At 19 she arrived at the shores of Miami, with nothing but the clothes on her back and a small bag she hastily put together. She followed the families who arrived with her to a large building where they were given a small bag with a few necessities and were asked to file paperwork. Her name, her date of birth etc.

Then, before she knew it, in what she describes as a tornado, she was standing on the side walk. Two bags in her hands, in a foreign country, and no where to go. A gentleman that saw her lost expression gave her 5$ and told her to go to Hialeah. He said she’d find work there, a cousin of his owned a factory there and would make sure she’d have a job.

Working on blind faith, she did as she was told. She got on the bus and headed for what would be her new home. She sat down on the bus, and a large black woman sat beside her, quietly knitting while she hummed, when she saw how lost Loli was she offered her a smile, the universal language of peace. The woman spoke to Loli throughout the trip, Loli barely understanding her, but the tone of her voice was soothing, distracted her from her nerves, and reminded her of her mom’s friends back home. Large sweet women, a little fire in them, but good people.

When the woman saw they were nearing Loli’s stop she pointed at the sign and smiled, nodding at her to let her know she had arrived. Loli thanked her, the woman made a small cross on Loli’s palm, a blessing before she got off and they never saw each other again.

Loli walked through the street until she found the name of the factory the man had told her to find, she stepped inside and saw it for what it was, a wig factory.

She approached a woman at the front who pointed her to a large wood door, she entered and the man spoke to her gruffly, very quickly realizing she was the girl his cousin had sent over. He spoke quickly, almost slurring his words together as he explained what she would be doing and how she would be doing it and showed her to her seat.

Loli’s feet weren’t even dry off the boat and she had, with dumb luck, struck a job sewing wings for 3$ an hour. She sat at the machine for four hours, she’d only get paid a half day that day seeing as the time she walked in, a bell rang and it was time to head home.

Home.

She had absolutely nowhere to go, and while the other women very quickly grabbed there things and punched out, she didn’t move as fast. Another young women grabbed her shoulder and squeezed, “Ven con migo.” She smiled linking arms with her and walked her to a burgundy van, she slid the door open and a few young men and women were waiting for her telling jokes and laughing.

Loli was brave, and dumb, things we’d never have done now, she did praying things would just be ok.

They drove to this two story apartment building where they all lived. She was given the couch in the girls apartment. They’d play dominoes and tell stories at night while a few of the girls cooked and the others lounged. She was still trying to gather her bearings.

Months went on like this, living in the apartment, cutting some of her check to help pay rent and food, the rest of it going into a can she kept between the springs of the couch. Collecting money for something, she didn’t know exactly what yet.

She was convinced she would never see her fiancé again.

She wasn’t entirely sure she cared to, but something about him always lingered in the back of her mind.