You are in a car with a bunch of strangers. Everyone is tired, including yourself. Your legs ache from walking for hours. Your mouth begs for water. Your mind floods with emotions about what you just have done. When you finally think you can get some rest, you are kicked out of the car that felt like your only protection left.
Now it feels like the entire world has changed. You hear a language that you have never heard before. You see buildings that you have only dreamt of seeing, and now you are ready to reach your goal: to live a better life than the one you had in your homeland.
This is what Anastacio had experienced back in March 1986, at the age of 15. Anastacio grew up in the mountains of Guanajuato, Mexico. Growing up in Guanajuato was a bit of a struggle. Money was a hard material to acquire.
“My aunt bought a new truck, and I think their truck was the newest. Back then, nobody could afford to buy a new truck,” Anastacio said. “You would make your money, but then you would have to spend it all.”
Anastacio did not want to live like this. There were news of a lot of people moving to the United States. Even though there were successful stories about people making it through, there were also stories about people dying.
When Anastacio heard of this, he only had one goal in life. “I wanted to live the American dream. I wanted to come to America, work, and save money. That was the American dream. We all wanted it because you couldn’t save money in Mexico,” he said.
With this goal in mind, he had to start getting ready. He tried saving every single penny he could. He planned out a route to get to the border. He would try to get help from everyone he knew. He did not let anything get in his way, not even his family.
“To be honest, nothing stopped me from going. I think everyone is different because everyone is, but I was more excited to get here. The idea of coming to America made me not think of anything else,” Anastacio stated. “It’s like being a wide receiver in football, catching the ball and getting the touchdown.”
When he gathered everything he needed, he was off on his way. Anastacio had to walk for days. in the pitch-black. He had to travel through the mountains of his hometown. He kept walking, avoiding all the hostile animals.
Anastacio would then finally find himself in the desert. He knew that he was getting close. In the desert, he would find his way to cross the border. Not only did Anastacio save money for food and water, but also to pay his way in through Coyotes. Coyotes are the people who smuggle immigrants across the border.
“You would get picked up in a car. The coyotes are what we call them. When I paid back then, it cost $100,” Anastacio said.
He did not know how much time passed, but he was filled with excitement. He was about to complete the goal that some people could only imagine. When Anastacio departed with the coyotes, he felt a sense of freedom. He could be anyone and do anything.
“My first thought of America was, ‘Wow! Big city!’” Anastacio commented. “I was just so amazed because it is so different from Mexico. Everything was different.”
Even though he finally made it to the United States, he quickly realized that his journey was just the beginning. There would be many more difficulties waiting for him. He did not know if people would understand him. He heard many words and languages that he did not know even existed. He was in an area that he was not familiar with, and soon he found himself in trouble.
Anastacio constantly faced problems, but the problems were not permanent. Through exposure to English-speaking residents, he picked up phrases that helped him communicate with people. As time went on, these phrases became complete sentences. Communication made it easier for him to find a job.
One of his first jobs was working in an Italian restaurant. While working in the kitchen, Anastacio found his passion for cooking. Anastacio would work in the industry for many years. After working almost every day, Anastacio wondered if he could ever own a restaurant.
Through hard work and determination, Anastacio was able to open a business in Schuylkill County called “Nico’s Italian Pizzeria.” It can be found at 275 Pennsylvania 61, Schuylkill Haven. He enjoys his life as a business owner and can reflect on all he has accomplished, from being a young kid with big dreams in Mexico to being a business owner in another country.