A Return to Mexico: DACA and True Freedom – Maria (Pt 3)

In the Season 3 finale of Cultureful, we conclude our three-part exploration of personal storytelling and cross-border identity with Maria. After years of navigating systemic instability and DACA work permit challenges, Maria shares the profound emotional weight of returning to Mexico for the first time in over two decades.

This episode offers an intimate window into what it means to build a life of stability, honor multigenerational heritage, and finally experience the relief of true legal mobility.

Inside the Episode:

• The Friction of the Permit Cycle: Maria opens up about the realities of navigating the workforce as a Dreamer, from late-night restaurant shifts to losing a job overnight due to bureaucratic processing delays.
• A Foundation of Stability: How she stepped away from unpredictable hours to build a career in the medical field, alongside a grounded, supportive love story with her husband.
• Reconnecting with the Roots: Traveling back to her birthplace alongside her mother and daughter to meet extended family, walk through her grandfather's neighborhood, and experience the sights and tastes of home.
• The True Meaning of Freedom: A moving reflection on the difference between being a temporary visitor and reclaiming a sense of complete belonging.

Chapter Markers & Timestamps

• 00:00 - Intro & Season 3 Finale
• 00:05 - DACA Work Permit Realities
• 00:08 - Dating & Meeting My Husband
• 00:14 - Stability in Healthcare
• 00:27 - Midroll & Community Support
• 00:28 - A Return to Mexico & Freedom

Season 3 Finale Note & Community Updates

Thank you for being part of our global neighborhood this season! Cultureful will be back with Season 4 at the end of the summer. In the meantime, make sure you are subscribed so you don't miss our upcoming bonus reflection episodes and updates on our companion newsletter.

• Support the Show: Aligned with our vision of independent, narrative justice, Cultureful is listener-supported. If you love these deep-dive stories, consider supporting our production by buying us a tea: https://ko-fi.com/cultureful
• Rate & Review: If this season touched you, please take a moment to rate the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps other listeners find us.

This episode was hosted, produced, and edited by Jess Lin, with executive production support from Ruben Gnanaruban.

Transcript

Maria dubbed: 0:00

It was the sense of, like, knowing that I had the freedom to leave. I had the freedom to be able to, to do what I wanted to do, to go places where everybody else got to go and I didn't get to go because I was stuck here. So it's just like, like the relief of knowing that I'm good. I'm okay. I can leave. I can come back. Like, I have freedom.

Jess: 0:23

You're listening to Cultureful, where strangers become neighbors. If you wanna understand the world through personal stories and get to know your human neighbor in their own words, come in for storytime and leave a better global citizen. I'm your host, Jess Lin. This is the final part of a three-part conversation with Maria. If you missed it, I recommend going back and listening from the beginning, where we got to know Maria as a kid. In this episode, Maria navigates building a career while dealing with work permit challenges in the country she grew up in. She shares with us the sweet love story with her husband, and we travel with her to Mexico and hear her reflections on the experience she wanted most. Come along for this vividly told emotional journey of challenges, play, joy, and love. And remember, to protect her identity, this interview doesn't have our usual video version. Also, this is the Season 3 finale of Cultureful. It's been an incredible journey. I'll be sharing reflections of this season, as well as other bonus content in the coming weeks before the launch of Season 4. Make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss updates. Now, here is the final part of my conversation with Maria Okay, so let's pick up with, um, bring us back to right after high school graduation. Um, you initially wanted to go to school, and then that didn't pan out because of,

Maria dubbed: 1:58

financial status

Jess: 1:59

able to, yeah, apply for financial assistance because of not having your papers. So what did you end up deciding to do next after graduation in terms of work?

Maria dubbed: 2:12

At that point, I just, I had to work. There was either go to school and work and keep pushing like that, or just drop the idea of going to school and just go straight into working. At the time, I think I, um, I started getting a job at a, as a hostess at a restaurant, and that's what started as, I guess, like the baseline of me working or trying to go into, like, being from part-time to full-time

Jess: 2:42

And how was, how was that restaurant work?

Maria dubbed: 2:44

Uh, it was fine.

Jess: 2:46

Were you like a hostess or were

Maria dubbed: 2:47

I was the hostess. No, I mean, uh, they occasionally threw me in the back when they needed an extra hand. Um, but for the majority of the part, I was a hostess. I would just seat them, get their drinks, things like that. I worked mainly afternoon shifts, so I would definitely have to try to find somebody to help me watch my daughter. Um, it was a little harder than I liked it to be 'cause I did work late nights until, I think… I didn't get off until, like, 10 or 11 some nights, depending on when the restaurant closed

Jess: 3:20

Hmm. That is a rough schedule.'Cause then, then would you have been there to, like, help her go to sleep?

Maria dubbed: 3:27

Uh, I would have to pick her up and then take her home and then get her ready to go to sleep

Jess: 3:32

how long did you stay working at the restaurant?

Maria dubbed: 3:36

Not long. Um, I wanna say, like, a couple months. Well, at the time that I worked at the restaurant, I decided that I wanted to move out of my mom's house. I moved into an apartment with a friend. Uh, I lived there for a couple months, and then I think…

Jess: 3:54

you, your daughter, and your friend?

