Part 2: Waking up to an American Dream
Prior to my father's death, Ciri had finished architecture school and started working. After a couple of months, she took a little time off to travel. She left to the United States in the early 90's were she literally ran into Jim, who would later become her husband. They met the day her car died at a gas station and it really was love at first sight! On his first visit to Colombia, Jim fell in love again, but this time with my entire family.He adored my mother's cooking, my dad's good company and ability to speak some English, and all the stuff he could buy for so little money. Jim was a businessman, and a dollar in Colombia really went a long way. He bought awhole banana stem, over 100 bananas, for American pocket change and brought it to my mom's house with a huge smile. Despite his excitement for tropical fruits and homemade meals, he had to go back to Florida. And Ciri again left.
By the end of 1991, I was about to wake up to an American Dream. Jim had proposed to Ciri, and soon after, they scheduled their winter wedding. Cata and I were able to attend, but my mom chose to stay behind to take care of my ill father. Despite our distancing, all of us were ecstatic. Everyone in Colombia dreamed of the day they could go to the United States, a dream I never thought could happen outside my imagination. Our only concern was the visa—a process too painful to even write in words. Luckily, my mom obtained an appointment, part one of the problem, but now she had to convince the embassy that her children were to attend a wedding and come back, part two. While Cata and I waited for her arrival, I remember both of us closing our eyes and holding a prayer—perhaps the highest level of concentration I have ever attained. Miracle or no miracle, my mom came with good news. Her two youngest daughters were en route to the United States and—the dream was about to begin.
My mom quickly took Cata and I shopping. She wanted us to look our very best, and picked out a pastel doll-like dress for me, and Cata got a sailor style navy blue skirt and white blouse. We even got new shoes. Unlike my bumble-bee experience, she made sure we both felt comfortable in our outfits.
