Since I was a kid I’ve been told stories about a better life in America, I’ve heard stories about how easy it is to just cross the border and get a better life on the other side.

One day when I was about seventeen years old, my best friend Manuel and I decided to try out the life on the other side if the border, in America. It was a dark and cold night in October and we were standing near the border with our guide Ramon who had made the journey many times before. I remember I was shaking, not only because it was freezing cold outside but also because I was afraid that the American border-guards would catch us and send us back home. Manuel and I were sitting behind a big rock trying to find shelter from the wind and the cold night air.

When we had sat there for almost an hour, Ramon whispered: “Come on it’s time to go.” We got up and walked towards him. Now was the time we’ve been waiting for. We went up a hill to a fence which Ramon told us was the border. We climbed over. At the other side we hid behind some trees. From there we were supposed to walk about a mile and meet a man who should drive us to the place where we should sleep. The hardest bit was to get over a road where the American guards drove all the time. We divided into three groups. Manuel, I and two girls were in the third group, we were supposed to wait behind the trees till the other group had gotten over the road, we sat behind the trees and watched the first group get safely over the road. They were waiting behind some trees at the other side of the road.

Then the second group were on their way over, but when they were at the middle of the road I saw some lights coming towards them, it was an American police car. And someone with a strict voice shouted: “Put your hands up in the air.” An American police officer came out of the car and handcuffed everyone in group two. The officer asked if there were anymore illegal immigrants here. “Yes we’re alone.” A tall, Mexican man said while he was pushed into the police car along with the others. Fortunately the police didn’t see us, but it was too bad the others got caught. But what if they come back? Now, when we had watched the second group get caught it was a lot worse for us to go over. But Ramon signalized to us that we had to get over, now. Suddenly we all just ran over the road without thinking, and when we had reached the other side it came as a shock to me because I didn’t remember to have ran over at all. We started walking towards the man who should drive us to the town. When we had got there, I had gotten to know Sicilia, one of the girls in my group. She had long brown hair, brown eyes and she was very pretty. I also talked to her the whole bus-tour. When we reached the shelter we ate a big meal and Ramon welcomed us to America. Before I went to bed that night Sicilia gave me a kiss. I fell asleep at once.

But that was long ago. Now I’m married to Sicilia, We’ve got three kids and I run my own restaurant in New York. And if you’re wondering I’ve still got great contact with Manuel.