“I’ve lived in the Barrio Las Chacritas since two or three years ago. I moved, because I did not like the other neighborhood, so I came here. I used to live in the 13 (Barrio Santa Lucia). The most important moment of my life is when I started working on my own. And from this moment, everything was totally different, because I did not have to depend on anyone. I knew I could be independent. I did not need to ask for money to my dad, although my dad was never present. My dad raised me for a while, and then my sister raised me. I am 18 years old now, since I was 14 or 15 I’m working on my own. I started working on my own from one day to the next.

The most difficult moment of my life was when my parents divorced, because I had to choose to depend on my dad or on my mom. Until one day I chose to stay with my mom, and not with my dad. It was the most difficult moment, because I knew that if I went with my dad, I was not going to ever see my mom. And if I stayed with my mom, I was not going to see my dad. So I stayed with my mom, and never saw my dad again. I saw my dad in few occasions six or seven years ago, and then I did not see him anymore. And until today I did not see him again.

If I had not left school, I would have a better job. As I did not want to go, I left school. I abandoned school when I was in 7th grade. I had failed that grade three times because I did not like studying. Then, I regretted it, but it was too late. Some people suggested me to attend night class, but I do not like going to school. I used to work in the morning, and during the afternoon I went to school. When I left school, I started working all day. I learned to work as a mechanic with my brother in law.

My mom lives a half hour walk from here. My sister lives here, and another brother lives in the Barrio Santa Lucia. My dad lives in Longchamps, and he had another son. The kid is eight or nine years old. Now he had a different partner, and I never saw him again.”