Literary AO3: Dominicana

"In New York, I'll have...

...a closet full of dresses and jewellery"

"Juan is the ticket...

...for all us to eventually go to America"

Rural v Urban: "no green...

...to speak of" vs Dominican countryside "everything is grey"

Ana sees five pigeons and "I name them Yohnny, Juanita...

...Betty, Teresa and Lenny" --family and homesickness

"Maybe the price of being an American....

...is to no longer have family to claim you"

Ana's mother writes to her to tell: "it's gotten pretty...

...bad out here" / "tell Juan to send money" "send money, send money. send money"

"Ana Canción was fifteen...

...Ana Ruiz is nineteen" --stolen childhood

"soon all our fruit...

...trees will be barren" --lack of opportunity and prosperity in the Dominican Republic

"I attend the free...

...ESL lessons" #assimilation

"I want to study...

...maybe have my own business" -Ana has aspirations for the US

The phrases that Juan learns in English:

"Yes, sir" "No, sir" "Thank you" "dollars and cents" --necesities

"his stomach growls...

...from not having dinner" --Juan while he tries to find work in NY

Juan's first apartment in NY:

"a small room with two mattresses"

Betty tells Ana ____________ upon her leaving

"you're so lucky"

"Do I really....

...have a choice?" --Ana on her emigration

"Every day will feel...

...like a party" --unrealistic and childish expectations

"Oh how...

...I miss them" --Ana on family

"Everybody needs at least...

...a GED" --education for mobility

Ana dreams of 'my daughter and me, one day...

...running across the water" in Los Guayacanes "for once, I will know all the answers" --desire and plans for returning

"Juan disappears for months at a time to....

...stand on line to get work in the New Yorker Hotel"