Migrant Workers

As I read the two passages, "Cajas de Carton" and "And the Earth Did Not Devour Him," I thought a lot about the book I read at the beginning of the semester, "The American Way of Eating."

I was reminded of the horrible living and working conditions these people were exposed to. Long hours, low wages, fear of being caught or in trouble, health threatening temperatures, desperation, just trying to get by. A major difference between the book and these two passages is that the passages focused around child laborers. "The American Way of Eating" did not talk much about child laborers, so this thought struck new emotions for me.

I'm a lead teacher in a toddler room at a daycare. I work three days a week for at least 11 hours a day, with only one 30 minute lunch break. My days are long and tiring. I often complain about how much I dislike it. THEN, I read things like "Cajas de Carton" and "And the Earth Did Not Devour Him" and I'm tempted to slap myself in the face. What I do is nothing compared to what these CHILDREN are doing all-day-each-and-every-day. They have to hide from school buses because they can't be caught working the fields instead of attending school. When they're finally able to go to school, they're behind, and eventually have to drop out again soon to get back to work.

What do I have to complain about? I'm going to school full time and working nearly full time - by choice. I have the freedom to decide my schedule and working conditions. I'm protected by my rights as a citizen. I don't have it that bad at all.

There are children everywhere that are desperate to help make a living for their entire families. The boys from these two stories are doing what they can to help the people they love. They are ripped away from the people and places they love constantly, dealing with move after move and death after death. I cannot imagine living that way.

The next time I start complaining about work or school, I hope I'm reminded of cardboard boxes.