Undocumented and Awkward: Episode 1

As undocumented immigrants living in this country, there are many instances in our lives which result in awkwardness not experienced by American citizens. Things that millions of others take for granted, such as driving to the grocery store or the ability to go to a bar to enjoy a nice cold beer after a long hard day at work, can turn into awkward silences at best, or deportation situations at worst.

In this episode, Jesus experiences an awkward ping of the heart when he shows up to a blind date at a club and is barred from entering because he doesn't have an American-issued identification card.

Do YOU have an awkward moment that you'd like to share with us? Leave us a comment! We might just run with your experience (because chances are, we've experienced something similar) and create a video around the idea!

You can also send us an email at dreamersadrift@gmail.com.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Dream Act
• Immigrants Rights
• Awkward
• Comedy

[paolaura08]

@belindalucero oh I c, ur afraid some1 can try to get you deported. well if that is the case I can def understand... Another thing tho, [supposedly] if your papers are in progress, it is already known that u are in the country [immigration is already aware]... so I don't really think other people knowing will harm the process... I would think that if they haven't deported u yet, and u are already accepted... but I wouldn't know that for sure... this is just what I was told.

[paolaura08]

@paolaura08 and I hope you don't think I was hostile with them about it either. I just told them upfront. Being undocumented is a crime, well "I've been a criminal since I was 3 years old." it sounds ridiculous, and it proved to that person that it was not my fault... I had no choice in where I grew up.

[belindalucero]

@paolaura08 I an not ashamed of being undocumented, but sometimes you just simply can't answer those questions with the truth. These things are delicate, and there are alot of legal things that you can't talk about especially if your papers are in progress. These sort of things require a lot of discretion, sometimes it could even be dangerous to expose yourself like that to people. So if I don't disclose my status is bc of my SAFETY not bc I'm embarrased.

[paolaura08]

@belindalucero well you're right, they assume u are a citizen and know u grew up there but what I am suggesting is for people to stop being ambarassed, because they've done nothing wrong. Lie if u want, or tell them straight out the truth. If they judge u for it, they are not worth ur time. Most ppl I have told asked more and more questions, because they didn't understand, but they did not judge... they were just curious. the ones that did jude didn't bother me. Showed me how ignorant they were.

[belindalucero]

@paolaura08 Yea I have avoided going to clubs. I try to avoid these situations as much as I can!

[paolaura08]

@belindalucero my main point... you've done nothing wrong and have nothing to be ambarassed about. Especially if you were brought to the US as a child, it wasn't your choice. Before I left the states, I just answered with the truth-- I stopped caring. "yeah, I'm undocumented. been here since I was 3. why? does that bother you?"

[belindalucero]

@paolaura08 That is not really practical, Sometimes those questions come up casually when you are among a group of people just talking, there is no need to be hostile to them. Like I said before, sometimes if they know you grew up in the US, they assume you have become a citizen by now. They don't realize that you could have lived here all your life as undocumented!

[paolaura08]

@belindalucero I've had those uncomforable moments trying to get into a bar with "friends" that didn't know my situation... they started asking questions "why don't you just renew your ID?" I'd make up excuses but after that first time it happened, I either avoided the situation [going to clubs] or quit answering questions. "bc I haven't felt like it, that's why!"

[paolaura08]

@belindalucero well, to be honest I didn't like answering questions if they weren't close. I'm like that to this day with everything. If you don't know me well, you don't need to know where I work, how much I make, whether I can vote or not... I guess what I'm saying is, you don't have to answer them if you don't want to. Why do you have to explain yourself to them?? if it makes you uncomfortable, tell them it's none of their business... it's personal.

[belindalucero]

@paolaura08 Yup! That is exactly what most of us do, try to invent a whole bunch of excuses! to explain why you can't do so many of the things that they do. Have you watched Undocumented and Akward Episode 3? That episode does a really good job at showing how uncomfortable it is when people start questioning you :)