FOOD/HEALTH/ MIGRATION
Interviewee: Female, 24 years old
Setting: Took place after church, on Thursday 04/25/19
1. Where were you born?
W: San Diego, CA but was mainly raised in Mexico (12-13 years)
2. Where do you live now?
W: Bronx, New York
3. Can you tell me a bit about your story: (or 3 words you would use to describe your experience)
W: Compared to Mexico, here language has been a struggle to me. You know there's many phrases that are said here and when I first got here I did not understand. I can honestly say that live in general is better here than in Mexico, but I miss my family back home. Leaving my sister and other family members was and still is difficult for me. It has been hard to adjust, and even more difficult without them here.
4. Do you work & how many hours?
W: Yes I do work and about 4 days for an average of 6 hours. 6 hours is usually the longest for now.
5. Did you work back at home?
W: I did actually and much longer hours. I even worked for 7 days, for about 10 hours. But I can honestly say I get more tired here than over there.
6. How would you describe your time? Or the organization of your time?
W: It is bad here- every minute of every day one is in "movimiento." I honestly wish that I could stretch time here, because it is not enough here. I don't know if I can include this personal fact too, not only do I wish I had more time to finish things but to have my own personal time like read the bible and such.
7. What are 3 things that impact your schedule?
W: Trains, trains, and trains. I'm kidding, it isn't only trains but to be honest it takes so much time from my day compared at when I lived at Mexico.
Me (interviewer)-follow up: Why? Were things like closer than here?
W: Well I feel the traffic and transportation was different that here, and also the day seemed to go slower over there. So it did not feel like a long time to go from one place to another. As well I think jobs over here require much more of my attention and that consumes a lot of time in my schedule. The traffic as well is a larger struggle here, which also influences my schedule and causes me to be late. \
8. Living in the U.S would you call yourself "successful"?
W: Yes, way more here
9. What does "success" mean to you?
W: To me it means that my mom and sister are being taken care of. It means that my efforts offer a better life for them.
10. Was your health different back at home?
W: Well there is a large abundance of food options in the United States, but the quality of the food in Mexico is so much better. It taste different and I would say its even healthier.
(Me) Interviewer-follow up: So based on this would you say your eating routine is better now or worse?
W: It has been become worse-or bad.
11. When you lived back home do you feel like you had more time? More control?
W: Yeah!! There was not so much stress as like here. For example, here I notice that people are constantly dedicating all their time to work in order to pay for the expensive rents and all their other bills. But in Mexico you do not have rent and things are always going more smoothly. Obviously people don't live in the best conditions, but I don't know they have more control of their time and use it better. Also things are closer over there and one does not need to depend on trains like here.
12. Do you feel like emotional stability influences one's eating habits?
W: Definitely
13. Does life in the U.S, especifically N.Y seem too "rushed"?
W: Yes! It seems to be all about work in this country. In Mexico you do not need so much money to survive, like you do not need to pay rent and maybe you can't afford many things but you have your essentials. Here to even get an apartment it is so expensive and so many people focus on getting money, money, and more money. People are always going from one place to another to finish so many responsibilities. Time and lifestyle seems to be disorganized.
14. What makes most of your meals or snacks? How come?
W: Meals, I still try to be aware of what affects my health.
15. How does time influence eating routine's?
W: Well if for example I have time, I get to sit down and eat a full meal. But if not then that changes my options.
16. Do you think time and work stress have the same/equal level of effect on one's eating routine or are they completely different?
W: I feel that they are connected or even the same, because if you have enough time but not as much work (getting money) then you are worried and your eating routine or habits are affected. But if you have long working hours and getting a good amount of money, then you do not seem to have enough time along your day which causes you to make drastic changes or decisions within your eating routines. One even starts picking the quickest thing to eat, and sometimes that is the most unhealthy choice. It is a (negative) relationship (time & work) that does not seem to make sense, but it is happening in this country.
Setting: Took place after church, on Thursday 04/25/19
1. Where were you born?
W: San Diego, CA but was mainly raised in Mexico (12-13 years)
2. Where do you live now?
W: Bronx, New York
3. Can you tell me a bit about your story: (or 3 words you would use to describe your experience)
W: Compared to Mexico, here language has been a struggle to me. You know there's many phrases that are said here and when I first got here I did not understand. I can honestly say that live in general is better here than in Mexico, but I miss my family back home. Leaving my sister and other family members was and still is difficult for me. It has been hard to adjust, and even more difficult without them here.
4. Do you work & how many hours?
W: Yes I do work and about 4 days for an average of 6 hours. 6 hours is usually the longest for now.
5. Did you work back at home?
W: I did actually and much longer hours. I even worked for 7 days, for about 10 hours. But I can honestly say I get more tired here than over there.
6. How would you describe your time? Or the organization of your time?
W: It is bad here- every minute of every day one is in "movimiento." I honestly wish that I could stretch time here, because it is not enough here. I don't know if I can include this personal fact too, not only do I wish I had more time to finish things but to have my own personal time like read the bible and such.
7. What are 3 things that impact your schedule?
W: Trains, trains, and trains. I'm kidding, it isn't only trains but to be honest it takes so much time from my day compared at when I lived at Mexico.
Me (interviewer)-follow up: Why? Were things like closer than here?
W: Well I feel the traffic and transportation was different that here, and also the day seemed to go slower over there. So it did not feel like a long time to go from one place to another. As well I think jobs over here require much more of my attention and that consumes a lot of time in my schedule. The traffic as well is a larger struggle here, which also influences my schedule and causes me to be late. \
8. Living in the U.S would you call yourself "successful"?
W: Yes, way more here
9. What does "success" mean to you?
W: To me it means that my mom and sister are being taken care of. It means that my efforts offer a better life for them.
10. Was your health different back at home?
W: Well there is a large abundance of food options in the United States, but the quality of the food in Mexico is so much better. It taste different and I would say its even healthier.
(Me) Interviewer-follow up: So based on this would you say your eating routine is better now or worse?
W: It has been become worse-or bad.
11. When you lived back home do you feel like you had more time? More control?
W: Yeah!! There was not so much stress as like here. For example, here I notice that people are constantly dedicating all their time to work in order to pay for the expensive rents and all their other bills. But in Mexico you do not have rent and things are always going more smoothly. Obviously people don't live in the best conditions, but I don't know they have more control of their time and use it better. Also things are closer over there and one does not need to depend on trains like here.
12. Do you feel like emotional stability influences one's eating habits?
W: Definitely
13. Does life in the U.S, especifically N.Y seem too "rushed"?
W: Yes! It seems to be all about work in this country. In Mexico you do not need so much money to survive, like you do not need to pay rent and maybe you can't afford many things but you have your essentials. Here to even get an apartment it is so expensive and so many people focus on getting money, money, and more money. People are always going from one place to another to finish so many responsibilities. Time and lifestyle seems to be disorganized.
14. What makes most of your meals or snacks? How come?
W: Meals, I still try to be aware of what affects my health.
15. How does time influence eating routine's?
W: Well if for example I have time, I get to sit down and eat a full meal. But if not then that changes my options.
16. Do you think time and work stress have the same/equal level of effect on one's eating routine or are they completely different?
W: I feel that they are connected or even the same, because if you have enough time but not as much work (getting money) then you are worried and your eating routine or habits are affected. But if you have long working hours and getting a good amount of money, then you do not seem to have enough time along your day which causes you to make drastic changes or decisions within your eating routines. One even starts picking the quickest thing to eat, and sometimes that is the most unhealthy choice. It is a (negative) relationship (time & work) that does not seem to make sense, but it is happening in this country.