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Thirty-Five Days To Baltimore
“Such an important, poignant, and honest piece.
I read it in one sitting!”
~ Michelle Lopez, Berkshire Immigrant Center
In 2004, seventeen-year-old Alex Portillo embarks on a harrowing, journey from Honduras to Baltimore in the hopes of starting a better life. Over a decade later, Alex recounts his story to author and activist Jana Laiz in this bilingual retelling. This book will give readers insight into the incredible power the American dream holds for those suffering the hopelessness and violence of extreme poverty. This is a modern day odyssey of what one immigrant faces as he makes the treacherous journey out of unfathomable living conditions.
“Una pieza tan importante, conmovedora y honesta.
¡Lo leí en una sentada!”
~ Michelle Lopez, Centro de Inmigrantes de Berkshire
En 2004, Alex Portillo, de diecisiete años, se embarca en un viaje angustioso desde Honduras a Baltimore con la esperanza de comenzar una vida mejor. Más de una década después, Alex le cuenta su historia a la autora y activista Jana Laiz en este recuento bilingüe. Este libro brindará a los lectores una idea del increíble poder que tiene el sueño americano para quienes sufren la desesperanza y la violencia de la pobreza extrema. Esta es una odisea moderna de lo que enfrenta un inmigrante mientras realiza el traicionero viaje desde unas condiciones de vida insondables.
I read it in one sitting!”
~ Michelle Lopez, Berkshire Immigrant Center
In 2004, seventeen-year-old Alex Portillo embarks on a harrowing, journey from Honduras to Baltimore in the hopes of starting a better life. Over a decade later, Alex recounts his story to author and activist Jana Laiz in this bilingual retelling. This book will give readers insight into the incredible power the American dream holds for those suffering the hopelessness and violence of extreme poverty. This is a modern day odyssey of what one immigrant faces as he makes the treacherous journey out of unfathomable living conditions.
“Una pieza tan importante, conmovedora y honesta.
¡Lo leí en una sentada!”
~ Michelle Lopez, Centro de Inmigrantes de Berkshire
En 2004, Alex Portillo, de diecisiete años, se embarca en un viaje angustioso desde Honduras a Baltimore con la esperanza de comenzar una vida mejor. Más de una década después, Alex le cuenta su historia a la autora y activista Jana Laiz en este recuento bilingüe. Este libro brindará a los lectores una idea del increíble poder que tiene el sueño americano para quienes sufren la desesperanza y la violencia de la pobreza extrema. Esta es una odisea moderna de lo que enfrenta un inmigrante mientras realiza el traicionero viaje desde unas condiciones de vida insondables.
188 pages, Paperback
Published June 6, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 23, 2022
Thirty-five Days to Baltimore is the story about Alexis and his journey from Honduras where he lived with his parents and siblings in a hut with a dirt floor to Baltimore. He was going to Baltimore to live with his cousin, work and send money home to his parents.
Thirty-five Days to Baltimore follows his remarkable journey, at times where he wanted to give up, once stopping and proclaiming he couldn’t take another step. Luckily for him he was traveling with his cousin Carlos and he was talked into continuing. Carlos and Alexis remained together through this journey and even though they lost weight, cried a lot of tears, hardly slept, were afraid for their lives, they were able to make it to their destination and the best reward for Alexis was being able to speak to his entire family on the telephone.
When you begin reading Thirty-five Days to Baltimore you will feel like you are right there along side Alexis and you won’t want to give up either. This story is a quick read and I read in within two hours….it was so captivating that I couldn’t put it down. The best part was reading the conversations Alexis had with his parents after he completed his journey and the cherry on top was reading about what Alexis accomplished since coming to Baltimore.
Another good thing about Thirty-five Days to Baltimore is that it is written in English and Spanish so that more people can read and experience his journey.
Thirty-five Days to Baltimore follows his remarkable journey, at times where he wanted to give up, once stopping and proclaiming he couldn’t take another step. Luckily for him he was traveling with his cousin Carlos and he was talked into continuing. Carlos and Alexis remained together through this journey and even though they lost weight, cried a lot of tears, hardly slept, were afraid for their lives, they were able to make it to their destination and the best reward for Alexis was being able to speak to his entire family on the telephone.
