Guatemala

Guatemala is the Central American country where Claudia and her family live. Nestled between Mexico, Belice, Honduras, and El Salvador, Guatemala is a relatively poor country. Claudia and her family have different levels of attachment to the country. While Claudia appreciates her childhood there, she looks forward to her new life in the U.S. Meanwhile, Sindy is adamant that she wants to stay. The family’s life in Guatemala is shown to have few opportunities for upward mobility.

The United States

The United States is a powerful and relatively wealthy nation in North America, referred to by some of the characters in the memoir as “El Norte.” Claudia reflects on the number of people from her small town of Mayuelas who decide to migrate to the U.S. Mamá and eventually her three daughters all end up living in the U.S., where Claudia struggles to...