is essential! I am very lucky to be part of a very big and united family where grandparents were at the center, and they were respected and loved very much. I grew up surrounded by many cousins and had a very fun childhood with amazing memories. Living far away doesn’t let us see all our family very often. The fact that our kids are not growing up in that environment of a big family union breaks our hearts.

The second hardest thing that we left when we moved from Mexico was the food. We miss it very much! I didn’t know how to cook when we moved, and a few months later, I discovered myself making Mexican dishes because I needed them. Mexican food is so tasty, with a lot of flavor and color. Food always comes with a celebration or tradition. When we think of Mexican food, we think of family, friends, community, and parties. In Mexico, food has a special meaning. Food is part of who we are.

Mexico is a very beautiful place full of history and culture, nice and kind people, tasty food, and amazing places to visit, like gorgeous beaches, colorful towns, ancient cities, mystical places, incredible nature, and big cities. I wish someday my kids can enjoy all the wealth that Mexico can offer!

Leaving our Mexico was a hard decision to make as parents. We hope that we made the best decision and our kids can have better opportunities here. Still, we will always wonder if we did well in taking them away from all that Mexico means to us.