Coming of Age in Mexico

The following quote comes from a N.Y. Times series describing examining young people around the world. It is the most insightful and accurate description of the life of a mexican teenager I've seen.

Alicia Alvarez lives two miles from the American border and light-years from the American dream.

I highly recommend this article - though it does require a free registration. And make sure you click on the "multimedia" link on the right to see photos of Alicia with narration by the author.