Embracing Memories and Love: Finding Happiness in Mexico
Flor Arciniega, a truly remarkable Mexican woman, finds her happiness and cherished memories in Mexico. Born in San Luis Potosí, Flor comes from a unique family background, with her father being American and her mother being an indigenous woman from the Huasteca region of Potosina. Flor's mother, Juana Rosales, led a fascinating life, experiencing a range of adventures and even traveling throughout Mexico with her young daughters to protect them during a post-revolutionary era.
The story of Flor and how her roots led her to choose between two homelands—United States and Mexico—ultimately culminating in her decision to embrace Mexico, is akin to a movie plot filled with memories, adventures, sadness, love, and a profound cultural identity.
Juana's parents met during a battle involving the "Mosca Prieta" Command, where the American soldier participated in support of the Mexican government. Despite not speaking Zapotec and her not speaking English, their lives were forever intertwined. He chose to settle in Mexico and marry Juana, and they enjoyed blissful years together. Juana was a unique woman, deeply rooted in the values and principles of Mexico's indigenous peoples from pre-Hispanic times.
However, tragedy struck. Under mysterious circumstances, Benjamin Arciniega lost his life within his own battalion, and the details remain uncertain. It is unclear whether Juana revealed the truth to her daughters, but they claim it was an accident during a game of "burro castigado" (a traditional Mexican children's game). From that moment on, Juana and her daughters had to flee and travel throughout Mexico. Juana made a living by making tortillas while her daughters grew up, eventually finding themselves alone after Juana's passing.
On one occasion, a detective sought to meet the girls in order to take them to the United States, as Benjamin's family was aware of their existence and wished to separate them from their mother, providing them with wealth and a different life in the US. However, Juana never allowed it; she fiercely defended her daughters until her death. When that day arrived, the girls followed in her footsteps, rejecting any inheritance and a life in the US, choosing to remain in their beloved homeland of Mexico.
Following their mother's passing, two of the daughters decided to come to Puerto Vallarta to embrace the beautiful life offered by this beloved coastal city—a place where magic becomes reality, and love is experienced deeply. Flor, now 73 years old, arrived in Puerto Vallarta at the age of 17 and has been immensely happy ever since.