INTERVIEW Q&A

-         INTERVIEW


How did you feel when you left your family?

I was both excited and nervous to leave my family behind. Excited because I had always wished to study in the United States, nervous because I have never lived without my family before. I knew that in the States I would be on my own. It was a scary thought.

-     How did your family respond when they learned you wanted to go to America for school?

      My parents knew that I had always wanted to move to the States and that’s the reason I studied English in the evenings for several years. They never thought that I would ever had the opportunity to do so, though, primarily due to financial reasons. When I received the scholarship to attend the University of Texas at Austin they were surprised. My father didn’t want me to leave Mexico. My mother felt that it was a good opportunity but only for one year.

- What made you want to come to school in America?

      I have been in the States as a tourist a few times and I was impressed with what I saw. In this county, if you work hard you can succeed. You don’t need “connections” you don’t need to give bribes. I could see the reason behind the expression: “the American dream” and everyone can achieve it. The US is truly a land of opportunities.

- Why didn't you want to stay in Mexico?

      I wanted to be in a place where my children would have a better environment to grow and provide for their own children. For that, I needed to cross the border, just like all other immigrants who have come to this country through the years. Mexican people are very friendly. Unfortunately the government is corrupt, I am not saying that there’s no corruption in the American government, the difference is that, in this country, corruption can be exposed and people are able to express their discontent without being penalized. I knew that things in Mexico would only get worse. Look at the situation now. The cartels are spreading all over Mexico and the government does very little to protect their citizens. It’s sad.

- When you first got here, did you know anyone?

     No. I didn’t know anyone. Fortunately I was able to make connections through the Church. That was a major source of comfort and strength for me.

- Did any family members help you out with your move?

My sister, Thelma and her husband Beto drove me from Chihuahua all the way here. It was very sweet of them. My sister wanted to make sure that I would be in safe environment.

- What did you originally want to study?

I wanted to major in Accounting, which is in the school of Business Administration.

- Was it hard to say goodbye to friends?

No. I was very excited to move to the United States.  

- What was your first day like in America?

I just remember that I unpacked my things and got ready for school. I needed to keep my scholarship so I knew that I had to study hard. English was my second language. I knew that it wouldn’t be easy to get good grades.

-       Where did you spend your first day?

In my room.

- Where did you spend your first night?

      In my room.

- Did you make new friends at the university fast?

      I joined a bible group named “Christians on Campus”. They became my friends.

- What was your first day of classes like?

      I still remember my first class. It was Biology. I was not familiar with the UT Campus so I was reading the map to locate the building. I opened the door and it was an auditorium. I couldn’t believe the size of the class. Forget about the one-on-one attention I received in Mexico!

- Who was your favorite professor?

      When classes are this big you really don’t interact with the professors that much unless you go to their offices. I really liked one of my Accounting professors. His name was Charles Griffin. He taught “Advanced Accounting” and was co-author of the textbook we followed. He was about 90 years old and unwilling to retire. He had an incredible mind. He would do all computations without a calculator and taught in a very “no-nonsense” sort of a way. He didn’t believe in finals and he personally prepared and graded the exams. The exams typically consisted of four or five problems and you only had 40 minutes to complete it. His premise was that you either knew the material or you didn’t. Even though the material was hard, I redouble my studies. I liked the way he taught and I liked the material. On one occasion I answered three of the four problems. When I came to the fourth one, I realized I had not prepared for that kind of problem and ran out of time trying to figure out how to solve it. I left it blank and was very disappointed. When I got my exam back I had gotten a “90”. I had gotten the problems I answered correctly but I knew that I couldn’t have gotten a 90. I went to see him at his office. He looked up and received me with his typical look (grumpy) and tone of voice (even grumpier).

      -Professor Griffin: “What do you need?”

      -Me: “Uhm. Dr. Griffin, I was wondering if it would be possible for me to discuss my last exam’s grad… (He interrupts).

      -Professor Griffin: “Do you have the exam and what’s wrong with the grade.”

      -Me: (Pulling the exam out of my backpack) “Yes, Dr. Griffin, I do. I believe you made a mistake when you graded it.”

      -Professor Griffin: (Looking at the exam) “I don’t see any mistakes.”

Then he did something that surprised me. With a wink in his eye and a microscopic smile, he said: “You showed me what you knew and didn’t waste my time making me believe that you knew something you didn’t. I appreciate that.”

Without a doubt he is one of my favorite professors. I still have his textbook. He autographed for me in his typical way: “Best wishes, Charles Griffin”.

- Did you get homesick?

I didn’t get homesick but I missed my sisters Lety and Thelma.

- Did you keep in touch with family members?

Both Lety and Thelma called me regularly. Now, remember that this is before cell phones and Internet existed so people paid a price (both time and money) to make a connection. I treasured those calls. I also called my mother once a month.

- Did any family members come visit you?

No. I actually visited Lety and Thelma. It was easier (and cheaper) that way.

- Did any friends visit you?

No. Which is good. I needed to study.

- How was your first year at the University?

My year was wonderful. I did get my share of A’s but also got some B’s which disappointed me, but my English was not good enough to keep up with the material. Also, testing is very different here than in Mexico. I had to get used to “applying the material” rather than just “memorizing”. Overall I had a good year.

- What was your favorite place to go in Texas?

The Architecture building at UT.  It’s a beautiful building, clean and full of light. The minute you step in, it smells like paper, ink, glue and cleaning supplies. I loved it. Once you go through the building, there is a courtyard with a small fountain. I loved sitting there. Alone. So nice and quiet. I never told anyone about “my spot” because I didn’t want to run into people there when I would like to  enjoy a quiet time. One time I was going to “my spot” and guess who was there? Your Daddy. He was taking a lunch break in the very spot I loved. I was shocked. He told me that the courtyard in the Architecture building was one of his favorite spots on campus. I didn’t know what to think except, “Well, another plus, he likes what I like.” Ha!