Cortés, Quetzals and growing up Guatemalan

About your Guate author

I came from Guatemala when I was 12. My dad has been here since I was 3 as he was working with my older brothers to bring us all to the US.

Because my mama knew we would be moving here one day, hopefully, she made us all learn English thru this CD. One day my older brother Chue snapped the CD in half and I have never seen her angrier and I doubt I ever will. Looking back now though, I realize how lucky I am to have a mom who was that open-minded about her children learning a new language and customs, a lot of people there are not. She didn't want us to start life here with an impossible language barrier. So bear with me when I make mistakes or use a word incorrectly, sometimes I can't think of the word in English. Please feel free to correct me as it helps me with my writing. And if my mom hadn't made me learn it starting when I was young I probably wouldn't be able to speak and write my THIRD language this well. So thank you mama. And thank you for raising us all by yourself while dad was here.

My family
I have 1 younger sibling and 5 older.
Francisco is 12 years older than me an is married with 4 kids.
Maria is 9 years older than me but she stayed in Guatemala and is married with 3 kids.
Juan David is in the US and is married and his wife is pregnant. He is 7 years older than me.
Jesús (Chue) is 2 years older than me and is in Guatemala but he is coming to the US in September with his wife!! I'm so excited! He's my Favorite brother and he cracks me up and I adore his wife, she's my BFF from when I was a child.
*** I had an older sister named Ana, she was older than me by 1 year. She had a baby with her husband Juan but she died in labor. She has been gone for a year now. Her daughters name is Anita. Juan and Anita came to the US when Anita was only a 3 months old so I could help Juan raise her. I miss my sister so much.****

Last but not least...
My annoying little brother Antonio! He is younger than me by 6 years and is a brat. He just turned 14 and is spending the summer in Guatemala, that's why I am going down there, to escort him then my brother Chue will take him back.
And me....
I was sorta the baby of the family (before Antonio) so yeah, lol. I came to the US when I was 12 and lives with my brother Francisco and his wife until my mama came up here when I was 17. Then I moved in with her and my papa. I went to HS in Washington where I also go to University. But I live with my sisters husband and child cause I help him with Anita. I am dating a guy named Zacharías an he is three years older than me. I care about him a lot. Zack, Juan and Anita and I all live together to save money and so I can watch Anita while the two boys work, life is busy and crazy but I love it.
I am catholic and I am from San Pedro Soloma in Guatemala. I got my American citizenship when I was 18.
Coming up from Guatemala thru Mexico and having to trust the coyotes (guides) was the hardest and scariest thing in my entire life, but I am so glad I did it.

My name is Albin and I am 20 1/2 years old an my bday is July 30th
And I guess that's all you need to know about me hahah :) and my family calls me Blanca cause I'm super duper light for a Guate lol.

Edited: In "all you need to know" I added a picture from zacks confirmation. He is the one in the suit and I am the girl on his right. His parents are standing next to me. This was a year or two ago. But anyways that's what a corte looks like.