Jose, the Hotel Morelos desk clerk, has led an interesting life. He's been to the US twice. As a kid and teenager. He made suggestions to the local 4-H on ways to get Hispanic kids involved in the club. He formed a club called Today's Youth Tomorrow's Leaders. He helped the local police clean up the neighborhoods by going to Home Depot and asking them to donate paint and rollers to cover graffiti. He requested the JROTC be sent to his school because he always wanted to be a Marine. The Marines sent a trainer for class but couldn't fund an actual unit. They were brought to Camp Pendelton for a weekend. His commander, the chief of police, and teachers all worked hard to allow him access even though he was not a legal citizen. He and his classmates were lauded because the other trainees were good but his group was good, enthusiastic, happy, and thrilled to do the very tough training.
When the police asked how they could help keep kids out of gangs, he told them they are angry, which makes them violent. He went to his school, asked for space and time to teach the kids boxing, went to a fight gym and got trainers to volunteer time. The kids' grades didn't always go up but they stopped going down and didn't join the gangs.
He lives with his Mom and Dad right now and thinks American kids miss out by not staying with their parents "through their teen years, when they hate them, until they become friends and roommates" He thinks children become better people when they grow up in multi-generational households. "They respect older people". And "kids are a lot of work, you know the saying it takes a village, it does." He acknowledged that people don't live that way if they have money, only if money is an issue.
He is training to be an acupuncturist.
He smiles when he tells me he has a gift that he's used many times, for talking to people and convincing them to do things.
His GF is currently attending school in Washington. She loves his parents and they love her. Twins run in both families and his Mom is bold in saying they would like a grandson soon to carry on the family name.
He had a full-ride scholarship to college from 4-H but the program to allow illegals to earn their way into the country by attending college was rescinded. He was offered access for one semester but couldn't see the point and returned to Mexico.
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