Posted on 12/23/2004 8:57:02 AM PST by ApesForEvolution
BY CINDY GONZALEZ
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
RELATED STORY
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» Immigrants go home for holidays
'Twas approaching midnight on South 24th Street and a group of gift-laden passengers had gathered at Jose Montañez's storefront.
Surrounded by bags, Felisardo Suares waits outside Montañez's storefront on South 24th Street Dec. 10 for the van that was taking him and other Omahans to Mexico. It's part of an annual Christmas migration back to Latin America for thousands of Midlanders.
Up pulled a pair of jumbo vans with cargo trailers. Parents, singles and young people who had been waiting climbed aboard the coaches that would carry them south for the holidays.
Some were headed to the Mexican city of Morelia. Some to Torreon. Others had their sights set on reunions with loved ones in Jalisco, Zacatecas and Aguascalientes.
It's part of the annual Christmas migration back to Latin America, a ritual so popular that it has brought competition to transportation companies - along with consternation among employers and educators worried about days missed from work and school.
While most of the Montañez customers this recent Friday night departed from Omaha, similar scenes unfolded this month across the Midlands.
Thousands from Nebraska and Iowa will make the trek across the U.S.-Mexican border, joining more than a million other expatriates who Mexican officials expect to return home for at least a couple of weeks to soak up warm rays and religious celebrations.
"Christmas in my village is marvelous," said Marcos Rodriguez, destined for Jalisco's Union de Tula. "Family, a lot of friends, fiestas. You go out on the streets and everybody knows you."
Tougher border enforcement has deterred many undocumented workers from leaving the United States for the holidays, but area Latino leaders say a growing legal and established population with Mexican and Central American roots keeps the seasonal exodus strong.
To encourage the flow, a Mexican official visited Omaha this month to tout improvements his government made to increase safety and reduce import hassles for travelers. It was the first holiday visit to Nebraska by an adviser of the Paisano Program, named for the "countryman" who works in the United States and sends money home each year to family.
Jose Cuevas, Omaha-based Mexican consul, estimated that up to 25,000 people from Nebraska and Iowa will visit home this time of year. That includes Mexicans and immigrants who have become U.S. citizens.
Local competition among transportation companies points to a bustling business.
About five years ago, local restaurateur and entertainment promoter Manuel Alferes Jr. started offering bus and van service to Nebraskans headed for Mexico.
Now, at least three other Mexico-bound bus lines have offices along South 24th Street. That doesn't include air travel agencies.
"It's a growing business," said Jose Montañez, who added a transportation service to his income tax business, based near 24th and M Streets, three years ago. "But there is more competition, so our piece of the pie gets smaller."
Competition is a plus for immigrants such as Francisco Cervantes, who seeks the cheapest and most comfortable ride. This year marked his third bus or van trip from Omaha to Durango.
"Everybody on the trip speaks Spanish," he said. "It's a friendly atmosphere."
Montañez said he sells tickets ranging from $150 to about $200, depending on final destination. His 16-passenger vans pick up customers in Omaha, South Sioux City and Lincoln. Full loads go all the way to Mexico; small groups are driven to Kansas City to connect with an Americanos bus.
Other bus companies such as El Conejo and Los Paisanos make stops in central Nebraska. Some families drive their own cars.
Erika Lopez and Ana Chairez, Omaha seventh-graders, couldn't wait for their two-week trip that began right after school let out for holiday break.
The friends were headed to different towns but looked forward to similar traditions: neighborhood processions called posadas, piñatas, midnight Mass.
"When we leave there, it's real sad," said Erika. "My aunts start crying. My cousins start crying. Everybody's crying."
Susan Aguilera-Robles, principal at Omaha's Spring Lake Elementary School, appreciates the opportunity for youngsters to reconnect with family and traditions. But she cautions parents not to overstay at the expense of school-age children.
Some 15 families already had talked to Aguilera-Robles about extending Mexico visits a third week. Another family wanted to remain until February, which the principal discouraged.
"I try to stress the effect it is going to have on the child's education," Aguilera-Robles said. "If it is too much time, the kids lose out."
Alfonso Resendes Sanchez's construction boss wasn't thrilled about an extended leave, either. "They don't have enough workers," Resendes said.
