Their living room, once beautifully decorated, is now unfurnished and barren, with an eerie quietness lingering in the air.  A few dozen boxes are strewn about, holding only a handful of possessions and souvenirs.  They are the only link to a lifetime of memories, but, hopefully, they also symbolize the promise of fresh hopes and dreams waiting to be fulfilled in a new country ......
 

Still packing, the boy goes back to pick up a book.  After all, it was a present from his uncle and his parents are allowing him to bring all the books he wants to keep.  Some toys, all the family's photographs, and his prized CD collection are coming with him too.  "How can I choose what to take when there are so many cherished things to bring along?" he wonders.
 

Alejandro's parents, as heavy hearted as he, are trying so hard not to let their emotions show.  They have attempted, as delicately as possible, to explain to their child that he can take only a few things with him.  To help him decide what to take and what to leave behind, they relay that one must weigh the value of every item and compare each one with one's traditions, heritage, history, legacy, memories, and the prospect of a bright future.  These values are the most important of all, and are transportable anywhere.  Objects can be replaced.
 

The only reassuring thought that Alejandro has right now is that his family will be with him every step of the way.  This calms him and leaves him with a feeling of safety.  Deep inside, Alejandro knows that he is going to miss so many people ..... so many things; his friends and family, his classmates, the familiar community centre he frequents, his neighbourhood, and speaking in the language he has known his whole life.
 

He may be only 10 years old, but Alejandro seems to have the weight of the world on his shoulders.  His mother sees this and it breaks her heart.  That is why she has decided that his books are so important;  they provide a cultural link to, and help to preserve, the family's Spanish roots and identity.  The mezuzah, the Argentinean flag, the Russian keara, the recipes... all are part of their identity, and their luggage.
 

He is only a young boy, but Alejandro reads the newspapers and watches the news on TV.  The truth about the real world does not escape him, and those realities seem quite bleak lately:  the rate of unemployment, the chaos with the bank accounts, the insecurity, the corruption, the lack of prospects for the future...  This, surely, is too big a burden for a 10 year old to carry.
 

Alejandro's older sister, Marcela, is also suffering.  At one time her life seemed completely "normal".  Her days consisted of going to high school, hanging out and having the time of her life with her friends, and enjoying the many moments she shared with her classmates at their beloved school.  In the back of her mind, though, she knows that all these wonderful things about her life are not enough to overcome the desolate prospects about her future in this country. Although she is older than Alejandro and understands her parents' reasons for leaving, it does not minimize the pain she feels when she things about leaving Argentina.
 

Never expecting to know too many details, Alejandro and Marcela nonetheless became very aware of the entire immigration procedure, having gone through the whole process with their mother and father.  From watching their parents have each document prepared and translated, to applying for passports, they were there every step of the way.  They remember all too vividly, the large stacks of folders and the endless sea of papers being filled out and presented at the Canadian Embassy in Buenos Aires.  And then, when they finally resolved themselves to the fact that they truly were immigrating, came the deafening silence.  So many thoughts permeated their young minds while they waited, forever, it seemed, for some word about their future.  Although the thought of moving was deeply upsetting, they also knew that it offered a glimmer of hope for a better life.  So they allowed themselves to conjure up a thousand plans and daydreamed about the infinite possibilities their new lives would offer them.  Everything seemed possible, but with this endless waiting, would it all really happen?  Who knew?
 

One of Alejandro's many concerns was his next birthday.  Where would it take place?  What would his new school be like?  Would the other kids be nice?  Would they understand his poor English?  Would he be able to withstand living so far away from his dear, sweet Bubbie?  Would he be able to brave the frigid temperatures in that ice cold Canada?
 

And how was Marcela coping?  She, too, was young, so it wasn't always that easy to put on a brave face.  At times, she felt like the walls were caving in all around her.  Her only release seemed to be when she wrote in her private diary.  For now, this was her closest friend and a place where she could confide all her thoughts. 
 

Strangely enough, although they were scared and very sad about leaving Argentina, Alejandro and Marcela were also comforted by the fact that their parents' many achievements, throughout their lives, were the key that opened the door to a country where doors are opened if, and only if, you can demonstrate what is needed to be accepted.  Thank goodness for that because underneath it all, they understood that this move was totally necessary for their future.
 

Naturally, parents Patricia and Victor did not have all the answers.  It was all a question of time, patience, and hope.  One by one, the steps necessary for meeting the requirements of the immigration process were completed.  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the day had come.  The arrival of the envelope holding the visas signaled the end of an exhausting project and the beginning of the real countdown to moving.
 

There was much to do:  sell the house and all the appliances, figure out what to do with the furniture, and most difficult, how to let go of all the intangible things like the wonderful aroma of just-baked croissants, the air at the riverside, the enjoyable times with friends and family, the taste of fine wine and signature empanadas, the sounds of a heartrending tango on the radio.....
 

After much agony and a rollercoaster of emotions, the day had finally come for the move.  With the house sold and everything packed, it was now time to bid adios to each corner and all the memories.  The hardest part of all, however, was saying goodbye to every person with whom you had built your life.  Always, there was the secret hope that you would see each other again ... as soon as possible, if possible.  Four people were setting sail for a new land, and four hearts were broken into a million pieces.  It would take a long time for this family, and all the others like them, to rebuild their lives.

. . . . . .

As the airplane takes off and flies higher with each second, Alejandro, Marcela, and parents Patricia and Victor look through their windows and watch as their beloved Buenos Aires gets smaller and smaller until it no longer appears on the horizon.  Surrounded by the clouds, they now re-focus their thoughts on the beginning of an unknown journey, but one filled with new hopes and dreams.  They desperately want to hold on to every sigh, every song, every sound and image of their beloved ones.  They secretly promise themselves to ensure that this step is worth the risk they are taking.  Their hidden fear is that they might encounter more difficulties than they had expected.  Subconsciously they aspire to recreate their inner-selves in a new place where nobody knows them.  They hope to be able to accept their new peers and to be accepted by them.  They look at one another, take a deep breath, and ever so slowly, the corners of their mouths begin to turn upwards into four glowing smiles.  A heavy weight is somehow miraculously lifted and they are finally ready to face the future and begin a new chapter in their lives.....together.