My brother in law who came over on the Mariel Boatlift in about 1980 has described the conditions that they were living under at that time. It wasn't good. I don't completely grasp why he would take the chance to go back every few years to see his family because of the risk involved. I guess the attraction to his first family overides the commitment to the life he made here.
Things have changed and he will stop returning because his Mom had passed. He still sends money almost every month to help them out. Life is rough over there.
I'm about the only Gringo he can speak to and it's getting tougher to understand him every time I see him. He has a very scratchy voice and I speak very poor Spanglish. Somehow we have become like brothers over the years. He is so grateful to be an American. The day he was crowned American was the only time I saw him cry. He's worried to death about the brothers and sister he has over there but is hopeful for their freedom.
God help them all.
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