My Immigration Story By Paloma Sandoval

George Matthews My Mother’s grandfather, George, moved from England to Canada when he turned 20 years old. He was seeking a better life, and one of his close friends had recently settled there, making the move incredibly easy. Upon moving here, my grandfather was an extremely successful business man, who built quite the life for him, his wife, and his oncoming children.

Joyce Matthews My mother’s Grandmother was a sweet woman who made cakes for fancy parties in the upper class. She moved to Canada with my Great Grandfather, after they had fallen in love at age 13. They were together until their very last days.

Abraham Sandoval My Father’s father was born in a small town outside of Guadalajara, Mexico. Growing up in a small, poor town in a family of 8 couldn’t have been easy, but my Grandpa makes it seem like the best days of his life. He can always make good out of the worst.

Doñatila Cardenas My fathers mother is the kindest woman I have ever met. She was raised in Michoácan, Mexico, which is where she would eventually meet my grandfather. They met when they were 20, and were married by age 23. When I asked my grandmother why she fell in love with my grandfather, she simply said ”siempre lo amaré, siempre lo amé”, meaning ‘I will always love him, I always have loved him’.

Susan Barclay My grandmother was born on January 28th, 1950 to her very loving parents, George and Joyce. She grew up moderately wealthy, with luxuries such as nannies or housemaids being a familiar feeling. Susan is the middle child, to her younger brother Jim and my Aunt Judy. She was raised in Chilliwack, British Columbia.

John Barclay My grandfather was born on April 8th, 1939. He was born in a small town just outside of Liverpool, England. He immigrated to Chilliwack, Canada at age 13, with only his father and older brother, leaving his mother, two sisters and entire secondary family behind. He never spoke to me about his upbringing, leaving me with the impression that it wasn’t the most fond of memories of his.

Primitivo Cardeñas de Sandoval My father was born on May 30th, 1969 under a coconut tree in Michoacan, Mexico. He was the third of 6 brothers and 1 sister. He was raised below the poverty line for the majority of his life, never starving but never too full. Living how we do today, I believe his humble childhood is what pushes him everyday to make life better for my brother and I.

Lorraine Joyce Barclay My mother was born on August 15th, 1968 at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, Canada. My mother was the only child for nearly ten years before my Aunt, Jennifer Barclay, came into her life. My grandparents separated when my mother was 15, so she decided to live with her Father in Chilliwack, rather than move to Coquitlam with her mother. My aunt moved in with my grandmother, causing a clear family divide that never really affected the relationship of the sisters.

How My Parents Met My parents met when my mom was 21 and my dad was 20. She was going on vacation with some of her best friends in Puerto Vallarta, which is where my father moved when he turned 16. My dad was working as a bartender in a nightclub when my mom and all her friends showed up about 3 hours before usual crowds arrive. In Mexico, as a way of making a club look busy, waiters and bartenders will dance with people already there. My dad asked my mother to dance, and they fell in love against all odds. My mother spoke about ten words of Spanish, and my father spoke even less English. On their first date they had a friend of my father’s come and translate for them. When my mother returned to Canada she immediately started saving to go back and see my dad. When she turned 25 she moved to Mexico to live with my father, this is where she learned to speak Spanish, and where my father learned to speak English.

John Israel Sandoval-Barclay My brother was born on October 19th, 1995. He was raised in Mexico until he was 10, his first language was Spanish, but now, due to lack of visiting in Mexico, his Spanish is quite dodgy. When John was born he only weighed 3 pounds, and it was ’miracle’ that he survived.

Paloma Idalia Sandoval-Barclay I was born in Puerto Vallarta on January 21st, 2002. I weighed 8 pounds 3 ounces, and was in the womb upside down. My brother says this explains my out of order personality, but I just think he’s jealous that I wasn’t almost dead like him. We moved to Canada when I was 3, meaning I don’t remember much of anything about living in Mexico. I spoke English and Spanish about the same amount while being raised, and I still do.

The Hardships My parents went through a lot of work to be able to move into Canada and create a better life for my brother and I. My parents never let me forget where I came from, despite how pasty I seem, there’s a tough immigration story behind everyone. Each year we celebrate our landing day here in Canada, June 4th. We participate in traditional Mexican-Catholic holidays and practices; Things like Dia De Los Reyes, Dia de Los Muertos, we even celebrate both mother’s days, because technically my mother is still a mother in both countries.