Chapter 1:

The Adventure Begins

All of the students at Northgate High School in Los Angeles wait for the end of the year with great anticipation. In all the classrooms one can hear jokes, laughter and animated conversations about what everyone will do during summer vacation.

In Spanish class, the teacher also jokes and, at the same time, gives good advice:

"Graduation day is near, and I know that you will all be very sad, hmm? But we won't be forgetting our Spanish during the summer. That's why we must speak, practice and read Spanish, so we don't forget it. For two students in this class, it will be very easy, because they will be spending the summer in Mexico: Jamie Gonzalez and Philip Armstrong! Bon voyage, Jamie and Philip, have a very good trip!"

All together, the students chant:

"Bon voyage!"

Jamie and Philip smile. Upon hearing his name, Philip, a tall and athletic eighteen-year-old, stands up. With exaggerated formality, he inclines his head towards the other students, who applaud and whistle.

Like Philip, Jamie gets to her feet and waves to her classmates when the teacher announces her trip. In her dark eyes there is true warmth. Her hair, equally dark, is thick and curly. A slender, rather petite girl, Jamie, even though she is eighteen, looks much younger. With a warm smile, she looks towards her classmates and murmurs "thanks" for their applause and congratulations.

But in Jamie's appearance, there is something more than simple excitement of a trip to a such a different, historically-rich place as Mexico. Something serious, complicated, secret; a shadow.

"Time's up, class!" the teacher says. "Have a great summer!"

And all of the students, including Jamie, leave the classroom laughing.

That night, Jamie occupies herself with last-minute shopping, packing her belongings and leaving everything ready for her trip the next day. Of course, she calls her best friend, Rosie, who asks her to write from Mexico and tell her everything. Now very late, before bedtime, she brings out an old photo from the top of room's desk. After a few moments, she takes out her diary from her luggage and writes:

Dear Diary:

There are only a few hours left until my trip to Mexico. I can't believe it! Tomorrow morning, I will be in Querétaro, the city where my father's family has its roots! What will the city be like? My dad has told me that during the Mexican Revolution, his family was very important there.

But it's curious. There is no one from my father's side of the family in Querétaro. Something happened and, after the Revolution, all of the family disappeared.

But, what could have happened? How could they have lost their fortune? I know that it had something to do with my father's grandmother, my great grandmother. But what? I stare and I stare at her photo to see if it can help me understand all of this. But the beautiful and elegant lady in the photo, Ms. Josefa de Gonzalez—"La Catrina"—the one my father used to speak of, only stares back at me. Her dark eyes, my father's eyes—my eyes—don't say anything to me.

What would this lady think of me? I am her American great-granddaughter, from a Mexican father and a Puerto Rican mother. Would she be proud of me or my studies in Spanish? Hopefully so! How I would love to know more about her!

Well, now I have to sleep. Good night, dear Diary. See what I tell you tomorrow.

Jamie looks at the photo one more time. Later she packs it with her diary between the clothes in her suitcase.

Jamie and Philip's flight is directly from Los Angeles to Mexico City. Upon arriving at the Benito Juarez International Airport of Mexico City, the two search through the crowd for the representative from the Cultural Exchange Committee. He should be there to receive them.

After a few minutes, Jamie and Philip see a short and stout man, who, with much difficulty among the crowd, is trying to hold up a poster with the words "Exchange Committee". Upon seeing Philip, the man smiles with relief and waves his hand. He is sure that boy, so tall and blond, is one of the students from the U.S. that he is looking for.

But seeing Jamie, the man seems confused.

"Good morning, son," he says to Philip. "I suppose that you are one of the students that are going to Querétaro."

"Yes, yes it is," Philip replies. "I'm Philip…Felipe Armstrong, from Los Angeles. And this is Jamie Gonzalez."

"I don't understand," says the man, surprised. "I was told that there were two boys. It is for the cultural exchange program, right? Are you Jaime, Jaime Gonzalez?"

"I'm Jamie, sir," Jamie answered. "Not Jaime. But we are from the program, yes."

The man smiled.

"Well, welcome to Mexico, Jamie. And you as well, Felipe. It was our mistake, I suppose it was because of the name. I am Jorge Moreno, at your service. But finally, you are here. Welcome to Mexico! Now follow me, please. We have to hurry to arrive at the train station on time."

Driving his car like an expert through the crowded capital city streets, Mr. Moreno brings Jamie and Felipe to the train station. It seems as if all the cars in the city are blocking poor Mr. Moreno's path. By a miracle, they arrive on time for the train platform for Querétaro.

Mr. Moreno helps Jamie and Felipe find their seats. Later, shaking his head, he says:

"What an ordeal, huh? But so is life here, at the D.F.* Now, kids, careful with the luggage, and don't lose any suitcases. You will like Querétaro very much; it is beautiful, and much more peaceful than here."

Lastly, when the train was leaving, Mr. Moreno calls to Jamie and Felipe from the platform:

"And above all, don't forget the rule: speak only Spanish!"

On the train, the two fall asleep almost immediately. They awake after a while when they hear the conductor.

"Tickets, please, tickets…"

The window looks out upon a dry and harsh landscape, of a simple, severe beauty. Jamie takes in the view, amazed. She thinks of what she has read from the region's history; for these same desert lands were where the greatest heroes of the Mexican War of Independence lived: Father Miguel Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende. Here, the unfortunate Emperor Maximilian of Austria was assassinated in 1867, deserted by the French government that he had installed in Mexico. Suddenly, a question from Felipe brings Jamie back to the present:

"Why did you pick Querétaro?" He asks in English.

"Because here are my family's roots*," Jamie replies, changing to Spanish nonchalantly. The Spanish teacher, Mrs. Corona, always used that trick with students that insisted on speaking English in the classroom.

"Raíces? What are 'raíces'?" This time, Felipe says it in Spanish.

"Well, in the ground, a tree has its…roots. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it."

The two laugh. Jamie had perfectly imitated the way the teacher explained words without using English. And the two both understand, like friends.

Arriving at the Querétaro station, there is the same name confusion about Jamie's name. Her Mexican family, the Navarros and their son Carlos, look for a "Jaime" among the people who had gotten off the train. Jamie approaches Mr. Navarro, who holds a sign that reads "Jaime Gonzales", and introduces herself.

"But 'Jaime' is a boy's name!" insists Mrs. Navarro.

"Well, yes, ma'am, but my name is Jamie," she repeats her name, slower, "And I am a girl."

"Of course," interjects the Navarros' son. "I'm Carlos Navarro. It's nice to meet you."

"Yes, our son," says his father.

Felipe approaches Jamie to say goodbye, as he introduces himself to the Navarros as well.

"Don't forget to call me," Felipe reminds her.

Carlos had come with little enthusiasm to pick up "the American". He had little interest in Jaime, the boy who would have to share a room with him. But Jamie, this pretty girl, the truth was quite a pleasant surprise!

"Are those two a couple?" Carlos wonders, looking on at Felipe and Jamie.

Also watching the two avidly, lost among the crowd leaving the platform, there is a man wearing a dark suit. Without taking his eyes off the Navarros and Jamie, he picks up the receiver of the train station payphone. He speaks with a low, urgent voice:

"Demetrio? Santana speaking. The kids are here. What? Yes, she is also here. Yes, of course."

The man hangs up the phone and writes something in a small notepad. He does not stop watching the Navarros and Jamie until all of them depart for the Navarro house in the family car.

*District Federal; a term for Mexico City

*Jamie refers to them as "raíces" in the original text