Maria dubbed: 3:56

And she had her son. So it was, um, us two and both of our kids in an apartment. And then I think her lease was ending, and she was ready to move out into another apartment complex, but I wasn't. Um, at the time, I didn't have a car, so I was relying on a bunch of people giving me rides to and from work, to and from picking my daughter up. Um, and then, uh, I ended up having to move back in with my mom because of the fact that she was gonna move apartments to another location where I was just… It was completely out of my way. There was no way I could do it. So I did have to move back in with my mom for a while. Um, and then I went back to working with my mom in cleaning buildings for a while, And then after that, I was still living with my mom, but we had moved, um, to another place, and then that's when I had gotten a job at a hardware store.

Jess: 4:57

Mm-hmm.

Maria dubbed: 4:58

at the time, I was working off of a work permit.

Jess: 5:03

"Dreamers" refers to undocumented individuals brought to the United States as children. Under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, DACA program, established in twenty twelve, eligible individuals can apply for temporary deportation relief and an accompanying work permit. To qualify, applicants must have entered the US before age sixteen, resided in the country continuously since June fifteen, two thousand and seven, and be enrolled in school or hold a high school diploma or GED. Tying legal status to a short rolling window for work permit renewals creates profound systemic instability for DACA recipients. The expiration date forces individuals into a perpetual cycle of costly out-of-pocket fees, recurring biometric screening, and bureaucratic delays. Because federal processing backlogs can pause an individual's legal status overnight, it also creates immense friction for employment, making long-term career planning, financial mobility, and family stability extremely challenging.

" Maria dubbed: 6:15

So when I moved from that one suburb to the other suburb, and I started working at the hardware store, I acquired enough money for me to actually move out on my own. So I did move out, got my very first apartment by myself, um, and I was there for about a year. Then that work permit expired. I then got let go from the hardware store because I did not have a work permit at the time. I then had to go back and move back in with my mom after that because I didn't have a job. Um, I was struggling with having reliable transportation at the time, so it just didn't pan out the way I wanted it to. So here I go moving back in with mom. Um, I was working a project manager job at the time, and my boss went as far as, like, helping me out, and he was giving me rides and helping me take my daughter to preschool

Jess: 7:14

So did the work permit just expire? Like, what kind of work permit was It

Maria dubbed: 7:19

It expires and then you do have to reapply. I did reapply. However, my application, which was going through a little slower than I wanted so I did not get my work permit or at least a letter from immigration stating that I was allowed to work in the US for me to, like, have an actual job job

Jess: 7:37

Then, so after you got the work permit, then you're working for the project manager job

Maria dubbed: 7:42

When I got the work permit, I actually kind of fell back from working at the project manager job, and that's when I got hired at a convenience store and worked there for a few years. And eventually, that's when I moved into my current house directly. Um, I had gotten with my now husband around the time that I started working at the convenience store. We got together, and I moved in with him to this house, and we have been here since

Jess: 8:11

Okay. Tell me more about meeting the husband.

Maria dubbed: 8:14

meeting the husband. So

Jess: 8:16

it se- it seems notable, so let's, yeah, expand please.

Maria dubbed: 8:20

Ironically, I met my husband back when I was in middle school. Um, and we, we never really talked. We never associated with each other. We kind of just knew of each other. We were in completely different classes. We knew of each other'cause of mutual friends. Um, and we would talk to each other during lunch and things like that. Um, again, we knew each other in high school, but then I did move in high school. When I came back and when I was working at that hardware store job, I had then reconnected with his best friend, who was one of my longtime friends, and then we just started hanging out. We spent a lot of time together, and then we got to know each other, and then we went from hanging out as a group with everybody else to individually kind of hanging out one-on-one, just me and him. And we just got to talking, and then, um, and then I introduced him to my daughter, and then we would just hang out, like, just the three of us. And it was just… It was… I don't know. It's just, things just kinda clicked. Um, we sat down. We had a conversation as to whether or not we wanted to pursue things further because we were all just getting really comfortable with each other. And he said yes. I said yes. And then a couple months later, we moved in together, and we've been here since

Jess: 9:45

So this conversation was while you were already dating?

Maria dubbed: 9:48

Yes. This conversation was when I was dating. We did move things pretty fast. Yes

Jess: 9:54

and if someone is interested in the other person or mutual or whatever, but sometimes people have a hard time getting out of the, quote-unquote, friend zone.

Maria dubbed: 10:03

It was hard. It was interesting because we were in the friend zone for quite a bit, and

Jess: 10:10

yeah, You, like,

Maria dubbed: 10:11

one of us. yeah, in a way, and we never saw this going anywhere. But that is one of the reasons that we had that conversation that we had because I, I was at the point where I was just, I didn't wanna play any games. I needed to know, like, was it a yes or a no? Um, I have a kid. I already-- At the end of the day, I already knew what I wanted. I knew, um, what my goals were, what I envisioned, um, and either he fit the picture or he did not. And that's exactly why we sat down and had that conversation because I,' I needed to know whether or not I was wasting my time at the end of the day.

Jess: 10:54

'Cause you were looking for something serious, right? Mm-hmm. And wait, so but that was when you were already dating, but from friends to dating, like, did someone make the first move?