When you begin reading Thirty-five Days to Baltimore you will feel like you are right there along side Alexis and you won’t want to give up either. This story is a quick read and I read in within two hours….it was so captivating that I couldn’t put it down. The best part was reading the conversations Alexis had with his parents after he completed his journey and the cherry on top was reading about what Alexis accomplished since coming to Baltimore.
Another good thing about Thirty-five Days to Baltimore is that it is written in English and Spanish so that more people can read and experience his journey.
April 16, 2025
We just finished reading the paperback version of this aloud, by which I mean my wife read it aloud to me -- this is how we read many books. In this case, she read each chapter in English and then the same chapter in Spanish. As a high-intermediate speaker of Spanish, this was a good way for me to hear the story and I recommend this approach to those who know both languages.
This is a very personal and difficult and important story. It is a single experience that is unique in its details but that echoes the experiences of millions of others who have made the journey to the United States in recent decades.
I read the entire second chapter to my Latin American geography class, because it explains Portillo's decision to migrate in a way that is broadly applicable to tens of thousands of Central Americans -- including quite a few of my friends.
The rest of the book is quite simply harrowing. It describes a trajectory I already know from other books, films, and news accounts. Too many of my fellow citizens either do not know these stories or have somehow become convinced that immigrants pose such a threat to our society and economy that any amount of suffering is a worthwhile deterrent to other migrants.
The journey is so harsh -- in both physical and psychological terms -- that it seems like a spoiler to let readers know that Alexis Portillo survived this journey. Throughout the book, I had to keep reminding myself that he did make it, otherwise he would not have written it and the title would not end with "to Baltimore." But of course he had no assurances until he arrived at his cousin's house.
His story is also a poignant reminder that the cruelty of Christian Nationalist political agenda is most often visited upon fellow Christians. On one level, this should not matter – nobody should be treated this way, regardless of religion. But on another level, I cannot help but think of the “Christians” who cause this pain every time the author mentions his own faith.
And in today's (April 2025) vicious political climate, he again has no assurances that he is safe, even today. Like most who have made this journey, he has given much to this country and community, and has "taken" only the opportunity to contribute in his adopted home.
This is a very personal and difficult and important story. It is a single experience that is unique in its details but that echoes the experiences of millions of others who have made the journey to the United States in recent decades.
I read the entire second chapter to my Latin American geography class, because it explains Portillo's decision to migrate in a way that is broadly applicable to tens of thousands of Central Americans -- including quite a few of my friends.
The rest of the book is quite simply harrowing. It describes a trajectory I already know from other books, films, and news accounts. Too many of my fellow citizens either do not know these stories or have somehow become convinced that immigrants pose such a threat to our society and economy that any amount of suffering is a worthwhile deterrent to other migrants.
The journey is so harsh -- in both physical and psychological terms -- that it seems like a spoiler to let readers know that Alexis Portillo survived this journey. Throughout the book, I had to keep reminding myself that he did make it, otherwise he would not have written it and the title would not end with "to Baltimore." But of course he had no assurances until he arrived at his cousin's house.
His story is also a poignant reminder that the cruelty of Christian Nationalist political agenda is most often visited upon fellow Christians. On one level, this should not matter – nobody should be treated this way, regardless of religion. But on another level, I cannot help but think of the “Christians” who cause this pain every time the author mentions his own faith.
And in today's (April 2025) vicious political climate, he again has no assurances that he is safe, even today. Like most who have made this journey, he has given much to this country and community, and has "taken" only the opportunity to contribute in his adopted home.
August 23, 2025
It’s short so very readable in one sitting. My copy has the book in both English and Spanish. So proud to read this. Unfortunately, stories like now are met with unspeakable cruelty. It disgusts me. I hope someday we find our way back to the destiny that had been built in this country for the better part of 250 years.
October 4, 2025
This story feels incredibly moving and important, even from the description alone. Alex’s journey sounds like one of immense courage, sacrifice, and resilience the kind of real-life odyssey that opens readers’ eyes to what so many endure in pursuit of safety and hope. I love that this book is bilingual
May 10, 2023
This was on a free to take home shelf at the local library. A touching and heartbreaking story of what a refugee goes through to come to our country. I love that it is written in English and Spanish in the same book. It is a quick read but well worth it.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews