Arizmendi Interview 12/15/10

Interview with Alvaro Arizmendi of Pontoon Beach, Illinois

Conducted by Sarah Muñoz Dec. 15th, 2010

Sarah: Hello, my name is Sarah Muñoz and I’m here in Pontoon Beach with Mr. Arizmendi and he’s going to do an interview about an object that he has that inspires him. But, first, I want him to tell me a little about himself.

Alvaro: Hello, Sarah, my name is Alvaro Arizmendi and I’m 23 years old. I was born on the 3rd of July of [19]87 and I’m here with you to do an interview.

Sarah: Ok, and were you born here or where were you born?

Alvaro: No, I was born in the state of Mexico, Mexico.

Sarah: Ok, and how long have you been living in Pontoon Beach?

Alvaro: I have exactly like four years here in Pontoon Beach.

Sarah: And why did you decide to come and live here?

Alvaro: Well, I’ve been here for four years, I had lived here before and since the first time I lived here, I liked it. I fell in love with a girl here one time and maybe that’s why I decided to come back. I don’t know, I’ve always been here and even though I have family in other places, here is where I like to be.

Sarah: Do you have family here?

Alvaro: I have a brother and two children, but that’s all the family I have here.

Sarah: And now, do you want to tell me a little about your object, or your truck?

Alvaro: Ok, my object that inspires me is my truck, a Ford F150. It’s only been about four months since I bought it, but it’s very special to me and it inspires me because when I bought it, I didn’t think, or I hadn’t thought, about buying a car or a truck at that time, but I seen it and I felt like…Since the first time I seen it, I felt like it was something for me. And it inspires me because it’s big and I’ve always liked big things and that’s why it inspires me. Everywhere I go, I’m comfortable in it and I like riding in it. Everybody, or a lot of people, ask me, or say where I bought it or where I had it fixed. Everybody tells me that it’s nice and that they like it and that makes me feel better and inspires me. I feel like people respect me or look at me differently.

Sarah: Do you use your truck for work?

Alvaro: No, I work on a farm, but I don’t use it for work.

Sarah: Is there anything else you’d like to tell me about yourself or your family or your truck that I haven’t asked you?

Alvaro: Well, there are a lot of things I could tell you about me, but…I’ve been here, the first time I came was nine years ago, but later I had to leave because I felt alone and I didn’t have my family here. I went to Mexico for a while and afterwards I came back and I lived in other places in the United States like Phoenix, Arizona and Oregon, but because I had lived her before I felt that I liked it better here and I came back here again. It’s been four years since I came back and here is where I like to be even though I don’t have family here. I have friends and I like it here. I’ve worked here. I worked on a farm called Keller Farms in Collinsville, Illinois. I’ve worked there a long time and I’m happy there because I’ve worked here the whole time I’ve been in this area.

Sarah: Ok. Anything else?

Alvaro: I don’t think so.

Sarah: Alright, well, thank you very much for the interview and that’s it.

Alvaro: You’re welcome.

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