Maria dubbed: 11:07

Yes, me

Jess: 11:09

Uh-huh. Okay. What d- what happened?

Maria dubbed: 11:12

Uh, I think it was one of the few times that where we first started to, like, hang out alone. Um, I don't know. I just kept getting close to him to see what if, if he would do anything, if he would, like, kind of push me off. And so I started, like, holding his hand or just started getting close to him. But I think one time I tried to cuddle with him, and he let me, and I was like, "Ooh, you let me get this far. Let me see how far I can get." So then I tried to kiss him, and then he kissed me back. And I was like, "Okay

Jess: 11:44

Wow. Okay, so you made a lot of, you kind of like, got closer and closer physically to as you move.

Maria dubbed: 11:50

little physically just to see whether or not there was anything there.'Cause if there wasn't anything there, then what am I doing?

Jess: 11:59

Do you remember how your feelings developed from, like, thinking of him as a friend more?

Maria dubbed: 12:05

No, if I'm being honest with you, I don't

Jess: 12:08

like gradual probably, right?'Cause just like hanging out. Okay. What are, what are three of your favorite things about him?

Maria dubbed: 12:15

Um, for one, he can deal with my attitude. And if anybody knows me, they know I have a very strong attitude and a very strong personality, and he's, he's very good at managing it. Um, two, he's just a genuine person. If you know him, you, you understand that he, he's just a very good, genuine person. And number three, hmm, he loves, he loves hard. So I would say those are the top three

Jess: 12:50

Okay. Well, I'm glad you guys found each other. Well, I mean, it sounds like… I'm glad you made the move. It sounds like,

Maria dubbed: 12:56

It took, it took time 'cause neither one of us saw this coming and going anywhere. Um, yeah, it was, it was interesting. And then when we came out to the friend group, even they were surprised, but not like surprised, um, because like I said, we did gradually start to hang out alone rather than with, with them. So they were thinking,"Oh, okay, something's up." But, um, we never let them in on anything until until we knew there was something to let them in on.

Jess: 13:25

Yeah. Mm-hmm. Strategic Um, also shout out to your husband Because he's been really supportive of you making time to do these interviews and, like, we even had, like, a pre-interview chat, and I know you have a lot of things going on, like family stuff

Maria dubbed: 13:43

He is. He is always very supportive of, like, anything I wanna do. If I tell him I wanna do it, yeah, he's very supportive about anything I wanna do. If he sees that I genuinely wanna do it or, like, it's good for me or if it benefits me in any way, shape, or form, he, he will 100% back me up. There's no ever any doubt for him not to support me in my mind

Jess: 14:08

Aw. It, I I love hearing about, like, relationships going right. I feel like there's, like, a lot of media and all that stuff, it's, like, about people getting together. It's about, like, the drama of something, you know? But then, like, regular, like, being married, like, when things are going well, a lot of times we don't talk about it because it seems like there's not" as much to, quote-unquote, "talk about."

Maria dubbed: 14:31

There's not

Jess: 14:33

But, but it's beautiful when things are just, like, stable and working,

Maria dubbed: 14:36

Thank you

Jess: 14:37

So back to your work timeline. After the restaurant work, you ended up working at the convenience store for a few years. What did you end up doing there? ended up working at a convenience store for a few years. What did you end up doing there?

Maria dubbed: 14:50

I am a clerk. The entire time, I am a clerk. I did try to move up in management. That did not go in my favor. After a few years is when I really started to, like, take a step back, view my life, view if I was happy where I was at. I was not, so in my mind, I'm like, "Okay, what can I change? I've already spent the past two years trying to move up in management. They didn't wanna give me the position that I wanted, so now what's next? What's next?" And so I go online. I start looking up at, um, programs around me to get, like, certifications or licenses and anything that has a manageable timeframe. I came across this ad for this healthcare program. It was close to my house, and the way it was taught was the way I liked, and it was a manageable timeframe. And then I took the program, and I got my certificate, and then with my certificate, I then started putting out applications to healthcare offices literally everywhere. I kid you not, I probably sent out dozens and dozens of applications 'cause I was just… Anything that was in… near my house, near my kids' schools, 'cause they were going to school in, or they are going to school in a different district than where I live. So I was like, within, anything within this radius, I was like, "Okay, cool." I got a few interviews. I took the job at the first interview that I had. I was there for about a month. I ended up clashing heads with another person there, so I didn't see that it was a good fit for me, so I kind of just saw my way out. I ended up working at my current office.

Jess: 16:36

What drew you into this particular healthcare program?

Maria dubbed: 16:39

I actually started talking to another employee who I befriended while working at the convenience store, and she was telling me how she used to work at a healthcare office, and it was, like, just really easy, very, very chill, good pay, things like that. Um, and most of the jobs, because most offices are only open Monday through Friday, I was like, "Okay, that's exactly what I need." Exactly, good hours. I was tired of

working at 5: 17:09

00 AM. I was tired of working on the weekends and not being able to spend time with my kid when she wasn't in school. Um, so I just, I needed a good schedule, and I needed something that would fit her school schedule plus my work schedule. Um, it just, it wasn't a good fit anymore. There was initially something else I wanted to do in healthcare, but I was like,"Okay, cool. This is, like, second best." It was still a step moving forward into, The medical field Right, the medical field. So I was like, "Let's do it."

