Mexico to Montebello: A Young Latina's Journey to Citizenship

Vroommm. The snow white Audi pulls into the parking space next to the single -wide mobile home.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Keys jiggle as they find their way into the lock. The petite woman steps into the living room. Her black, pin point Steve Maddens shine against the wooden floor.

"Sorry for the mess. I am never here, only to sleep," said Marisela Gutierrez.

Her walls are painted crimson; gold textured drapes covered the windows. She has just arrived from work. She lives on her own. The asphalt neighborhood in Carson, Calif. is quiet but the Christmas lights give it charm. 

"I feel safe here," she shares.

Even though, this statement is about here personal safety, it also means something else. On November 24, 2013, she became a US citizen. 

Most of her family moved here in the '80s from Jalisco, Mexico to Southern California.

"My mom and I came to have a better life when I was three (1993)," she said, "It's much easier to transition. It's not like your going to come here and not know where to go."

Marisela and Rosa, her mother

Rosa Gutierrez, her mother, soon found herself working two jobs at 19 years old. Rosa worked the night shift at a company who made products for hospitals. After getting off at 7 a.m., she would go work as a cashier at a restaurant beginning at 10 a.m. 

 "She did it for nine years. But it was still better then Jalisco. She left my dad. He was a drunk," she explains, "She wanted to be more independent."

Her mother's independence quickly rubbed off on Marisela.

"I would walk myself to kindergarten," she said. "I would have to change myself and do my hair, because I didn't want to wake my mom up."

School was a struggle at the beginning because of the language barrier. Everyday her discomfort came out in tears. Marisela didn't give up. She learned English so well that she eventually forgot Spanish.

Today, her love for spicy chilies remains. She cuts two jalapenos in half to roast in the saucepan.

Marisela's family pictures in her Carson, Calif. home

Around the time she was in junior high, she received her residency, aka papers, aka her green card. It allowed her to get the job at Popeye’s in high school and eventually drive the Honda Civic that she bought at 18.

"If one thing went wrong, say something in her (Rosa) investigation and she didn't get her residency... I wouldn't have gotten mine,” Marisela said.

"The day I got my citizenship, I thought to myself if it wasn't for my mom doing what she did... paying for an application to become a resident, which is almost $2000," she said, "What would I have done? Where would I be?"

Marisela's biggest battle growing up was becoming bilingual. If she didn't play by Rosa's rules, she would get hit.

"I had to speak Spanish at home only, I forgot English again," she said, "In my mind I can only have one language."

Fear from her childhood came back when she started contemplating the process of getting her US citizenship.

"I was so scared because I heard of a test you have to pass, and they are going to do a background check...and then I had to pay to become an American citizen," she scowls, "...for what. It didn't make sense to me."

It was not until she started working at an Orthodontist office, where she was making more money and had the possibility of getting benefits, did it make sense. She followed through once she noticed the price of applying was going up. It cost her $800.

"I submitted my application when I was 22 and weeks later I got my fingerprints appointment. I had to study for a test which had 100 questions but you only get asked ten," she said.

From the questions on the application to the ones on the test, it can be a very strenuous process. They want to know the exact dates for when you entered and left the country. They want to make sure you have not committed any crimes.

"I spent 40 minutes a night... it took me three weeks to memorize all 100 questions," she said.

Test day arrived on October 18, 2013. She went to the Immigration offices in downtown Los Angeles at 9:45 a.m.

"I skipped breakfast I was so nervous," she said. "Security was insane, I had to take my heels off because they thought they were weapons."

She arrived on the 10th floor. The administrator of her test was Latina. She hoped on making a friendly connection based on that.

"She was so rude. With her tone of voice... I felt I was wayyyyy lower," she confessed, "After passing the test, she went over my paper work two times.  I didn't know they had the option not to pass me, even though, I got the questions right."

The invitation was extended to Marisela to join the citizenship ceremony. Rosa was the first person she called.

