The majority of people who work there were young women between the ages of 16 and 25. A typical work week consists of approximately 10 hours a day, for five or six days. If employees request a Christmas vacation, they are required to work extended hours to earn those days off. While observing the colonias, our tour guide explained the lengthy process families undergo to build a house. An individual family first purchases a lot.
Construction begins when the family has all of the money needed to complete the building.
On average, construction could stretch from two to five years. I saw many houses where cement and brick had been used to complete the outside walls, but the windows had not yet been installed. Once a house is completed, the family has a gathering to celebrate. Becoming a homeowner is a turning point in the family's life and is a visible increase in status in the community. There are many people in the communities who are pulling together to help the immigrants integrate into life in a new country.