Jess: 17:42

And what is like, what draws you to the medical field?

Maria dubbed: 17:45

Wanting to be somebody to help other people. At the end of the day, my goal is to help you either feel better about yourself, or just give you a good mind that you're

Jess: 17:56

so yeah, do do you like your work now? You've been doing it for

Maria dubbed: 18:01

I do, and because getting into this job, um, ironically is when I found out I was pregnant with baby number two. So, um, it just, it worked out. It was perfect timing. I had a good job, stable income, good hours, and I was able to manage both jobs until it was closer to my son's birth

Jess: 18:23

Wow, okay. He's the one you were trying to put down for a nap right before this.

Maria dubbed: 18:28

Oh my goodness. Yes. Yes. He's a very energetic toddler that would not go for a nap. He tried to trick me. He was like, "Okay, I'll go for a nap," bed and lies in my bed and was like, "All right, it's nap time." I was like, "No, we go to nap in your bed." He's like, "No, Mommy, Mommy's bed." So um, we maybe have another half an hour of him napping or so.

Jess: 18:56

at what point did you and your husband get married?

Maria dubbed: 18:59

So we actually got married after my son was born

Jess: 19:03

How did you decide on the timing of when to get married?

Maria dubbed: 19:06

Okay, so we were initially supposed to get married earlier. However, I ended up getting sick, and I ended up being in, like, excruciating pain. And for the life of me, no one could figure out what was wrong with me. And I was very stubborn on the fact that I needed and wanted a fall wedding or fall anniversary. And so I was very, very stubborn that it had to be fall. And ironically, I got sick all of fall that year. So I was like, "Oh, well, looks like we're waiting till next year," because, like, I'm very big, I'm very, very big on spooky, and, like, fall is my favorite season, and I love, like, everything spooky. And next fall rolls around, and I went and I get my nails done, and I had, like, a little ghost on the nail, um, and it was holding a bouquet of flowers. So the bright side was that it ended up being a date that I really wanted. So I got married, and that is it

Jess: 20:04

Did you have a reception?

Maria dubbed: 20:06

Uh, so we actually haven't had the reception yet. Like, uh, we just had a lot of things financially come up to where I can't have it yet, and, and that's fine. We did what we wanted to do. We got married. Um, we went to the courthouse. We had his parents. I had my mom and her partner, and we had, um, our kids, and that's all I needed

Jess: 20:28

And, um, do y'all spend a lot of time with like your side of the family or his side of the family, both?

Maria dubbed: 20:34

I would say equally with both. um, with my side of the family, I go bother my mom like every week at minimum. We're consistently in communication with everybody. We have gone on multiple vacations with his family. Um, so I, I say we spend about 50/50 with both

Jess: 20:52

Like, what does quality time with your family look like and quality time with his family look like?

Maria dubbed: 20:58

Just personality differences. It's very loud and rowdy at my mom's house 'cause she has a bunch of grandchildren, and then at his mom's house, um,

Jess: 21:09

Wait, on your mom's side, like when you're with your mom's side, what what do people do when people are hanging out for

Maria dubbed: 21:16

We kind of just sit around. Uh, we talk while the kids play. It's very equal to what we do at his mom's house. We sit and talk, and we play games, and we play around with the kids, things like that. Nothing majorly different

Jess: 21:30

What kind of games?

Maria dubbed: 21:32

We'll play Uno, we'll play, um, hide and seek with the kids. Any, any little game that they have, like, like we'll play on the Switches, we'll play on the tablets, like things like that

Jess: 21:43

Okay. Um, and, and the adults play with the kids? like your generation plays with your kids'

Maria dubbed: 21:50

Yes. Yes. At, whenever we're At, my mom's house, if it's not me playing with the kids, it's my sisters playing with the kids. If not, there's so many of us that will just kind of switch in and out on whoever's not, like, in the kitchen having a conversation. Uh, but yes, we'll play with them

Jess: 22:07

and who does the food?

Maria dubbed: 22:09

who does the food? Um, we kind of all chip in. It all depends. There's some days where we meet up at my mom's house and it's like, we'll order pizza because we just wanna order pizza. But there's other times we'll show up at my mom's house because somebody decided to send some type of recipe in the group chat and say,"Hey, I'm craving this." And my mom will, my mom will always be the one to tell you, "If you buy me the ingredients to make it, I'll show you how to make it. Or better yet, I'll make it." But she tricks you because she says she'll make it for you, and then she gets her hands on you and she's like, "Okay, go wash your hands and help me do this or help me do this." Right, like, Let me teach you while you're the one doing everything. Oh my goodness. My mom will play you because she does not… She's like, "I'm too old for this. I don't, I don't wanna do this anymore." So, so

Jess: 22:58

Your mom is very young though,

Maria dubbed: 23:00

very-- She is young. However, she's very smart enough to play us, and she knows if we actually get there with all the ingredients, she has enough hands for someone to do something. So she makes all of us pitch in, whether you're helping prep, whether you're helping cook, or whether you're helping clean

Jess: 23:18

people know this at this point, right?

