Antonio & Delfino: Entry #3

The theme running though the stories in Chapters 6 & 7 of Quinones (2007) book is one of abandonment. A Mexican music teacher felt betrayed and abandoned by his country because his operas and music was never produced or appreciated. He retreated to a hilltop to live the rest of his life alone and embittered. Many Mexicans and Mexican families striving for a better life moved to Chicago in the U.S. and began new lives and built their own family businesses. These immigrants had dreams of making money and then returning to their homes in Mexico; however, they settled into the U.S. and didn’t go home.

Which situation is worse, staying in your country, embittered and living on a bare existence or moving to a place that offers opportunities for you and your family?

I think that it is worse to give up as the music teacher, Hector Seemann, did. His work wasn’t appreciated, so he gave up. An excerpt from the book states:
“Some in town believe that Seemann’s music never found its place because he never went into the world to interest people in it.”

On the other hand, the families that moved to the U.S. went looking for their futures. They went where there were opportunities and created futures for their families and relatives. I think it is Mexico’s loss. If Mexico promoted opportunities for everyone, then these hard-working, entrepreneurs could do much to help their country develop for the benefit of all.