Viaje a Nueva York

Maximo and I took probably one of our last trips (sans el bebe) to New York. It was very exciting as Maximo had never been to my hometown, the Big Apple. I admit I am prejuidiced and believe it is probably the greatest city in the world. Maximo was a high achieveing tourist, seeing in one day the 9/11 site, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge and then up to the Empire State Building. At the Empire State Building, he had a "New York" moment and spotted Miss Mariah Carey.

His next day, my friend Dana graciously showed Maximo Central Park. He went on to the top of Rockefeller Center. Where was the I? I stayed behind with "mi pancita creciendo." As the pregnancy continues, I am more tired and less inclined to run all over the city. It was great seeing all of our friends. I am homesick already for New York. Who knows? Perhaps, we will return to NYC for good one day.

Married and Deported with child

Yes, I or we are with "child" or "el bebe" as they say in Argentina. We expect welcoming our newest addition in August. There is a universal comment about having a baby in Arizona in August "it will be very hot!" I have not shared this news on my blog mostly because I did not think it had any relevance to Maximo's deportation and subsequent return to the USA. However, I realized after some thought that its important to share good news as well as the bad.

I spent my first tri-mester in Argentina. That was a trip! First, I suffered from the infamous morning sickness or more accurately "all day sickness." It was summer and it was unusually hot and humid in Buenos Aires. I went from a sort of cool temperature in the apartment to blinding heat in the street. The food that comforted me was challah bread (a childhood fave) that I got from various kosher bakeries. Second, as any pregnant woman will tell you my sense of smell was heightened. I got to endure the smell of parilla (Argentina barbecue). It was really not an enjoyable smell in my state. Third, its close to impossible to keep anything under wraps in a small ex-pat community, hence word was on the street in spite of any efforts to keep the news hidden.

Now, I am in my second tri-mester, exactly 23 weeks along and I feel significantly better. I enjoy eating again! I am definately not a pregnant vegetarian, that went out the window when I craved meat and Maximo happily obliged in cooking me steak! I crave deli sandwiches of turkey and coleslaw, sour pickles, babka and other childhood delicacies. I have a steady feast of bagels which I must have in the morning. I hear the ability to eat dies down in the next trimester as my ever growing child and stomach stretch and there is little room for food. My stomach or "pacita" is growing which looks close to a basketball shape.

Sheriff Joe's rodeo

Two American women contacted me after reading this blog. One woman was from Ohio and her fiancee was arrested in an INS raid and deported back to Peru. To read about this story see http://www.journal-news.com/hp/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/09/06/hjn090607immigrantA1.html She and her husband are now living in Lima, Peru until he can return to the USA. The other woman from South Carolina was just married in March. She and her new husband went to St. Thomas, VI for their honeymooon. When they were leaving St. Thomas, her husband, a Brazilian national was not allowed to re-enter the US. At present, he is being detained in St. Thomas while she awaits on whether or not he will be deported. I know there are many who will disagree with me. However, I dont see how by deporting these individuals (including my husband) the US is keeping itself safer. There are exceptions in every situation, one rule does not apply to all.

Here in Arizona, where we are living, the infamous Sheriff Joe Arapio has weekly "satuartion patrols." In these patrols, Sheriff Joe and his deputies (often without the permission of the township and under the guise that they can police wherever they choose) are arresting people they suspect of being illegal immigrants. Under the pretense they suspect a law infraction (oh broken tailight) they are then arresting people who do not produce legal documents. Sheriff Joe's actions are legal and they are supported by 55% of the population (according to a Arizona Republic column).

Arapio's critics allege he is engaged in racial profiling while he denies it. He is going into predomiantly Latino communities and essentially seeking out people he suspects of being in the USA illegally. Arapio's "rodeo" reminds me of the everchanging immigrant scapegoat in this country. For example, in the 19th century it was the Germans, Irish and later on the Jewish and Italian immigrants who were told to "go home." I cannot imagine somebody like Sheriff Joe trying to tell a descentdant of these immigrants to "go back home." Its much easier for him to arrest people trying to improve their lives and whose only crime is being here illegally. I wonder how well this economy function without the constant flow of immigrants.