Maria dubbed: 23:21

We do. We play ourselves because we say we're not gonna do it, and even some of us will show up than what we say so that by the time we get there, we think it's done. But then she'll just prolong the time of making it so by the time we get there, we're still in time to help. I'm telling you, my mom is very smart with how she strategically plans us getting there for us to make food

Jess: 23:45

She knows how to manage her daughters.

Maria dubbed: 23:47

And then on top of that, she has our location so she can see what you're the closest to. So like let's say it's one of those days where, um, we just wanna order pizza. She'll call you and be like,"Hey, I know you're at this location, but I just called this location over here. Can you stop and get the pizza and bring them? Because I don't feel like' Jess: Cause it's on your way, and it's really close My mom's very on like the mindset of once she gets home, that woman does not leave. She will not leave her house. So if like, if she gets off

at 3: 24:20

00 on a Wednesday and

she gets home by 4: 24:22

00, that woman will not leave until the next morning to where it's time to go to work. into her comfy clothes and she… Exactly. She'll change into her comfy clothes, and once she changes, you're done. You will not get that house. So if you want something, she- you have to go get it

Jess: 24:42

It's really cool though that like then actually, like whether she's, you know, like planning this or not, whatever, like that's a really great by- byproduct because then you can pass on those recipes and yeah

Maria dubbed: 24:54

At the end of the day, we're getting the experience, and what better way to learn than hands-on?

Jess: 24:59

And like together, right? Instead of, yeah, like text message over the phone.'Cause like it's, it's hard to learn a recipe really that way

Maria dubbed: 25:06

It is. Um, I've done it before. There's been multiple times when I'm, like, in the middle of a recipe and I'll FaceTime her and then be like, "Okay, I'm here. I did X, Y, and Z. Help me."

Jess: 25:18

I, it's fun to hear about how people hang out because, you know, I think everyone thinks like, "Well, this is just how we hang out," and, you know, but every family hangs out in a different way. Like, what you're describing is, like, totally different about how our family hangs out. like, like, even when I was a kid, when we played games, it was like kids played with kids, and, like, my parents' generations played with my par- like, they played with their peer generation. But, like, sometimes if, like, an uncle was visiting or, like, an aunt was visiting from abroad or something from Taiwan, like, maybe they would, like, hang out with us, play, like, a little bit with us, but it wouldn't be, like, the common thing,

Maria dubbed: 25:53

No, even when I was a kid, a lot of the adults would, like, come play with the kids and, like, mess with us. So that, uh, that has always been, like, around. And, and so I feel like that's why we feel the need to jump in, um, with our kids. And then sometimes they'll get rowdy, and they'll start bullying each other because one kid is better than the other kid. And then we gotta step in and be like, "No, we're better than you." And then we just have to, like… It makes it a whole competition. We're very competitive within the family.

Jess: 26:23

Everyone and their pl- That's hilarious. Like, adults are jumping in to be like, "Oh, no, no, no, no." no, no. Like, don't get a big' ego."

Maria dubbed: 26:30

don't get a big ego," like, cause they'll play like, like Mario Karts or something, like games that we used to play when we were younger, and I'm like, "Okay, first of all, we played it first. Second of all, we're better than you."

Jess: 26:42

That's, so fun. That sounds like,

Maria dubbed: 26:44

Ironically, the other day, um, my sister's… Or I think I saw it where it was a website that used to h- that now has all the old Disney Channel games, and I was, I was being me, and I was like,"Okay, let me check it out." And I checked it out, and it did play out, and it does have all the Disney Channel games. So I was introducing my daughter to all the games that I used to play online, uh, like when I was her age. So it was very interesting.

Jess: 27:13

Was she into them?

Maria dubbed: 27:14

Some of them, yes. Some of them, not so much. Um, but I was like, "Just kind of play around with them and see what you like." But it was, it was very fun trying to show her the games that I used to

Jess: 27:25

That's really cool. After the break, Maria finally gets to reunite with family as we travel with her on her first trip back to Mexico. Hey, neighbors. It's Jess. Thanks for listening whether you're at the gym, folding laundry, or driving. Just a quick reminder, when you've parked your car or have your hands free, take a quick second to rate the show and write a review. It helps grow the show and it gives us encouragement to keep interviewing our beautiful global neighbors. Thanks so much to Social Justice Origin Stories for writing on YouTube, quote,"I've just subscribed to the channel and look forward to going back through your archives to listen. I support what you're doing in trying to amplify diversity," end quote. Thanks so much for the support and review, Social Justice Origin Stories. All right, folks, let's get back to Maria's story Okay, so let's transition to your first trip back to Mexico. So when did that happen? Tell us about the trip

Maria dubbed: 28:32

So I was always legally restricted from being able to travel. Well, not necessarily travel, but be able to come back into the US without having any, like, documentation. So when I got my residency card, first thing I did was I told my mom, and she was like, "Okay, cool. We're going to Mexico." So for about three, three and a half weeks, and I went after, um, more than 20 years of not being able to see my family.

