“My father is a simple laborer and my mother has the brain of...

“My father is a simple laborer and my mother has the brain of a twelve year old child. She has a development problem. I was never able to ask her questions when I was growing up, like: ‘How does this work?’ or ‘What does this mean?’ She was the one asking me all the questions. She never said much to me beyond ‘Hello.’ For the longest time I thought it was normal. But when I started to visit the houses of my friends, I noticed that their mothers were hugging them, and cooking them food, and talking to them. But I had no one to take care of me. I started going to nightclubs at the age of twelve. I had no supervision. I never went to college. I still live at home now. I work seventy hours a week and I don’t have a family of my own. If I left the house, it would be a disaster. Neither of my parents can read or write. I do everything for them. I feel like there are no doors open for me, but often I hear people say: ‘No matter what, you can accomplish your dreams.’ So I do feel guilty for not achieving more.”

(Cordoba, Argentina)