Maria Estela Monreal is a 77 year old Mexican female. Maria, a devoted Catholic, is this writer’s maternal Grandmother. Maria was born on July 29th of 1938 in Matatan, Sinaloa, Mexico. During her teenage years after her father’s death Maria’s mother decided to move with 5 children across two states. Maria and her family started a new life in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico where later she met her husband. During the 1960’s Maria married Jose Luis Monreal. From 1960-1963 Jose Luis, my Grandfather started working as a Bracero. The Bracero program consisted of Mexican migrant workers who came to the USA to work on agricultural fields. Later my Grandfather was able to obtain legal documentation as permanent residents of the United States.
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Maria shared that for the first 5 years of their marriage, they travelled back and forth from San Luis, Arizona to Salinas, California. Maria reported that each year they would stay in a different house. Maria stated that living in Salinas was renting a room in a house where they usually had to share the house with two other families. Maria shared that Jose always worked on the lettuce fields. Jose worked picking up lettuce where he then passed it to another person who was in charge of wrapping and packing. Maria shared that within the 5 years that they travelled back and forth, she only worked two years. Maria reported that the first year she worked was wrapping and packing the lettuce in the field. The following year she worked in a tomato farm. Maria shared that in the tomato farm, she was responsible for picking the tomato from the vine and packing. Maria reported that work hours were intense. Working hours consist from 5 am through 7 pm, with minimal time for breaks and lunch. Maria shared that every day she would get home dizzy and very week. Maria shared that it was very hard to come home after 14 hour shift and still have housekeeping
Maria shared that for the first 5 years of their marriage, they travelled back and forth from San Luis, Arizona to Salinas, California. Maria reported that each year they would stay in a different house. Maria stated that living in Salinas was renting a room in a house where they usually had to share the house with two other families. Maria shared that Jose always worked on the lettuce fields. Jose worked picking up lettuce where he then passed it to another person who was in charge of wrapping and packing. Maria shared that within the 5 years that they travelled back and forth, she only worked two years. Maria reported that the first year she worked was wrapping and packing the lettuce in the field. The following year she worked in a tomato farm. Maria shared that in the tomato farm, she was responsible for picking the tomato from the vine and packing. Maria reported that work hours were intense. Working hours consist from 5 am through 7 pm, with minimal time for breaks and lunch. Maria shared that every day she would get home dizzy and very week. Maria shared that it was very hard to come home after 14 hour shift and still have housekeeping