The Only Road Page 20

  El Gordo: The fatty; the fatso. In Spanish-speaking cultures being called fat is not an insult. It’s just a matter of fact.

  El Norte: Literally means “the north,” but it is how Mexicans and Central Americans refer to the United States.

  el tren se lo comió: The train ate him. Implies that the train ran over and killed him.

  en serio: Seriously. Often asked as a question or when replying to a doubt.

  está bien: It’s fine; it’s okay.

  Estados Unidos: United States.

  familia/la familia: Family. One of the most important things in Spanish-speaking cultures is one’s family. Familias are always there to feed, help, and support each other.

  fiesta: Party; festival.

  flan de coco: Flan is a custard made with milk, eggs, and sugar with a caramel sauce. Coco means coconut, so a flan de coco would be a custard made with coconut.

  Frida Kahlo (1907–1954): One of Mexico’s most famous female painters. She did many self-portraits, and her face is often seen on merchandise throughout Mexico.

  fuera: A demand to get out.

  fútbol: Yes, it sounds like football, but “football” to most of the world actually means “soccer” to people in the United States.

  gelatina: A gelatin dessert, like Jell-O.

  gracias: One of the most useful words to know in any language, meaning “thank you.”

  Gracias a Dios: Thank God.

  gringo/gringos/gringa: A white person or a person from the United States. When ending in an a, it is used for a female. These words are not usually meant as insults, just as a way to describe someone.

  guanaco: A slang word for a person from El Salvador, but most Salvadorans do not like being called guanaco and find it highly offensive.

  ha estado allí: The formal way to ask, “Have you been there?”

  habés estado allí: In Central America, because they use the word vos, they would use this phrase to ask, “Have you been there?”

  hasta: Technically means “until,” but when Rafa says it as a slang term or abbreviation, he’s saying “later” as in “see you later.”

  hermanito: Little brother. Hermano means “brother” or even “buddy.”

  iglesia: Church. Padre Kevin’s Iglesia de Santo Domingo would be Saint Dominic’s Church in English.

  jefa: A term of respect meaning “boss lady.” The person addressed doesn’t have to be your boss. To a man, you’d say jefe.

  Jesús Cristo: Jesus Christ.

  Julieta: Juliet, as in Romeo and Juliet.

  la bestia: Literally meaning “the beast,” this is the nickname that has been given to the freight train that travels through Mexico, often laden with illegal immigrants on top of its boxcars. This train is also known as “The Iron Worm” and “The Train of Death.”

  la migra: A slang term for immigration officers who are present all over Mexico and into the United States. Their job is to stop illegal immigrants and send them back to their countries.

  la tele: An abbreviation meaning “television,” like saying “TV.”

  lempira: The monetary unit for Honduras.

  Los Fuegos: A made-up violent gang whose name means “the Fires.”

  malcriado: Used to signify people who are rude, obnoxious, disrespectful, and/or spoiled.

  Mamá/mama: Mom; mother. Also a term of endearment like “honey” or “sweetie,” often used by an older woman to a younger girl.

  mamacita: A word with different meanings, depending on who says it. A boy will say it to a girl he thinks is attractive, but it can also be a term of endearment like mamá above. While technically it means “little mama,” when Rafa calls Ángela mamacita, he’s pretty much calling her “babe.”

  mamey: A tropical fruit that looks a bit like a melon but grows on a tree. The inside is sweet and orangey pink with a big center seed.

  mami: Means “mommy,” but when Pulguita uses it while speaking to Jaime and Miguel, he’s using it as a putdown toward Jaime’s mamá.

  mamita: Another word of endearment like “sweetie,” used toward little girls or a pet.

  masa:  The moist, uncooked cornmeal that is used to make tortillas and tamales, similar to dough.

  me imagino: Although it technically means “I imagine,” it’s used the same as “I guess so.”

  mercado: A market composed of lots of stalls or booths, either indoors or outdoors.

  mermelada: Jam; jelly; marmalade.

  mi hijo: Another term of endearment, meaning “my son.” It is often contracted to mijo and can be said by anyone, not just a parent.

  mi madre: My mother.

  micoleon: A small rainforest mammal of Central and South America that looks like a cross between a ferret and a monkey, even though it’s neither.

  mira: Technically it means “look” but it can also mean “hey.”

  mi amiga/mis amigas: My girl friend/my girl friends. To include both boy and girl friends, it would be mis amigos.

