Francisco Jimenez talks about his childhood and what he had to go through to get to where he is at right now. All the struggles him and his family had just to be able to live the American dream. Coming to a whole new place where you don’t have anyone there and don’t understand nobody is really difficult but they were willing to do it so they can live a better life. Some people don’t understand the feeling immigrants get when they arrive here and are able to work right away. Even sometimes young kids have to start working with their parents and don’t get a chance to go to school.

This family comes from a little ranch in Jalisco, Mexico but lived really poor. They decided to cross the border and when they got to California they worked picking cotton and fruits. They didn’t stay anywhere fancy, tents and cabins were their only home. The Jimenez family was always moving to different fields because sometimes there wouldn’t be no more work for them. It would be Francisco’s mom, dad, and his older brother Roberto working in the fields while Francisco would stay in their car watching his baby brother. Francisco, which his family called him Panchito, ended up going to school but he struggled because he didn’t know any english.

When he was getting older, Panchito would also work in the fields with Roberto while going to school. Once in high school, his teacher called Border Patrol on him while they were in class and he was scared because he knew what they could do. The border patrol got him and his older brother Roberto. The fact that a teacher would do that to a student that was only trying to learn and be able to attend school is really surprising. If a kid is not doing nothing to anyone and minding his own business, why is it okay for someone that has everything to come in and ruin someone’s goals.

A lot of latinos or people from other places that have migrated would be able to relate to some parts of his story. When I read this book, there was some parts that made me feel some type of way because I was able to relate and I had a lot of sympathy towards it. Growing up to moving a lot and not being able to have friends because you were always leaving or because you didn’t know how to speak english is pretty tough and frustrating because you don’t know how to connect to others. Francisco got a scholarship to attend Santa Clara University and also received a masters from Columbia University.

This goes to show that anyone could come from nothing and become something greater. You just have to trust the process and work hard for what you are going for. Any body can doubt you and try to stop you but you just have to learn to go around the negative people. Francisco Jimenez story really inspires people and is relatable for some. I was able to connect with his story and appreciate my family and everything i have.