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One Neighbor's Story - Looking Back

ESTHER HONIG
/
KCUR 89.3 - Harvest Public Media

Greta Clark serves at the Director of Multicultural Programs at Dodge City Community College.  In the course of her work, she hears the stories of many immigrants who’ve come to the U.S. in search of better lives, safety, and goals and dreams.  Here she talks with one student who’s made a career translating for the district court and for immigration. He states that he is independent and has a job helping people resolve their problems.

Greta: Hi, I’m Greta Clark with HPPR Radio Readers Book Club.  As you are walking down the street of your local community, do you sometimes think, “Hmmm.  I wonder who that person is; what their story is; why they are here; where they came from?”  Well, listen in to the stories of our diverse and culturally rich backgrounds of our neighbors.

Marcos: My name is Marcos Morales Satino.  I am glad to share my story with Radio Readers Book Club.

Greta: Please tell us the about the life of your family that is still in Guatemala.  What kind of life do they live compared to the life that you are living today in Dodge City?

Marcos: Well, we were in school together.  You might say we were the little poor boys together.  I still remember how we used to go to school together.  I miss them. Sometimes I miss them so much.   Really I miss them, but for some reason I am over here and they are over there.  The difference right now between them and myself is because my brother just graduated as an attorney in Guatemala.  I am so proud of him for what he has done. And my sister just graduated as a nurse.

They are working for themselves right now, but the difference for me is that my life has been changed.  Right now, I say, I speak English.  That is a big thing in my life.  Now, I have family there, but the difference is that I live a good life here.  Like I said, I work for myself.  I am in school.  I never thought that I would be doing what I am doing right now.

The problem is that over there in Guatemala, we are not safe as here in the U.S.A.  Over there we are not safe all the time about gangs, terrorists, whatever.  People like – Well, the big problem there – if you want to go to school, the people don’t like you to go.  If you have a goal, they would do something to you that would stop you.  They won’t allow you to go to school.  But for some reason, my family did.  My two brothers and my sister did.

Myself, I like it here in the U.S.A. because I am free.  I can do whatever I want.  I can study. I can work. Whatever I want.  So I am very thankful.  I am thankful to God for what He has done for me and to the people who have helped me. I know a lot of people who have helped me out and I am very thankful for that.