Border Crossing for Love
Monday, 26 April 2010 19:35
The only difficulty in their relationship is Rosales lives in Tucson and Vega lives in Sonora, Mexico.
The two have been dating since August 1, 2005 and have been working hard to maintain their long- distance relationship.
“We don’t see each other very often,” Rosales said. “The first three and a half years, I only saw her about three to four days a month. Of course we chatted during the day and talked on the phone, but it was hard.”
After the first year, Rosales installed a Magic Jack in her house, which allows her home phone line to have a U.S. number so he can call her regularly from his phone.
“Calling cards were getting expensive,” Rosales said.
Last year, Rosales started attending the University of Arizona, studying computer sciences. This made it even more difficult for him to go to Mexico as often as he had in the past.
Since Vega has already graduated with an Industrial Engineering degree from the Instituto Tecnologico de Sonora (ITSON) in Guaymas, Sonora, she is now the one who more frequently crosses the border.
“Now she comes to Tucson every month and stays for around two weeks,” Rosales said.
“When we visit each other, crossing the border is often the hardest part,” he added. “Sometimes crossing can be as quick as 30 minutes to as long as five hours, and this is in addition to the five hour drive it takes to get from here to there.”
Rosales has high hopes about Vega eventually moving to Tucson.
“Hopefully she moves here after I graduate and we can get married. We have big plans,” Rosales said.
Rosales also has some concerns about her moving to the U.S. The first and largest concern is that Vega does not speak English. The second is that she is from Empalme, Sonora, a very small town compared to the city of Tucson.
“We think that overall it will be better if she moves here, but if I have to, I will move to Sonora to be with her,” Rosales added.
Below, Omar Rosales talks about the difficulties of crossing the border to see his girlfriend.
Below, Rosales speaks in an interview about his first time traveling to Empalme, Sonora.
Written by Laurann Julia Faye Robinson
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