  Mona Lisa: Perhaps the most famous painting in the world, painted by Leonardo da Vinci.

  muerto: Dead.

  mule: Someone who carries illegal things, usually drugs, on their body to smuggle them into a country.

  muñeca: A doll. The term can also be an advance from a man toward a woman he thinks is attractive.

  nada: In the context used, it means “nothing.”

  Nuevo México: New Mexico, where Tomás lives.

  niños: Children.

  Niñita: Little girl.

  no es necesario: Literally means “it’s not necessary,” but when said in regards to payment, it implies “don’t worry about it.”

  no lo toques: Don’t touch him. Officers are very strict about not touching working dogs.

  Norte: North.

  once: Eleven.

  oye: Technically means “listen” but is often used to mean “hey.”

  padre: Father. Can refer to a priest or to a dad.

  paloma: A woman’s name. Also means “dove” or “pigeon.”

  Pancha plancha con cuatro planchas: Part of the tongue twister Pancha plancha con cuatro planchas. ¿Con cuantas planchas plancha Pancha? The English translation isn’t a tongue twister: “Frances irons with four irons. With how many irons does Frances iron?”

  Pancho: A man’s name; a nickname for Francisco. The English equivalent would be Frankie or Frank.

  parque: Park. Parque de San José, where Miguel was murdered, translates to Saint Joseph’s Park.

  papi: Daddy. When Ángela says it to Joaquín, it has a motherly connotation like “sweetie.”

  patojos: Slang used in Central America to address friends or people. It pretty much means “you guys.”

  pero: But. Not to be confused with perro, which is “dog.”

  peso: The Mexican currency. Like the dollar, the symbol for peso is $, which can sometimes be confusing if you don’t know which currency someone is talking about. Currently one US dollar equals seventeen Mexican pesos.

  plumas: Feathers. In some countries it also means “pens” (from when feathers were used as pens or quills).

  pobrecito: A word of sympathy, meaning “poor thing” or “poor dear.”

  por fa: A slang word for please and the same as saying “pretty please.”

  por favor: Please (another good word to know).

  por qué: Why. Not to be confused with porque, which means “because.”

  Prevocacional (also called Ciclo Prevocacional): School systems in other countries differ from those in the U.S. In the case of Guatemala, a prevocational school is similar to middle school or secondary school. Many children in Guatemala do not attend school beyond sixth grade, so for Miguel to attend a prevocacional was a big deal.

  pues: Well; so. Used at the beginning of a sentence as an interjection.

  pues, con vos: Well, with you.

  pulguita: Little flea. It is common for Spanish speakers to give people nicknames based on what they look or act like. Also, most gang members take on new names
to keep their real identities secret.

  pupusas: A Salvadoran dish made from corn masa and stuffed with beans, meat, and cheese, then fried.

  qué: Can mean “what” or “how” and only has an accent mark when it’s used at the start of a question or exclamation.

  que Dios los bendiga: God bless you all.

  que pena: What a shame.

  querida/querido: Just like the word “dear,” you can use it to start a letter, say it to someone special, or start a prayer. Ending with an a is for a girl; with an o is for a boy.

  quetzales: Guatemalan money. The value of money is always changing, but at the moment one US dollar equals almost eight Guatemalan quetzales.

  rápido: Quickly.

  Río Bravo: Literally means “brave river” or “fierce river,” and it’s what Mexicans and Central Americans call the Rio Grande, the river that separates Mexico from the United States.

  salchichas: Pork sausages, often eaten for breakfast.

  San Francisco: Also known as St. Francis, the patron saint for children, animals, and travelers. Praying to him while traveling is said to help for a safe journey.