Having worked in Omaha only a year, Resendes hadn't planned to return to Monterrey so soon. But his father is ill.
Hoping his employer would take him back, Resendes hoisted onto the van's trailer a suitcase stuffed with trinkets for his wife and four children.
Before his ride came, Rodriguez, a landscaper who plans to return to Omaha when the weather warms, listened to Spanish tunes on stereo headphones. He was unfazed by the night chill. The ballads reminded him of the sweetheart he'd soon see.
Rodriguez's pockets bulged with snacks and drinks. His canvass bag contained tennis shoes for nephews and nieces and twinkling Christmas lights for his parents.
He couldn't remember the name of the fragrance he'd bought his girlfriend. But Rodriguez knew she'd smile when she opened the gift.
"It will be a happy day," he said.
I grew up in a city called Midland. But there are a whole bunch of Midlands in this country. Which one is this Midland? TX, MI, WA, PA, MD, OH, SD, AK, CA, CO, GA, IN, IO, KA (x2), KY (x2), LA, MA, MO,, NC, PA (again), TN, VA or WV?
LOL
The center of the nation...er, almost.
This is a new one, now illegal aliens are expatriates.
Sounds like fun, and a very merry buh-bye.
Actually, I'd love to drive to Buenos Aires. Anyone want to come along?
there's more...
Tougher border enforcement has deterred many undocumented workers from leaving the United States for the holidays, but area Latino leaders say a growing legal and established population with Mexican and Central American roots keeps the seasonal exodus strong.
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Oh, my goodness...
This kind of feel good dual citizen article makes me sick.... plus many of them are illegal and have their own easier ways of infiltrating back into the host nation. The USA.
Looks like you're back.
Hey, don't why arrange trips like this all across America, and then block 'em from coming back. Adios - a one way trip back and you're staying there. Ta da!
Geez, I'd conribute to an organization that promised that what's was going to happen! Trick 'em, get 'em on the bus and then keep them there. Buh bye and don't come back.
Didn't you hear? Bush and Fox are secretly merging the two nations into Uber America...oh, wait, we're merging with the whole freaking HEMISPHERE, one big "EU over HERE" under the steering of the FTAA ball-buster...lol
HO-HO-HOO! Merry Christmas Happy Channukah my FRiend!
I'm not really back. I just had a couple more things to say...the fields are ripe!
"Susan Aguilera-Robles, principal at Omaha's Spring Lake Elementary School, appreciates the opportunity for youngsters to reconnect with family and traditions. But she cautions parents not to overstay at the expense of school-age children."
Some 15 families already had talked to Aguilera-Robles about extending Mexico visits a third week. Another family wanted to remain until February, which the principal discouraged.
A lot of public school districts in America have a policy that excessive absences will cause the parents to get a visit from a truant officer and can even result in jail time or a fine for the parents. I wonder if any of these illegal alien parents ever get threatened with jail time for letting their kids miss so much school on these trips back to Mexico?
Nah, probably not. Gotta respect their culture and all....
I'm surprised you and I aren't paying for the transportation!
Shh! Don't give the politicians any ideas! :)
Seriously, this skipping school for 2 or 3 weeks gets my goat. A couple of years ago, one of my boys had two illnesses in one semester (stomach flu, followed by the regular flu). He exceeded the allowed absences for the semester. Even though I had called in every day and told them his status, they still saw fit to send me a warning letter about possible legal action against me for his excessive absences. Let me tell you, I was hot! I called them and gave them a great big chunk of my mind. Of course, they said that it was school policy, they knew he was sick and that he wasn't skipping, but they had to send it to me, blah, blah, blah...
Wonder how many of these illegals will get a letter like that? :) Wonder if any of these school superintendents will have the b*lls to enforce school attendance standards? :)
(shhhhhhh. They're *special* because they are *illegal*, or so it would seem. just go along with the charade!)
Yep, "special".
One question....since our economy has to have illegals here "doing the jobs Americans won't do", how can our country possibly survive while they're all down in Mexico for a month? :)
EMMT: "One question....since our economy has to have illegals here "doing the jobs Americans won't do", how can our country possibly survive while they're all down in Mexico for a month? :)"
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We have a W-I-N-N-E-R-! ((((rePING))))
Answer: "We MUST BE SCREWED!!!"
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