Three ceremonies took place in Montebello, Calif. that day at Quiet Cannon Country Club.

Marisela and her certificate of
US citizenship

"900 people were there, mines was the second one. After waiting in line, they took my green card and made a hole in it.  I was like bye (to her card)," she joked.

"I got that piece of paper that people die for," she said, "We had to wait for the last person to sit down for ceremony to start. I felt good inside, I didn't cry. There was a lady and a guy on either side of me, both from El Salvador. The guy had no family there, so I pumped him up."

After being sworn in, watching a movie, and singing the pledge of allegiance, she was released to receive her certificate.

Ceremony took place in Quiet Cannon Country Club
in Montebello, Calif. Over 900 people in attendance

This was not about starting over like it was for her mother. It was about doing what was right for herself.

"It took 4 hours...in my heels. I wanted to get out of there and go back to work," she said.

Photo Credits:

1.Family Collage- La Rae Godoy

2. Up-close of Mari & Mother- LaRae Godoy

3. Mari w/ Certificate & Ceremony Picture: supplied by Marisela Gutierrez

"I Love the Gong"- rugby league tips

"I like Wollongong," dad said "cause it rhymes with bong."

Jon and I 

Yes I agree. A day in the gong can feel like you hit the bong.  It has that California vibe but a heightened sense of community. The population is a lot more homogenous then California. The Asians have a good rep here, they are more outgoing it seems.

A typical day starts off with some Uni (school in Aussie). It goes by pretty fast. The teachers here have a good sense of humor and filter less of their thoughts. They also listen to you and offer positive feedback. I feel encouraged to speak up in class, Take note USA.

One of my teachers referred to the age group of 12-16 year olds as "raging horny rabbits". Classic.

James and I 

After a few good laughs it is a short trek home from the bus station. I do a short run to the beach and then down one of the trails. I can last anywhere from 3 to 6 miles depending on the degree of humidity. If I am in a lazier mood, I'll just chill at the beach. However today, my friends Heidi (Iceland) and Alyssa (Chicago) let me show them my yoga workout.

We head back to the motel to make dinner. All of us at the motel, sixty people, share a kitchen so dinner has become somewhat of a get-together. We all stand in line for one of the four sauce pans. I go for salad since it eliminates any hard cooking.

View from the grass hill

    Tonight there is a footy game at WIN stadium in Wollongong. The Illawarra Dragons face off against Brisbane Broncos. I go for the local Dragons and wear the supportive colors of red and white. It takes Jon, James and I about 20 minutes to walk there. Once there, the stadium is bustling with noise. The field is right there when you walk in and the lights are blinding. 

Alyssa and Ari with Waldos

    $20 ticket gets you on the grass hill along side the field. I love it already. Then I see all the good-looking Australian men in the place. $5 gets you a beer, not bad. We find our friends and take a seat. Stadium looks like it can hold about 25,000. Tonight there is 13 thousand something in attendance.

Footy is Rugby League, which is a mix between soccer and football. 

• The only gear players wear are mouthpieces. 
• They start in a huddle in the middle (looks like a football field). 
• Once a team has possession they run down the field against the opposition, who is going to try to pull them to the ground. 
• The player with the ball either has the choice to underhand pass it sideways or rush the opposition.
• If tackled then they must kick the ball backwards, that is were the soccer comes in. Each goal is 6 points.

The crowd is lively. The away team Bronco fans are not afraid to show off their spirit. They come off kind of ballsy at points.  The cheerleaders’ look like the hot girl you went to school with except they can dance like a stripper. They don't hold back.

Broncos beat the Dragons 22-6. I will be back though, fun time. It reminded me of my brother Christian and my pops. They would have liked it. The players are so aggressive and full on, it is awesome. Footy-1 NFL-0

     Time to celebrate a loss at the local pub The Harp. A great place to go and get a good dance in or if you're the confident type then try some karaoke. I included a video of what I thought was a great performance.  I stick to the dance floor.

