My Family, and its Relationship to Mexico

This relationship began, when my Father was Marine in Haiti, in 1930-34. To his surprise, he liked being there - and developed a romantic attachment for a young Haitian woman. He didn't mind if she was partly black, but his family, back in Ft. Madison, Iowa - most certainly did.

Much later, in the late Forties, he visited Maya ruins in Yucatan and Belize, with a 35mm camera. This was new invention then, haven been invented by the Germans, in WWII. He came back and developed a slide show (another new invention) that made him popular locally.

We were soon visiting Mexico every year-end vacation - driving all the way from our home in Illinois. We all enjoyed this - Mexico was cheap, friendly. and exotic. Dad enjoyed learning Spanish.

As soon as they could retire, in the Sixties, they moved to Saltillo, Mexico, to be part of a church mission there.

Meanwhile, I became friends with a young Mexican man, his Sister, and her Husband, who were Doctors, doing their advanced training at a children's hospital in DC. It was easy to go back and forth over the border then, and for Mexicans to work and study in the US.

In the Seventies, everything changed - in Mexico, in the US, and in the relationship between the two countries.

Now, Mexico is an enemy of the US!