Sorry

My name is Yerri Maldonado.  I was born in San Salvador La Union in El Salvador on June 30, 2000. While I was in El Salvador I lived with my brother and my uncles. In 2015, I left El Salvador to come to the United States.  My mom in Florida sent money for me to come. I was one year old when my mom moved to the United States. I took a bus to the Mexican-Texas border. From there I swam across the Rio Grande. I was picked up by Immigration in Texas. I was put on a plane almost immediately and sent to Miami.  In Miami I was in a house owned by immigration for 3 weeks, and I also attended school while I was there. I was by myself with no family or friends, but I met other people from El Salvador there. My mom came to pick me up, and I moved to Belle Glade.  Now I live with my mom, my stepdad, and 3 half sisters.  After not being with my mom for 14 years, living with my mom was difficult, because I did not really know her.  I do know my mom now, and I’m happy I’m here, and I love my mom.

I don’t ever want to go back to El Salvador.  El Salvador is very dangerous and has many gangs. When people who have immigrated from El Salvador go back the gangs try to rob and kill them.  I still talk with my brothers and uncles in El Salvador, but I don’t want to visit.  The gangs don’t bother my brothers, because my family tries to stay away from trouble.  They would like to come here, but I don’t know if they will be able to.

Right now I’m in school at Glades Central.  On the weekends when I’m not in school, I like to play basketball. I play with friends from my neighborhood.  Sometimes my friends come over and we watch TV and play video games. When I graduate from high school, I’m not sure what I want to do. I might want to work for one of the large sugar mills that are in the Glades.

I am happy I came to the United States, because the country is pretty.  I am also happy with my family.