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Show THERE ARE NO IMMIGRANTS IN THE WORLD 48 Chapter 4: Findings The narratives in this research revealed a vast depth of emotions, conveying attitudes that were both deeply sad as well as profoundly inspiring. The main findings uncovered through my analysis of the data gathered were resiliency, internalized oppression, the personal toll of NAFTA, and strong personal relationships. In this chapter, I analyze key findings that emerged from the participants' interviews. I then use aspects from the wealth of literature on immigration as well as personal examples from the participants to support my assertions. Although the interviews offered an abundance of information, I chose to focus on the four themes that were most prevalent throughout the interviews. These finding are not meant to be exhaustive, but rather a starting point in a process of beginning to understand the lived experiences of undocumented Mexican immigrant men and the personal effects of this life on individuals. Resiliency: Internal Attributes Due to the amount of pain and hardship experienced by the participants, it was tempting to focus my findings solely on those aspects of their lives. However, to do so would be a misrepresentation of the men. Although the men's lives were difficult and they responded with sadness when telling their stories, the men also repeatedly demonstrated significantly high levels of resilience. Systematic Skills. The men exhibited a sophisticated level of systematic skills as they interacted with various social systems including labor, social services, education, and informal systems of support. This enabled them to meet the needs of their unique circumstances. Each participant had either full-time or seasonal employment that they secured through informal support networks in their various communities. Joseph, for example, worked 90 hours a week at |