  Santa María, Madre de Dios: Part of the Hail Mary prayer, it means, “Holy Mary, mother of God.”

  sálganse: An order for a group to get out.

  sentate: How many Central Americans say “(you) sit down.” In other Spanish-speaking countries it’s more common to hear siéntate (informal) or siéntese (formal).

  Señor: Mister.

  si: Means “if” but is often confused with sí (with an accent), which means “yes.”

  sí: With the accent mark on the i it means “yes”; otherwise it means “if.”

  sí, soy yo: Yes, it’s me.

  siesta: A nap, often taken in the afternoon.

  son mexicanos: As a question, this means “are you guys Mexican?” As a statement it changes to “they are Mexican”.

  Sur: South.

  tain ahn tu: This is Jaime’s attempt to speak English. He’s saying “ten and two” because he doesn’t know the word for twelve.

  tank you: Jaime’s way of saying “thank you.” For many Spanish speakers, making the “th” sound is very difficult.

  tanks geeveen: This is what Jaime hears as “Thanksgiving” when he sees movies about Thanksgiving.

  telenovela: A soap opera known for being overly dramatic.

  tenés razón: Another example of how Central Americans would say “you have reason” or “you’re right.” Other Spanish speakers would say tienes razón or tiene razón.

  tía: Aunt; auntie. It’s common to call female relatives tía even without their given name.

  tío: Uncle. Like tía, tío can be used without a given name.

  tíos: Can mean more than one uncle or a combination of aunts and uncles.

  típico: In the context used, it means “how typical.”

  tostones: Like the French fries of Latin America, often served with beans. They are made from green plantains that have been cut, smashed, salted, and fried. A plantain looks like a green overgrown banana and needs to be cooked before eaten.

  tú: The informal word for you, used among friends or when addressing someone younger. Tu (without the accent mark) would mean “your.”

  tú años: This is incorrect Spanish, spoken by someone who doesn’t know the language. It literally means “you years” but asks the question “How old are you?”

  turrón: A hard nougat made with sugar, egg whites, and almonds. Very sweet and very popular in Spanish-speaking countries.

  un paso a la vez: One step at a time.

  un tigre, dos tigres, tres tigres: A tongue twister that is hard to say fast. It doesn’t work in English but translates to “one tiger, two tigers, three tigers.”

  usted: The formal word for “you,” often used to show respect toward strangers or older people, although some cultures use it for everyone.

  volcán: Volcano. Volcán Tacaná is the “Tacaná Volcano.”

  vamos: Let’s go. Also can be said as vámonos.

  váyanse: An order to go away or leave.

  ven: Come; come here.

  ven aquí un momento: Come here for a moment.

  Vida: Life. Also a woman’s name.

  viejita: Little old lady. Vieja means “old lady.”

  viejo: Old man. Viejito means “little old man.”

  vos: The Central American (and sometimes South American) way of saying “you,” while most other Spanish-speaking countries would say tú or usted. Verbs paired with vos can change in a way that might seem unfamiliar to speakers who don’t typically use the vos form.

  y: And.

  ya: Now.

  yo no sé: I don’t know.

  yo también: Me too.

  Further Reading for All Ages

  Picture Books:

  Colato Laínez, René. From North to South: Del Norte al Sur. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 2010.

  Mateo, José Manuel. Migrant: The Journey of a Mexican Worker. New York: Abrams, 2014.

  Pérez, Amada Irma. My Diary from Here to There: Mi diario de aquí hasta allá. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 2013.

  Tonatiuh, Duncan. Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation. New York: Abrams, 2014.

  Graphic Novel:

  Tan, Shaun. The Arrival. New York: Arthur A. Levine, 2007.

  Middle Grade:

  Ada, Alma Flor, and F. Isabel Campoy. Yes! We Are Latinos: Poems and Prose About the Latino Experience. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2013.

  Alvarez, Julia. Return to Sender. New York: Random House, 2010.

  Bjorklund, Ruth. Immigration. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2012.

  Blohm, Judith M., and Terri Lapinsky, eds. Kids Like Me: Voices of the Immigrant Experience. Boston: Intercultural Press, 2006.

