The Growler caught up with Laura Galvan, 11, to ask her how swimming affects her daily routine.

The swimwear feels kind of comfortless under Laura’s jeans, the two heavy backpacks droop on her shoulders while she walks from her mother’s car towards the pedestrian access point. Laura takes four pesos out of her pocket and puts them inside the coin machine. Her still wet curly hair gets on her face while she passes through the turnstile .

After a couple of steps walking in the bridge, people begin pushing her to the right side of the long division between the two frontiers. Her brown eyes see a lot of things going on every morning. Some peddlers selling the typical mexican candies such as mazapanes or cacahuates, while others are almost running to be the first ones in the line. The same lady of every day takes a look on her and wishes her a wonderful day. Laura enters to the building after a couple of minutes waiting in the line, and takes out her passport from her old purple wallet.

“Every morning I try to be as positive as I can even when there is a long line,” Galvan said.

The windows in the entrance of Armijo were tarnished with the warm water and all the swimmers are next to the pool getting ready to practice. Mrs. Patino trains them before school, that is why Laura has to wake up before 5 in the morning to be on time for the practice. By the time that the swimmers go to school it is almost their second period.  Laura passes by Ms. Diaz room, she has been an inspiration for her since she was a freshman.

“When I began my studies at Bowie, I didn’t speak English. During these three years that I’ve been studying, she taught me everything I know now. She inspired me to believe in myself and to accomplish what I wanted,” Galvan said.

Walking back to Juarez is something very common for her. At some point of the day, she enjoys to stop at the middle of the bridge and take a look to the river diving the two neighbor countries. Even though she is already tired, Laura still has to go back home, do homework and get ready for the next day.

“All hard work is worth, that is something that makes want to wake up every day,” Galvan said.