Students Living in Mexico Cross the Border for a Better Education bsacks - Neon Tommy
go to original February 18, 2013

For nearly four years, Juan Rodriguez lived in two worlds. He lived with his family in Tijuana, and he went to high school across the border, in the United States.

Every day, he woke up at 4 a.m., eating a plate of eggs for breakfast, to embark on a three hour journey to get to school by public transportation. He played football in high school and graduated with honors, and today he’s a sophomore at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

But he didn’t go without obstacles. He is a U.S. citizen, but had to use his aunt’s address to attend school, since the school district does not legally permit students living across the border to attend unless they pay tuition.  For this reason, Rodriguez requested that his name be changed for this story.

Though the exact number is unknown, Rodriguez is not alone in his pursuit of a U.S. education. Students living in Mexico attend schools dispersed throughout the San Diego area. Some are Mexican citizens and some are American, he said. Rodriguez thinks about 100 students at his high school were living in Mexico.

After living in both the United State and Mexico, a U.S. education was the obvious choice for him.

“Everything in the United States is better,” said Rodriguez.

Read the whole story at Neon Tommy

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