I was born into a middle class society in the former Soviet Union. I don't remember much about my childhood, but I can remember that I was never hungry and I always had new clothes and new toys to play with. When my parents decided to move to the United States, I just went along for the ride never really knowing why I was moving. When we finally arrived in New York, we did not have much money, but after setting down and living there for about 6 months, we became established in the poorer ranks of society. Then my parents decided once again to move, this time to California. When we arrived here I realized why we left Russia. California was magnificent in every way, from its streets to its theme parks. In the book The Tortilla Curtain author T.C. Boyle describes why a husband and wife crossed the border as illegal aliens for the opportunity of a better life in California. Candido, the husband of America, explains how and why they crossed the border "Crouching down beside the corrugate iron fence, her mouth dry, and heart racing, she waited for the coyote to give word, and then her and Candido and half a dozen others were running for their lives on the hard baked earth of another country. Two thirds of their savings had gone to this man And then the animals jumped them! They pinned Candido down and cut the pockets from his trousers." This quote represents how Candido and America struggled to come to a better place to live. It shows all their sacrifices and all the hardships they went through of losing practically their entire lives. They cross the gate to opportunity and the chance at a new life and are immediately robbed of all their belongings and their last pennies. And if that wasn't enough, they are sent back across the border and must repeat the same process over again. These illegal aliens or illegal immigrants, as we call them, would give up everything for just the opportunity to live in California.
