Sudden news
Vargas remembers how he felt when he saw a famous person (Ellen Degeneres) come out as gay. He says that the cover of the magazine hit him "like a freight truck," emphasizing the weight of the news." He also says that the news "could make been a lighthouse," as it stood out so much to him."
Language
Vargas uses imagery to discuss the semantics surrounding immigration. He points out that different types of language are used to describe white people and people of colour; for example, while white people are referred to as "expats," people of colour are referred to as "immigrants." He then describes language itself as being "a barrier to information, a fortress against understanding the inalienable instinct of human beings to move."
Prison and entrapment imagery
When describing his experiences, Vargas uses the imagery of prisons and entrapment. This emphasizes the fact that he feels trapped and unhappy due to his status and also references the fact that his citizenship is technically illegal.
