Caninos Farmers Market(And more) in Houston!

   

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      We have different Farmers Markets in Houston. The one that I have gone to since I was young is known as  "Caninos Produce Co.". They have a 4.0 our of 5.0 Stars on Google Reviews. Most of the Produce is quite fresh and the further you walk back the riper and cheaper it gets. I recommend walking around first and asking for prices before you settle down on a buy. It can get very crowded and very hot during the summer. A lot of the Trucks are unloading produce in the back so you will experience some heat waves from all the motors but if you plan on staying in the front, you will be fine. Here are some things you will need or might want to bring:

CASH(They have an ATM in the front). Sunscreen. A hat, sunglasses and maybe a scarf(Some kind of protection ESPECIALLY during the Summer). A pair of dark shoes(You don't want to bring white shoes if you don't want to get them dirty! It gets very crowded but it's unlikely that someone will step on you). Your own bag or Reusable bags(C'mon guys, please recycle!). Water(They also sell drinks) And a little bit of knowledge in the Language of Spanish! Uno, dos, tres, cuatro! Vamonos! 

At Sprouts or your local Groceries store, a small jar of organic honey typically costs you around $15 or more. A big Jar of honey at Caninos can be $15-$20. The Jar is big enough to last you three months? Maybe even a year depending on how much you use honey. They also have a Gallons worth of Honey.

They also have homemade jellies and jam! As well as other spices and dried fruits/nuts!
Sorry. I don't have pictures.):

If you want ripe and really really really cheap produce go to the back where it says "El Tule Farms". Don't be afraid to negotiate on the prices! There are tons of different sellers so be careful not to get ripped off by another.

Tamarindo candy! There are two kinds.
This sweet one and
 a darker reddish colored one
 which is more spicy.

Some don't come already cut,
a man cuts them right in front of you for you!
Make sure to leave him a tip.
 It's hard work to peal a coconut in such a short amount of time. 

I can't give you too much information on the prices because they change with season and the ripeness of the produce but I can tell you that my family spends under $35 on a week and a half worth of fruits and veggies.

We did buy more vegetables, I just didn't take pictures sorry.

Don't forget to visit the bakery in front of Caninos. El Bolillo.

I will make a review on that later!

Here's a picture of me after Caninos.
I'm wearing a floral printed crop top from f21.
A high-waisted Jean skirt from TJ Max the brand is bcbg.
 And rialto comfort clogs. I also applied SPF 50 sunblock!

There are tons of little restaurants around the area in case you get hungry after all that heat and walking(if you didn't snack on everything you saw already at caninos lol)!

     

 cocktel de camaron!

Sopa de marisco

Broiled Fish



Hope you enjoyed my adventure going to Caninos Farmers Market!

My DACA experience and Finding a Job!

 You might or might not know this but I am an immigrant from Mexico. I was brought to the United States at the age of five going on six. My sister was only Three years old and my mom was twenty four. We arrived here on a tourist visa and eventually overstayed. We've been living here for roughly fifteen years.

       On June 15, 2012, DACA was presented to the public by the Obama Administration. A month later on August 15, 2012, childhood arrivals under the age of 31 who arrived here before their sixteenth birthday could start to apply. What is DACA?  DACA stands for Deferred Action for childhood arrivals. It grants childhood arrivals permission to stay within the United States for a period of two years(In other words, not get deported lol), Along with the Authorization to work.  Applying is not free. One has to pay total fee of $465! $380 fee plus $85 fee for biometric services(fingerprinting and photo). When meeting the required qualifications one is able to legally work, get a drivers licence and a social security. You may also apply for advance Parole which allows you to travel outside the United States under certain circumstances(You also have to pay a fee every time you need to leave). (More information can be found here: weownthedream , immigrationequality , uscis)

At first this was very scary for me because nothing was guaranteed. It does not grant a path to citizenship and after two years no one knows how easy or difficult it might be to reapply. Knowing this,  I waited a year to apply. I believe it was the right choice for me because a lot of people were scammed. Many people ended up paying over $1000 thinking that they needed lawyers(a lot of them don't) or professional assistance. For my case, professional assistance was not needed. All of my questions were answered by the Internet and from others personal experiences. For someone who lives on a minimum wage and is paying for everything themselves, one cannot afford to overpay. 

On September 25th I completed and sent in my paperwork(Along with the fee) through express mail. Some of the documents I had to provide with were copies of my birth certificate(With English translations since it's in Spanish), Expired Visa, Documentation of the time I was in school, High school Diploma and any other evidence that shows I was here for six years before June 15, 2012. My documents arrived at the USCIS office in Dallas(It can be different depending on where you live) two days later. The whole process took two months! You get a couple of letters and attend your biometrics. Once you get your biometrics done, you're basically accepted. This is where your fingerprints taken and your photo in order to make your Work Authorization ID. It took about a week or two to get my work Authorization ID.  I was very excited but soon found that you must apply for a State issued ID/Drivers License and a social security card on your own. It is not required but highly recommended in order to make things easier. Especially when applying for jobs and applying for your own apartment.   

 Applying for a social security was very easy. From my experience, You don't get asked many questions and many don't even know about the existence of DACA. All you do is present the documentations they ask for, they submit the information in to the system and tell you It takes two-three weeks for your social security card to come in the mail. They also give you some information on what it means to have a SSC. For getting your ID. You provide them with the necessary documents they ask for, they submit your information in to the system, They fingerprint you and you take a photo! I think you have to pay $15 too. I can't remember sorry. D:

I still cant believe I have an actual ID and... social security card? My goodness! I no longer feel like I don't exist. I can pay taxes and grow credit, I can legally work!!! . It's like a dream.  

  It has been four months since I've been able to live and work legally in the United States. During those four months I was working at a family owned restaurant near my house.  I quit before summer started because of the poor management. My fingernail fell off from the work they required me to do. The front of my cheeks under my eyes also became very red and the pores enlarged.( I'm kind of very disappointed and super sad about this because I try VERY VERY VERY VERY HARD to take care of myself and my skin. Ever since my Sophomore year in high school being healthy became a priority. It was one of the only thing that kept me positive about all I've been through since then. ) I'm looking for a better job where I wont be required to handle such harsh chemicals but it's become difficult. I've applied to a lot of places online and got very little interviews. I hope to soon find a good job and start going to college this fall!

I hope you enjoyed this entry. I'm sorry it's a little rushed but I hope to get better with my further entries. Feel free to ask any questions.

Im back!

     

       So I've decided to start up my blogger account again. This a cleaner and more personal way of expressing myself. Hopefully I will be able to have art up, some reviews from different stores I enjoy shopping from, as well as some of my daily thoughts.

I have had many good and bad experiences since my absence. Realizing that I wasn't always a mature, understanding individual was hard and embarrassing but that has only helped me on my continuous journey to grow. Sometimes you have to humiliate your ego in order to see the world in a different perspective.

Something that will never change and what helped me tremendously when my family became homeless is my optimism and ability to see the beauty in everything. A simple crack on the pavement became like gold to me. The man standing outside our door waiting for us to come out, disappeared. Sleeping with my mom and my sister in the same bug infested bed became a comfort and sense of security.
These things may or may not sound disgusting but at the time, it wasn't. At the time it was just another day. At the time I was okay with everything and I was happy. I was comfortable.

Anyway, I'm still not yet to be motivated enough to write.

I hope you enjoy my future posts.