     Exhausted we start our walk back home where Ari (CA) and I are escorted by the kind mate Jack. We pass some spooky church and similar street performers. It's time to call it a night, I have to wake up early and play in a beach volleyball tournament.

Creepy church

When you are be tackled, the rest of your team just chills.

Future Music Festival in Sydney

On Saturday, March 9th, Sydney hosted one of the last music festivals of the summer season. Other festivals like Big Day Out and Soundwave made a splash in the city, catering mostly to the rock and pop audience. For electronic music lovers, Future was going to be the favorite. Electronic music has become a mainstream genre in the last ten years. Avicii headlined the festival along side The Prodigy and Bloc Party.

My two friends Ari and Alyssa and I pre-gamed at Pancakes on the Rocks where we devoured one of the house specials each. You have to go and eat the pancakes. I choose Bavarian Apple with a mimosa. We headed to the fest on the bus where we easily made friends with some drunk Aussies.

The temperature was hot but we were blessed with a breeze. After standing in line for about twenty-five minutes we made it in. This was the first music festival of my adult life. As we walked in, recent Grammy award winner FUN was playing on the main stage.  We caught the end of their set which the only worthy part. A little too dramatic for me. I like the bump and grind music. 

Next, we got our first round of drinks and made our way back to the same stage to catch the bold Azealia Banks. After reading an article in The Drum Media, a local music publication I was interested in seeing this outspoken and unapologetic firebomb live. She lived up to my expectations. Her dance moves were spot on. Her DJ  spun good island beats broken in with catchy raps. She was a favorite with the crowd as girls song all her songs. I even met an Aussie mate in the beer line who knew all of her songs and admired her talent. Touche Yung Rapunxel.

Crossing over to the main stage it was Aoki time. Steve Aoki is one of the DJs I wanted to see in 2013. It will have to be properly crossed off at a later time. He was fantastic especially when Lil Jon accompanied him on stage. Steve did what he usually does, sprayed champagne everywhere while riding inflatable rafts across the sea of fans. I kept my distance where I could dance. This was the moment when Ari mentioned the low level of volume coming from the stages. I had to agree they needed to turn it up.

The sound was fine in the tented stage where we exposed ourselves to Zeds Dead. The vibe in the tent was what I had been waiting for. The boys dance as hard as the girls. Your ears ring with your heart as you pound your head up into the air. A dance contest erupted between some Aussies and us. California girls prevailed as we dropped it like it was hot to dub step.

With our bodies all shook up, we exited for a bathroom break. Split up we became, I was little simba lost in the herd of antelope like in The Lion King. No face looked familiar and my cell phone had no service. Then all of a sudden I spotted a familiar face. It was one all the way from Long Beach, Sara Burroughs, former sorority sister. We automatically linked up and headed over to catch 18 year old DJ prodigy Madeon. He killed it with his mixes.

Sunset was approaching and thankfully I had found a partner in crime to spend the rest of the night with. Dizzee Rascal came on next. He electrified the festival with his killer backdrops and fun rhymes. He reminded me of Kid Cudi.

Once he finished we were blasted with beats from DJ Hardwell who brought in the night. A perfect warm-up for my boy Avicii who killed it. Not an ounce close of "Fading into Darkness", Sara and I danced until we were numb.

Avicii spun all his hits as I followed along on the shoulders of a nice Australia gentleman. The view and volume was better above the ocean of people. The big screens projected the crowd and it was happiness throughout. At one point I recognized a face on the screen, it was one of my friends from Flinders motel.

When it was over, Sara and I made our way towards the exit where the crowd seemed to part like the sea as we walked down the middle. <-- Literally! We were surprised when we came across The Prodigy who were still rocking away hard. It was the best ending and my favorite performance. The Prodigy, a band I have never heard before took me back to a mix between Authority Zero and pure electronic chaos. It was heaven for the former punk rocker inside me.  I smashed a couple faces in as the crowd around me climbed the tent.

