When Ana Ariza was 5 years old war broke out in El Salvador. For the next 10 years, she and her brothers and sisters grew up in the midst of what often seemed like a nightmare. Finally, when she was 17, Ana’s mother was able to get visas for her children and bring them to the United States. Here she describes childhood in her war-torn homeland.

Ana Ariza: Growing up we didn’t celebrate much because we were so poor and because of the war. There was nothing to celebrate, we just hid in the woods from the bad people.

Walter Gallacher: You had to hide in the woods?

Ana Ariza: Yes, we had to hide in the woods. Live in the dark, we weren’t allowed to turn the lights on because if we did they threw bombs into our house. So, I don’t have many holidays to remember in my country. I never got a birthday party. I was never able to go to other peoples’ houses. We always had to be in our place. So we did our errands and came back home. And there were only certain times that we could do that. It was sad.

Walter Gallacher: So there was danger throughout your childhood …

Ana Ariza: Yes. It was very dangerous. And, when the war was going on, I didn’t understand much because I was still little, but I do remember my parents building a big box of wood. That’s where we went every time they started firing their arms. And airplanes came over and bombed the village. So we used to go in that box, and be there for the whole day.

Walter Gallacher: How old were you?

Ana Ariza: I was 5, and that went on until I was 15 years old. So I can’t remember much about celebrating. Everything was about praying and hiding. That’s all I can remember.

Walter Gallacher: It must be awful to be a child in the midst of war.

Ana Ariza: Yes, now when I see wars in other countries it reminds me. But you get used to it, because I know we were afraid. My grandpa was always trying to protect us. But it was a daily thing that happened.

Walter Gallacher: What did the village do when they were under attack?

Ana Ariza: Some people left our village, but it didn’t matter because they got killed, you know, while they were leaving to somewhere else. So, our village was destroyed and most of the people were killed. I know we were very lucky we didn’t get killed.

Walter Gallacher: So most of the people got killed?

Ana Ariza: Most got killed, yes.

Walter Gallacher: So as a child, did you see that?

Ana Ariza: Yes. We had to go to the river and carry water because we didn’t have water at our home. And as we walked the trails to the water we would see bodies all over the place. Yes, it was sad, but like I said, you get used to it, and you just think that it’s part of life.