“He’s the best man in the whole world apart from my mom.”

Alvaro Reyes Solis lived in Toluca, Mexico. He had a very up and down life but learn from those life-changing events. Life in Mexico wasn’t the same as in the United States. Relatives living far away and working because you have to work to maintain yourself. Not being able to visit your family because you’re an immigrant and want to have a better life. It feels even worse when your hero dies and you can’t see them even when you want to so badly. But life moves on for him. Work takes his sadness off and he just feels that there is nothing waiting for him in life. It all changes when he meets his true love.

Transcript:

Kimberly Rivera: When you first met me what was your first impression of me?

Alvaro Reyes: A very pretty girl.

KR: Why’s that?

AR: Because of your shyness and smile.Also because well you were a nice girl.

KR: Tell me a very significant memory from me?

AR: When we used to play together, ran together and how we use to have fun with anything.

KR: How did that make you feel?

AR: Very happy.

KR: Why?

AR: Because I didn’t know what was to be happy in those moments until I thought “Oh this is  happiness” because it’s the moment on how your suppose to experience it and u start to notice that you think your happy in another way but the true happiness is when you are with your children. It makes you feel good, talking and playing.

KR: If this was your last conversation what would u like to say?

AR: Thank you for being with me and I love you guys so much and will continue to in  the other life.

KR: And at this moment how do u feel?

AR: Tired I just came from work.

KR: And now that we are a family, how do you feel?

AR: Very happy, very happy, happier, I don’t know what to say but it is better than before

KR: When Issac came, my little brother, how did you feel about that?

AR: I felt so splendid because well, it was my first time being a dad and for the first time I felt the sensation of what my parents felt when they had me because someone knows what it’s like to love a cousin or brother but this was a whole different feeling. It feels like all the love you have inside of you.

KR: Who was a person that impacted your life in a good way?

AR: The one that impacted me the most was my dad. I don’t know where all the teachings came from that he had. But whenever I did something bad I thought he would hit me but no. He taught me that the worst thing I would do he would keep on loving me and he gave me a lot of the tips of the bad things I did so that I wouldn’t do it again. That’s why he was a person that impacted me a lot.

KR: And if he was here what would you tell him?

AR: That I love him and miss him and adore him. He’s the best man in the whole world apart from my mom. She’s the most beautiful women on earth.

KR: When you did bad things what did she say?

AR: Well my mom, she didn’t know how to react so she only hit me. Not that hard just 3 spanks but not hard.  I felt that it hurt her more than it hurt me. For that reason she did it. For not being able to express her feelings and not explaining things at that time how my dad did it.

KR: How was the agriculture over there in Toluca, Mexico?

AR: In Mexico, we mostly survive by eating corn which only grows once a year. It’s a tradition to harvest the corn every year because at least it will last a really long time even with just eating tortillas.

KR: Did you like to harvest?

AR: Well at first no because we just wanted to play but little by little you started to notice that it was necessary because from there you start to learn a lot of things.Like how my dad used to tell me. I should take it to learn how to plant and see that working hard is beautiful when you do it with love.

KR: Can you describe the food over there, like the flavors?

AR: The food over with the tortilla was flavorful because it was freshly made especially with the hands of my mom.The flour and the smell when we used to boil the corn. For example, my moms tasted good. The smell is unforgivable I can still smell it but can’t savor it like before because I’m not over there. She made good potatoes with  mole and all that.

KR: So then what was your favorite food

AR: Potatoes in green salsa with chicharron and dry charal that my mom made.

KR: How was your childhood?

AR: My life as a child was good because over there we had lots of freedom.Even though our dad wanted us to go work.  To help around the house but sometimes we didn’t understand and went to play outside with my friends and cousins. At times it would be the whole day and it was so happy. I think it was the best time of a kid.

KR: How about your life as a teenager?

AR: My life as a teen it was happier but not 100% because there was a period of time where I was just in loneliness.Life if I wanted to become depressed but luckily I didn’t thank soccer. I took it as a passion and work to get rid of my depression for anything. Even music and for some time it was dancing even though I didn’t know much but I did what I could do. 

KR: And your life as an adult?

AR: The same. But at the beginning,  I was lonely I just wanted to accomplish my goals. How I came here, united states, it was a very harsh process. I wanted to go back and I have a lot of family in Mexico. But like how my dad said you got to do a future for yourself there not always gonna be there to help you. Yourself has to forward and put all effort and love too. In reality, I just worked to get my things done and go back. Life is so beautiful because I met your mom, you and there came to an angel Isaac. Little by little I discovered what was family and how to be a dad. Being able to work and provide for your family. Even if you don’t or do eat what you really care about is your kids

KR: What were the moments more difficult for you?

AR: The moments more difficult for me when my dad died because I didn’t know what to do. I was too far away from him. If I should go or leave. I  didn’t know what to do. Its a feeling you can’t describe or express. Your mind goes blank and you don’t act. Thanks to my sister who gave me motives. The people I knew about from my work also gave e motivation. They also told me I had a great future ahead. He himself told me” Already being dead what are you going to do, you should go forward with life.”That was the best price anyone could have paid. For that occasion was to give it all I got because by the time we are dead someone can’t do anything anymore. To give going forward

KR: [inaudible]

KR: Now that you said that how do you feel?Relaxed?

AR: I always felt okay because he always used to tell me if a person dies then he dies what u can take from them is their advice, good wishes and positive things they gave you. It up to you to decide if you want to take it or not. He died in those moments but it’s done I can only get his thoughts.

KR: Thank you this is the end of this interview anything you would like to say?

AR: Well i just wanted to say thank you for supporting me even though you don’t understand sometimes but ill tell you this for you own good just like my dad told me it’s time for me to advice you  because maybe you guys don’t see that but you guys want to go for what you want not for what we could give you.You have to do it yourself and you will see that if you try hard you will go past your dream. My name is Alvaro Reyes Solis. I am 31 years old I was born on February 19, 1988. I am from Mexico. My state is Toluca and my town is San Antonia de las Huertas. My municipal is San Felipe del Progresso. That’s a bit of my life from the interview with Kimberly Rivera.