Migrants take on their difficult journeys in the hopes of reaching a promised land where they will have a chance to make their dreams come true. When Bambino reached the other side of the border what he found was not the Europe he had hoped for. Instead of finding opportunity, he found himself detained under horrible conditions. His brothers were quick to ask, “Is he learning English?” “Do they have a big soccer field?” “Is he fat off of all the food?”, not realizing that Bambino’s journey had not ended.

It’s always heartbreaking to read stories like Bambino’s not only because its so unfair but also because it reminds me of my parent’s journey as migrants. I often saw their disappointment of not being able to fulfill all  the dreams they brought with them to U.S. From what my father tells me, he knew arriving in this country would not be easy but he didn’t realize that perhaps some of the dreams he had would have to be passed on to his children. Still, he said he never regretted leaving everything behind because we would have the opportunities he didn’t.

My parent’s situation and Bambino’s are very different. My parents had their struggles but were also privileged in many ways. I cannot claim that their struggles and journeys are the same but they do share this realization that perhaps things are not always what they seem. Reaching the other side of a border brings on so many more challenges that both the public and migrants might not realize.