Nobel's Journey from Honduras to Minnesota

A Long Trip to Become Who I am: A Honduran Immigrant’s 

Journey

At the young age of 21 years old, Nobel Martinez took a journey to America. She tells her story of her journey to the United States from a Central American country named Honduras. The picture below is of Nobel Martinez now.

THE LONG JOURNEY BEGINS

My name is Nobel Martinez and I am from Honduras, a Central American country that borders Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. In the summer of 1992, when I was 21 years old, I took a journey that would change my life forever.

The journey would take me from my small village in Honduras to the United States. At the time I was going to school and working and I wasn't prepared, my brother, who was already in America, worked a year to save enough money and said "if you come and get a job here [in the US]. We can help our family back home together." Just two weeks prior to my departure he called and said everything is set up and ready, that I should come now. That is how it all began; I left by bus for Tegucigalpa, the capital city, to meet Omar, the cousin of my sister's ex-husband. Omar had made the contact with the coyote, who would handle our travel arrangements.(1) From Tegucigalpa, I took another bus to the Honduras/Guatemala border. It was about a 12-15 hour trip. I had my passport and visa to enter Guatemala legally, however once we crossed the border the "coyote" collected everyones' passports and picture IDs, from that point I was "illegal", since I did not have a visa to legally, cross the border from Guatemala to Mexico. Once you lose your passport, you can only go one direction, even if you are afraid.

NEXT STEP: CROSSING INTO MEXICO

The next step of the journey was getting from Guatemala to Mexico which involved traveling by fishing boat. It  took about 11 hours, with no water and no food, you really could not eat because of the waves in the Atlantic Ocean. Once in Mexico, we were transported in a big cattle truck to Vera Cruz, Mexico. The coyote had arranged for us to stay in a house in Vera Cruz for a few days. However, since the houses were so close, and the neighbors might call the police, we were not allowed to make noise. No one was allowed to leave the house during the day, and you were only allowed to use the bathroom or the shower between 10 pm and 2 am, that included everyone.

A coyote is a person who transports people from different countries and smuggles them into the United States. In 1992, they charged $3,500 per person, today it is $15,000 per person. They arrange for a large group, because it’s not worth for them just to take a few people at a time.

We left Vera Cruz, we traveled through the mountains to Oaxaca, at least that is what they told us. I wouldn't know because I didn’t know a thing about Mexico. We were there for three days sleeping in the sand with no food and bad water. We could not even take a shower because there was no clean water. There was a big puddle of water, which we tried to get all the mosquitoes away so we could drink.

HEADING NORTH

One morning at 3:00 am, a group of six Mexican men came to get us. We were told to quickly gather our belongings, we even had to leave some clothes that were drying. We walked for about eight hours, non-stop. When we came to a river they told us before you cross the river you have to take your pants off because they don’t want us to walk in wet clothes on the other side. Our clothes would be too heavy and they just want us to move faster. There is no shame, you just forget about who’s looking at you, you are not embarrassed anymore. We finally arrived in Mexico City, where we stayed for two days in another house the coyote had arranged. 

The next leg of my journey would be from Mexico City to Chihuahua. The coyote split us up into groups of three. We put on nice clothes, that we had been told to bring along, and went to buy our own tickets to Chihuahua. The coyote also gave each of us 200 Mexican pesos, which he said we would need for the Federals  at the check point. 

Just as we had been told, the Federals stopped the bus on our way to Chihuahua. We were on the bus for two hours and then they just stopped the bus in the middle of the road. We were asked for our ID, when we did not have any, we were taken off the bus. The Federals start asking, where are you going? What are you going do there? We knew then they said we don’t believe you; did a coyote give you the money? (Smile), as soon as we pay the 200 pesos they let us go and the bus continues on to Chihuahua.

LAST STOP IN MEXICO

We are getting closer to the border between Mexico and the United States. In Chihuahua, we stay at another two bedroom house with one bathroom, not big enough for 60 people. We wait until the coyote is ready to send us. There are many different people who have led us on parts of the journey. The main coyote was only at key points. He was in Honduras, he met us in Mexico City and then again at the border between US and Mexico.

By this time it has already been about two weeks, and people were getting sick. You hardly eat or sleep and you are always alert. The main thing in your mind, my family spent all this money you can’t mess up. If one person messes up then everybody has to go back. 

The time had come; they take us in a car to the border. At the border of the U.S. and Mexico there are three huge fences. It was nighttime, we climbed the fences that were made out of metal. When we crossed that and there were two more coyotes that were there waiting for us.

SO CLOSE

Then I could see the McDonald’s sign, that’s the US! And I mean just seeing the sign, I was like oh my gosh. But, it was nerve wracking because you know that you are close because you already got away from the police in Mexico but the US is very sophisticated with equipment so you have to be extra careful, obey the orders.

I climbed the fence, and then there were very thorny bushes along the edge. I was able to cross the easy way, since I’m short, and would not stand out over the bushes. The other 50 people in our group had to walk 8 to 10 hours through the desert.

The tension was very high, anytime there was a helicopter just checking we had to hide from the lights. We made it to the freeway, where another car waited for us, a small Volkswagen with three guys inside. It It was a very uncomfortable six hour drive to Phoenix with 13 people in the car. We were always aware on the risks. The coyote told us if they pull us over I’m running and you’re on your own.

Finally we arrived in Phoenix, Arizona at another house waiting for the others. In the end, all 60 people who started out this journey together made it.  

FOOTNOTES

(1) Coyote. Is a person who transports people from different countries and smuggles them into the United States.


STORY FACILITATORS: 
Nicole Martinez, Ali Mooty and Ben Carlson