“My first language was Spanish I guess that’s the only hard thing, learning English.”
Marco Roque at Disneyland. This was during the park’s 60th anniversary.
Marco Roque was only four years old when he came to the United States from Mexico. He is the father of two daughters—Desteny, 13, and Deseree, 15. His family and him had been living in Mexico before they settled in the United States.
Marco attended school from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. While in high school he met my mom, Flor Garcia.
Marco is now 33 and is a hard worker. He has been living and enjoying his life with family.
Marco Roque and Flor Garcia at Disneyland.
Transcript:
Desteny Roque: Hey dad.
Marco Roque: Hey Desteny.
DR: Umm thank you for letting me interview you.
MR: Your welcome no problem.
DR: Umm my first question to you is what is your favorite memory or moment growing up and why.
MR: My favorite memory and moment and why I guess it would have to be the first time I went to Disneyland cause I was super excited and I couldn’t sleep I remember I couldn’t sleep the night before that so I was so excited knowing that I was gonna go for the first time ever to Disneyland I think I was like around six or seven I’m not sure quite how old was I but I gotta say I think that’s the best memory of my childhood.
DR: Okay.
MR: It was a pretty fun time.
DR: Umm is there any one who had a big impact in your life and who.
MR: Big impact.
DR: Yeah.
MR: I don’t know I guess my 3rd grade teacher cause she was always my favorite she would always make learning fun and class class time fun we always sang songs and learns whatever we had to learn she would always make fun things to do for us in school during class time and I guess she’s the one who has the biggest impact she made school fun.
DR: Do you enjoy your life how it is or would you like to change something and why.
MR: Well yeah I enjoy it cause I have you girls you and your sister and your mother if I had anything to change maybe that I actually went to college and continued my education like I actually thought I would I think that’s like the only thing that I would change maybe in the future I might go back I’m not sure.
DR : Okay do you have fun or cool important school experiences that you would like to share
MR: Cool or fun well in elementary we used to go to this program called Inner City Arts and where we used to have different classes this one year I don’t remember what year from school we used to have dance classes and some other year I had ceramics where we did pottery like plates and mugs that was fun I think that was fun what else field trips.
DR: Umm what was one of the hardest things for you in school.
MR: Hardest things uhh I guess learning the hard stuff like algebra and geometry and uhh I guess also taking all those hard exams that came like in high school to try to graduate I think those were the hardest.
DR: Umm ok next question umm have you ever had to become umm become umm overcome a big challenge in life.
MR: Uhh maybe when I started school since I wasn’t I was born here and my first language was spanish I guess that’s the only hard thing learning the english english language because I didn’t know I didn’t know how to speak English when I came here I came here when I was four, so I guess that was the only thing I don’t know I don’t know.
DR: Is there any any strengths or assets that you would use to represent yourself like any strengths to represent yourself.
MR: Strengths uhh I guess it would have to be spending time with your girls being with my family that what I like to do the most to spend time with you girls being with my family that what I like to do the most to spend time with you girls watch movies listen to music chill go out to the parks and walk Lilo our dog I guess that would be it.
DR: Umm did you enjoy your childhood growing up.
MR: I guess I did I didn’t have no worries in the world like today about working and having to pay bills so I think I did enjoy my childhood pretty much just come home eat do my homework and watch cartoons that was pretty much it ohh and maybe do some chores once in a while.
DR: How do you think it your life has changed over the years.
MR: My life has changed over the years.
DR: Or you.
MR: Well just having to work all the time I guess I don’t know having to take care of you girls take you guys to school and change no I don’t know yeah I think that’s where I change just seeing you guys grow up and become more mature I guess.
DR: Ok umm dad thank you for letting me interview you.
MR: Ok Desteny.
About the Contributor
Kimberly Rivera • Sep 24, 2019 at 10:41 am
I like how the experiences he went through are somewhat connected to what we are going through and I connect my experience of learning English too.Long story short I went to Mexico for one year and forgetting most of my English then coming back and learning it again its hard and frustrating
Diana Rodriguez • Sep 24, 2019 at 10:28 am
One thing that stood out to me was that even though your dad wasn’t born here, he was able to keep it up in school and was able to learn. If some people were in your dad’s shoes they would be in a hard time and probably would have given up.It was very interesting.