As we exited the Randwick Racecourse, I renamed it 'homeless person paradise' in my head because you could make a fortune of the plastic bottles everywhere. People were covered in foam, others in neon but most like me in dirt and sweat. Future Music Festival did not claim any lives. It did however claim my music festival virginity and I am so satisfied. :)

Come As You Are: Mardi Gras in Sydney

      Since I never been to Mardi Gras in the USA, I knew I would regret passing it by in Sydney. On Saturday, March 2nd, the city hosts the annual parade. It is the celebration of the LBGT (lesbian, bisexual, gay and transsexual) community. Mardi Gras in America is about bead collecting, showing your privates and getting massively intoxicated.

Just Google Image: Mardi Gras Sydney 2013

Not only was it my first Mardi gras but also my first time staying in a hostel. I stayed at Xbase Sydney Hostel. I knew I did the right thing when greeted I received a handful of free drink vouchers.

 

PRO'S of staying in a HOSTEL

•         You have a bed for about 25.oo a night
•         Everyone staying there is younger and wants to party
•         Hostel offers a lot of free and cheap activities to do

Cleanliness: A

Friendliness: B

Security: A

Experience: A

-Hardest Part = Finding the place after exiting the train station and then catching the right bus to Bondi Beach the following day. I made it though :)

+Easiest Part = Making friends both nights!

Meet Dani and Natalie, a couple from Melbourne. They had traveled up for the parade. After quickly adopting me for the night they talked me into an outfit that grabbed attention all night long, Thank you because I would have not dared to do it alone.

After pre-drinks at the Scary Canary we made our way into town to grab a spot. The streets were packed with people coming from all directions. Imagine the Rose Parade times 20. The route was twice as long and the crowd from the frontline had 10 rows of people standing.

TIP: Buy a cheap stool to stand on and bring more than one flask.

Love his pants

Once we found a spot, we had attracted two more Americans from New Jersey named Tess and Elena. As the parade began, my camera flashes low battery, tourist mistake #4.  This means you will have to wait till Dani emails me them.

1st hour: View pretty blocked but the first group not so much to look at consists mostly of fire, police, military service.

2nd hour: We squeeze our way farther up for a bigger gap to peak through. The rain starts to come down which triggers the contents of my flask to disappear. Drink of choice is Jim Beam Honey. It sure did keep me warm. The floats are starting to get a bit more interesting. 1 drag queen, 2 drag queens, and 6 drag queens pass by. They all look like Victoria's Secret Models, no joke.

3rd hour:  SO MANY FREAKING PEOPLE, they are draped over every single balcony. 

We made it to the front row and yes they saved the best floats for last.

House Party Animals

Elena, Tess, Nat, Dani

Dikes on Bikes

Bears

Here is a list of some of the most memorable ones:

1. Men in Bondage (Check out the picture)

2. Hippies

3. Bears: which are gay men but by the looks just an average Joe appearance. Example: John Goodman would be considered a bear if he was gay.

4. Doctors

5. Tradies, which represents the working community like construction workers

6. Sports Players: cheerleaders, rugby, and water polo (largest and hottest)

10:45 pm the parade end and we take off to the infamous Kings Cross neighborhood in Sydney. Known as the red light district the clubs are endless, as well as the lines. They tell me that is where the strippers and junkies hang out but I didn't see any.

Men in Bondage making out

The Club is where we decide to try to press our luck. I grab the girls and drag us to the front of the line, mind we stick out because we were the only ones in costume. I give the lady some name my friend told me to say. We got in immediately as people in line howl at us for not waiting long enough. Sorry I'm not sorry.

Start of Kings Cross is
marked by this huge sign.

The Club is amazing venue wise something like Vegas with the exotic and succulent decor. Music was great but the people were acting so pretentious. If you know Rae Rae then you know my next move. I ripped that dance floor up in my tiger leotard suit for two hours, not giving a hoot.