Jess: 29:00

so you and your mom, just the two of you go

Maria dubbed: 29:04

No, it was me, my mom, and my daughter

Jess: 29:06

What was on the itinerary? Where were

Maria dubbed: 29:09

So the first week was, um, getting to know everybody because, um, yes, I was on vacation, but they weren't on vacation. Like, they still had to go to school or, or not school, they still had to work and things like that. So it was a matter of, like, getting to know every single one of my family members, just, uh, hanging out with them, getting to see where I was born, where my mom lived when I was younger, my grandpa's house, my uncle's house, my grandpa's shop, uh, this little store inside this plaza. Um, it was just a lot of getting to know that area, and it was just… There was a lot. And then I did go to the graveyard where my aunt, my grandma, and my cousin were buried, so I got, I got to see that

Jess: 29:54

Mm-hmm.

Maria dubbed: 29:55

And then week two, my husband was there. So it was round two of going to see every single little place again because my husband was there for the entire second week, and then he got to meet all of my family.

Jess: 30:09

he came late.

Maria dubbed: 30:10

Oh, yes.

Jess: 30:11

Okay. Okay

Maria dubbed: 30:11

So he wanted to give me that first week for me to get, like, settled in, meet my family, have that time with my family. And then he came the second week, then he got to meet my family, which was very interesting, um, because he did not speak a lick of Spanish. He has then picked up a little bit more while being, while being with me. He can definitely understand more than he can reciprocate now in our relationship, but he's slowly being able to, like, actually respond and hold down a conversation in Spanish. We're working on it. It's going little by little, the fire by taking him to Mexico where nobody spoke English.

Jess: 30:51

Yeah

Maria dubbed: 30:52

So it was a lot of me being his translator at the time and my mom being his translator, and so that was a lot of fun. Even my daughter at some point had to step in and be the translator.

Jess: 31:03

It was fun to be the translator.

Maria dubbed: 31:04

Well, It was fun trying to see him figure it out because I have this one aunt that was very stubborn on the fact that she was gonna have a conversation with him by herself. Uh, so she was like,"Don't say anything. Don't translate anything. He's gonna understand me because he's gonna understand me." And I was like, "Okay." So

Jess: 31:24

That's an interesting

Maria dubbed: 31:26

she was very stubborn on the fact that she wanted to communicate with him solo. She was like, "No, he's gonna understand me." So I was like, "Okay."

Jess: 31:36

he?

Maria dubbed: 31:37

Parts. Parts. Um, it was only for when we were driving him to the airport. From the little city that I was born in versus, like, the main city where there's an airport, there's, like, a multi-hour drive. So he had this long drive to try to figure out what this lady was telling him.

Jess: 31:58

Uh-huh.

Maria dubbed: 31:58

And so that, that was a lot of fun. And then the last week was just spending time with my grandpa, spending time with my family. Honestly, that's, that's genuinely all we did. I didn't really venture off outside of the area where I was born. Um, like we wanted to, we wanted to go somewhere else, but I don't remember what happened where, to where we couldn't do it and we couldn't go anywhere else. those entire three weeks was just spending all the time that I could with everybody there

Jess: 32:30

How close were you to some of these family members before the trip?

Maria dubbed: 32:37

Um, so that one aunt that was very, very forceful on speaking to my husband , I am extremely close to her. She is the only one that was able to acquire her visa to be able to travel outside of Mexico, and she came over here, I think, like two or three times prior to me going over there. So I at least got to be able to know her, speak to her, talk to her, have her over here with us, um, before anything.

Jess: 33:03

That makes a huge difference,

Maria dubbed: 33:04

It does, cause

Jess: 33:06

in-person time

Maria dubbed: 33:07

Uh, exactly. And outside of my mom, it's like, "Okay, I actually know you. Like I, I've known you, I've touched you, I've held you, I've hung out with you." Um, so it was… It definitely felt different. Outside of her, um, extremely close to my, to the rest of my aunts, but I'm fairly close. Like we did, we do talk like every now and then. We do call each other up, um, you know, text each other every now and then to are, things like that. Um, but I was mainly close to that one aunt

Jess: 33:39

Did the trip, like, grow your relationship with these people to get to have

Maria dubbed: 33:43

Definitely. Oh, of course. Um, I would say it more so grew a relationship between ironically not even just me. Um, one of my cousins got really, really along with my daughter, and so they added each other on Roblox, and they would consistently talk and play and video chat and call each other.

Jess: 34:03

Ja

Maria dubbed: 34:04

So it, it was very, very cute. They got very attached the entire time that I was there. Um, and then I did speak to my aunts more consistently after the trip. Um, called my grandpa a lot more after Um, I was just… I was in better communication with all of them

Jess: 34:21

When you were in that town, was it what you expected?

Maria dubbed: 34:26

It was smaller than I expected. I don't know what I was expecting. Um, I think I was expecting it to… Well, it-- Yes and no. Um, it's smaller than what I expected, but then when I- I… Actually, ironically, my cousin took me hiking to this one point where I could see the whole, the whole city, and it looks bigger in person. But, like, when, when I got there, I was like, "Oh, this is just very small." Um, because my family, they're just very close to each other, so, like, they… It doesn't take much of a distance to go from one house to the other, especially my uncle's from my grandma's. Like, my grandma's house can be maybe a six-minute walk to my uncle's house. Like, they are very, very close to each other. And then my from there either. So it's definitely a lot smaller. Um, it's so nice there. Like, it's just-- It's a lot of natural open land. So from the moment that I landed, I could just feel it, it just, like… Even the air quality felt so different. It felt more crisp. It felt more refreshing. Um, but I just… I don't know what I went in expecting, but it was definitely more than what I was expecting