  Gonzalez, Christina Diaz. The Red Umbrella. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2010.

  Lai, Thanhha. Inside Out and Back Again. New York: HarperCollins, 2011.

  Menchú, Rigoberta, with Dante Liano. The Girl from Chimel. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2005.

  Mikaelsen, Ben. Red Midnight. New York: HarperCollins, 2002.

  Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Esperanza Rising. New York: Scholastic, 2000.

  Walker, Robert. Pushes and Pulls: Why Do People Migrate? New York: Crabtree Publishing, 2010.

  Young Adult:

  Nazario, Sonia. Enrique’s Journey (The Young Adult Adaptation): The True Story of a Boy Determined to Reunite with His Mother. New York: Random House, 2014.

  Restrepo, Bettina. Illegal. New York: HarperCollins, 2011.

  Online Resources:

  “Guatemala Facts.” Nation Facts. http://nationfacts.net/guatemala-facts.

  Schultz, Colin. “At Least 47,000 Children Have Illegally Crossed the Border Since October: And tens of thousands more are expected to cross before the year’s out.” Smithsonian magazine online. June 13, 2014. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/47000-children-have-illegally-crossed-border-october-and-tens-thousands-more-are-coming-180951740/?no-ist.

  Further Reading for Teachers

  (Some may not be appropriate for children.)

  Akers Chacón, Justin, and Mike Davis. No One Is Illegal. Chicago: Haymarket Books, 2006.

  Bridging Refugee Youth and Children’s Services. http://www.brycs.org.

  Dominguez Villegas, Rodrigo. “Central American Migrants and ‘La Bestia’: The Route, Dangers, and Government Responses.” Migration Policy Institute. September 10, 2014. http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/central-american-migrants-and-la-bestia-route-dangers-and-government-responses.

  El Norte. Film directed by Gregory Nava. 1983.

  “The Facts on Immigration Today.” Center for American Progress. October 23, 2014. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/report/2014/10/23/59040/the-facts-on-immigration-today-3.

  Isacson, Adam, Maureen Meyer, and Gabriela Morales. “New WOLA Report on Mexico’s Southern Border.” Washington Office on Latin Amer
ica. June 17, 2014. http://www.wola.org/publications/mexicos_other_border.

  Kahn, Carrie. “A Flood of Kids, on Their Own, Hope to Hop a Train to a New Life.” NPR News radio program. June 11, 2014. http://listen.sdpb.org/post/flood-kids-their-own-hope-hop-train-new-life.

  The Other Side of Immigration. Documentary film directed by Roy Germano. 2009.

  Sin Nombre. Film directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga. 2009.

  Torres, Olga Beatriz. Memorias de mi viaje: Recollections of My Trip. Translated by Juanita Luna-Lawhn. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1994.

  Urrea, Luis Alberto. The Devil’s Highway: A True Story. New York: Hachette, 2005.

  Bibliography

  (Some may not be suitable for young readers.)

  Byrne, Zoë. “Guatemalan Funeral Traditions: A look into traditional Guatemalan beliefs about death and funerals.” Seven Ponds Blog. June 12, 2014. http://blog.sevenponds.com/cultural-perspectives/guatemalan-funeral-traditions.

  Carina, an undocumented Guatemalan living in the US in a personal interview with the author, March 10, 2015.

  “Central American Insomnia.” Médecins Sans Frontieres. August 4, 2014. http://www.msf.org/article/central-american-insomnia.

  Eichstaedt, Peter. The Dangerous Divide: Peril and Promise on the US–Mexico Border. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2014.

  Daily Mail. “From Bribing Drug Cartels and Immigration Officials to Paying for Hotels and Train Rides: Coyote Smugglers Reveal Costs Involved in Smuggling Child Migrants from Central America to the U.S.” July 22, 2014. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2700946/From-bribing-drug-cartels-immigration-officials-paying-hotels-train-rides-Coyote-smugglers-reveal-costs-involved-smuggling-child-migrants-Central-America-U-S.html.