Jess: 35:49

What were some of your favorite memories you got to

Maria dubbed: 35:55

There was this one little place. even tell me how to get there. Uh, I don't even know how to get there. Um, but I remember I'd tell my mom that I would want, um, something called gorditas, which is basically a tortilla, um, a little thicker than your normal tortilla that you see at the store, handmade. Then they're sliced open in the middle, and you could put a filling in there. You can put any type of filling. It could be meat, it could be cheese, it could be beans. It could be meat and cheese. It could be cheese and beans. It doesn't matter. But nonetheless, they're called gorditas. And it's this little corner restaurant. Oh my God, they have the best food. Ugh. Like, if I… If you ever go there, I will give you the name. You have to try it.

Jess: 36:41

now I must go there because

Maria dubbed: 36:43

Another thing that I really loved is that… Okay, so my grandma's house is, like, right here. Across the street on the corner, there was a bakery. So as soon as you walked outside house, especially in the morning, you could feel all the fresh bread being made. And it's not like just loaves of bread. It's like, uh, sweet bread and things that, that you would see at, um, Mexican supermarkets, and it just smelled so good, and it was the best thing to wake up to. Um, what's another thing? Their sunsets are so nice. I feel like because it's a lot of natural land and a lot of it's, like, flat, it… Sunsets are beautiful. And I'm a very big sunset girly. I love looking at sunsets and sunrises. Like, that, that is top tier for me. Um, I would say those are, like, the three top things that I loved about being there, and obviously spending time with my family

Jess: 37:44

I can really relate to, like, this kind of trip. Like, I think made back to Taiwan where, like, all of my relatives are, um, yeah, the itinerary is usually, like, who we're gonna see then who we're gonna see next, then who we're gonna see next, then who we're gonna see next

Maria dubbed: 37:59

And then how long are you gonna be there? And then how many people you can fit in a

Jess: 38:03

Yeah, and

Maria dubbed: 38:04

are you gonna do?

Jess: 38:06

and then like, you know, like, where are my cousins gonna take me, you know? And like, and they're always like, "Where do you wanna go?" And I'm like, "Well, I don't really know anything.

Maria dubbed: 38:14

It's like you find me somewhere and then they're like, "Okay," and then they just take you to like the most random spot everywhere.

Jess: 38:21

They do. they take me to most random spots. Sometimes it's like, oh, like a temple on the hills, like,'cause they think it's like a thing to show me, and sometimes like that's really fun. And then sometimes it's like, oh, your dad, like my dad, they would like tell me like, "Oh, like your dad really loves to eat Like when he was a kid, he grew up eating in this, um, this noodle dish at this local open air market that's still here. Let's go and like let's, let me show you that." And I would go and eat that, and I'd be like, "Oh my gosh, I totally get it. This is delicious." You

Maria dubbed: 38:51

Right. Okay, see, that's how, that's technically how I got introduced into the gorditas, because my mom used to love that place, and that place has been around since my mom was little. Or, well, not, like, little, but, like, younger. So she was like, "You have to try this." And I, I love food, so I looked at her and I was like, "I know you know this," because she had been there recently. So I was like, "Okay, you've been here recently. You know what's here. You know what's not here. You know what's know what's not good. Take me everywhere." I was like, "Anywhere, everywhere." So our main mission the entire time we were there was find the best

Jess: 39:27

Yeah, and like find the best food that like also means something, right? To like your family history. Yeah.

Maria dubbed: 39:34

And then they, uh, my aunts, they would end up doing the same thing that my mom does now, where I say,"Hey, I'm craving this dish," or, "I want this." And then they're like, "Yeah, okay. Well, go buy everything." So they would send me and my mom to go buy everything. I would come back. They're like, "Okay, well, this is how you make it." And I'm just like,"I'm on vacation, guys. Like, I'm supposed to be a guest in your house." And they're like, "Yeah, but I mean, you can still learn." And I'm like, "Ugh."

Jess: 40:05

So now you know where she got it from. So she, so your mom did not invent this

Maria dubbed: 40:09

technically my grandma invented it, and she lured my aunts into it, which then lured my mom into it, which lured me into it. And so, ugh, oh my goodness

Jess: 40:18

Do you feel like going on the trip helped you, like, learn about your mom and, like, where she comes from and how she became how

Maria dubbed: 40:24

It definitely helped me learn about my mom. And then my aunts would tell me, like, little things about my mom and what she used to do like, things like that.

Jess: 40:34

Um, okay. Last couple questions. You know how when we were preparing for these interviews, um, you were telling me that even though you grew up here in the US, you feel Mexican, American in terms of, like, how you identify. when you were in Mexico for the f- like, the first time back, like, did you feel like you were somewhere that you, like, belonged? Did you feel like you were home, or did you feel like you were traveling?

Maria dubbed: 41:07

Uh, no. I felt like I was at home. It never felt like I was traveling. I never felt out of place. I never felt like… I, I knew I was on vacation mode in the sense that I didn't have to go to work, but I never felt like I was, uh, a visitor, I guess

Jess: 41:23

Hmm. How did that feel? Like, just to be somewhere that you, like, hadn't been in so long, but, like, it was like a homecoming

Maria dubbed: 41:29

It felt… It was different because again, I- you, you travel, you go on vacation, you think you're, you're a just like, "Okay, I have to remind myself I have family here." Like, it was different in the sense that I didn't have to get a hotel, I didn't have to rent a car. It felt different not place, but it felt comforting knowing, like, I'm around my family. If I need something, I can go ask my mom, or I but I couldn't go with her. We didn't wanna take her just because I wanted to hang out with my cousins

Jess: 42:01

Was the trip something that you always

Maria dubbed: 42:02

Definitely 10, out of 10, the best experience that I've had. Um, um, I wish I could say I would do it again. Um, the best part of the trip was getting to see my grandpa. My grandpa is unfortunately no longer with us, so even if I do go back, it's just… If I was to go back, I wouldn't feel the same thing. Um, so I am intrigued to see how it goes when I do decide to go back, I would say.

Jess: 42:28

Mm-hmm. I guess, like, what did the trip… Like, what I'm getting at is, like, what did the trip mean to you?

Maria dubbed: 42:34

It meant more to me… It means more to me now than it did at the time. At the time, it was, it was very nice. It was good being able to go see everybody, see everything. Um, it meant a lot because obviously, like, there had been no barrier between me being able to see that side of my family. Um, so not having that barrier there anymore was… It was, it was a lot. It was a lot of emotions, a lot of feelings. Like, it just, hit, like, in a different place than I meant it to. Um, however, it, it,

Jess: 43:11

What kind of feelings? Like, yeah, what what feelings did you go through when you were on the trip?

Maria dubbed: 43:15

Relief. The main one being relief. Relief, um, a lot of excitement. Uh, I was nervous. I don't know why I was nervous, but I guess I was nervous because I've never been on a plane. So that was also my first time on a plane, and boy, oh boy, did I realize I do not like the takeoff and I do not like the landing

Jess: 43:39

I don't think anyone

Maria dubbed: 43:40

and I don't like turbulence. I have to have someone traveling with me. I realized not one to take a solo trip. I don't think I could do that, especially not on a plane. Um, it was… What would be the best way to describe that? Complete. I felt very complete. I had always felt like there was something missing, and being able to take my sisters to the airport and know they were going to Mexico and letting them… and watching them go through security, like, I always felt so much jealousy. Like, the amount of jealousy running through me is like, it was ridiculous. So I guess being there is just-- I could finally not hold that imaginary grudge on them that they had nothing, like, over… It, it felt… That's why I felt, like, so much relief, 'cause I finally got to experience that one thing that I genuinely cared about

Jess: 44:35

Going and being able to reconnect with your

Maria dubbed: 44:38

It's not even that. It was the sense of, like, knowing that I had the freedom to leave. I had the freedom to be able to, to do what I wanted to do, to go places where everybody else got to go and I didn't get to go because I was stuck here. Not that I couldn't have gone, but coming back was the issue. So it's just like, like the relief of knowing that I'm good. I'm okay. I can leave. I can come back. I can do as I please. Like, I have freedom.

Jess: 45:06

Mm-hmm. To come back

Maria dubbed: 45:08

To come back yes. to come back to my to, my house, to to everything, to my life

Jess: 45:14

Mm-hmm. Um, to wrap up the series, I usually ask people if they have anything they wanna plug

Maria dubbed: 45:22

I guess my plug would be where there's a will, there's a way. There's always a way to move up in life. There's always a, a better step in life. There's always something better. It may not seem like that in the moment, and I had a lot of those moments in my life where I was just in the deepest point of my life. Um, and I didn't think I'd come out. But I feel like I'm doing pretty good now, uh, compared to where we started. Um, so one day at a time, and you'll be where you wanna be.

Jess: 45:54

Well, thanks Maria

Maria dubbed: 45:56

Thank you for having me

Jess: 45:58

really… I feel very touched and moved, and I feel like I learned a lot from your story.

Maria dubbed: 46:06

Well, you're welcome.

Jess: 46:10

That was the final part of my conversation with Maria and the Season 3 finale. I wanted to anchor the season with her story, full of resilience, reflection, and feeling. I'm inspired by not only her words, reminding us that there's always better times to come, but also the example of how she lived that in her own life. Wherever you are, whatever you're challenged by right now, things will get better. Helpful for me to hear that, too. And dear listener and neighbor, thank you so much for being here for Season 3 as we grow this global neighborhood. We'll be back for Season 4 at the end of the summer. Bonus episodes and reflections will drop between now and then. Make sure you're subscribed on whatever you're listening on so you don't miss updates. I'm gonna share reflections on the amazing conversations we've had in Season 3, and I'm also baking away at a companion newsletter for Cultureful, so there's a lot to look forward to. Get excited and stay tuned. If you're looking forward to Season 4, to meeting more of our beautiful global neighbors close up, we are always grateful to get new supporters. Think of it as buying us a monthly coffee, but actually tea, because we don't actually drink coffee. The link to contribute to Cultureful is in the show notes. This episode was hosted, produced, and edited by yours truly, with executive production support from Ruben Gnanaruban. I'm Jess Lin. Take care of yourself and your neighbors, and we'll see you soon