funding for crossroads cafe was provided in part... by the departments of education of the states of... california florida, illinois... and new york. and by the united states department of education... and the united states immigration and naturalization service.

looks like henry's crashed through this door one too many times. i think i can probably fix the hinge. i'll be right back. excuse me. yes, mrs. gilroy. can i help you ? this dish, the monterey chicken. yes ? i had it and it was delicious ! i brought my friend so she could try it. - i'm so glad you enjoyed it. - well, actually, it doesn't taste the way it did before.

oh. i see. i'll tell the substitute chef. substitute chef ? maybe that's the problem. yeah, with rosa gone things aren't quite the same. - who's rosa ? - she's the regular chef. the one who makes the monterey chicken. - well, you seem to know a lot about this place. - i'm rosa's biggest fan. - the chef who just quit ? - rosa quit ? - she sure did. - rosa quit. did he say rosa quit ? yeah, rosa quit. but everybody seemed so happy when i was here last week. oh, no, no, no. you don't understand. she just had to go-- ah, here's mr. brashov. ooh, he doesn't look well at all. how would you feel if you just lost your chef ? ladies. i understand there is a problem with the chicken. it's not really a problem. it just tastes a ttle different, that's all. we're sorry to hear about your chef quitting. rosa quitting ? i can explain that. no, no. she is on her way back from the airport with miguel.

perhaps my friend and i could try something different today. oh, no. you want the monterey chicken and you shall have it. - just give me a minute. - thank you so much. poor man. he looks like he hasn't slept in a week. probably because hen't. well, if it isn't rosa what's the problem ? i wish i knew. ah, look who's here. rosa ! and you must be miguel. - how was your flight ? - fine. yes, i-- how do they all know ? goods travs . henry ! miguel, i'd like you to meet henry. ah, very nice to meet you. hi. how are you ? this is jamal. oh, jamal. a pleasure. pleased to meet you. in casybody's rested i'm katherine. ah, yes. rosa has written me so much about you. i hope you don't believe everything you read. she says you're a good waitress and a very good mother. rosa said that ? i always try to find something nice

to say about everyone. even you, katherine. hi, miguel. i'm jess washington. the best customer in the entire world. it's nice to meet you all. i hope you find these as good as you remember. thank you very much. - senor sanchez. - mr. brashov. hombre. rosa says you are like a father to her. she is better than a daughter to me. i don't have to pay her bills. so, what brings you to the states ? rosa. actually, he's on his way to a conference in new york. in fact, we are only speaking english when miguel is here so he can practice. i have been in the states more than 30 years and he speaks better english than me ! come on in. carrie ? are you here ? i guess not. well, this is it. not exactly a palace

but it's okay for now. - it's very nice. - how about something to drink ? water would be great. i brought something for you from home. miguel ! it's beautiful ! it belonged to my mother and to her mother before her. thank you. rosa, please sit down. there is something i want to talk to you about. now that i have finished architecture school-- - oh, hi. - [ rosa ] hi, carrie ! this is miguel. miguel, this is my roommate, carrie. - hola, miguel. ¿ como esta ? - good evening, carrie. i am feeling on top of the world.

- you want to sit down for a while ? - i can't. you will never guess who i got a date with tonight. -not that guy from your office ? -that's right. hey, that's great, carrie ! you guys can have the place all to yourselves if you want. i can stay with my friend heather. no, that's okay. miguel is staying at the madison hotel. thanks anyway. - well, i better get ready. nice meeting you, miguel. - nice meeting you too, carrie. miguel, i have a little surprise for you too. i'll give you a hint. it's made with tomatoes, mushrooms-- chicken-- rosa, will you marry me ? i think i need to sit down. are you really so surprised ?

i've thought about this day so many times. i just didn't think it would happen right now. i don't want us to be apart anymore. there are still so many things i want to do. i'm learning so much in my business classes-- we don't have to get married right away. we could set a date for perhaps a year from now. you know, miguel, i want to open my own restaurant. maybe not now, but someday. - that's wonderful ! - yes, but i've always thought i'd do it in this country. do you think it would be possible for you to move here, too ? i would have to start my career all over again. but you can practice architecture anywhere, can't you ? rosita, puebla is our home. it's where our families are; our friends.

don't you ever get homesick ? all the time. but i don't want to give up what i have here. what if you could open your own restaurant in puebla, and much sooner than you ever could here ? how could i do that ? with help from me. i know i would always have your support, but i-- rosa, i am talking about more than that. i am talking about being partners in this restaurant. rosa... i miss you. i want you to come home. just give me a little time to think about all this, okay ? - chicken san joaquin ! - what ? what you are making in the kitchen chicken san joaquin.

this is the landopportunity. somebody opens the doors for you. i could talk to whoever i wanted about anything i wanted. be able to be free. i dreamt of coming to the united states. [ narrator ] thited sta a nation of immigrants. since the early 00s, people from many lands... have nurtured this country's growth and development. "gold on the streets of america." that's all you heard.

you could be anything you want here and make a lot of money. even a dollar a day. e more i see of my adopted country, the more gratitude do i feel toward it for affording me protection... from the tyrants of my native country. [ narrator ] at first, the door to the united states was open to anyone... who could survive the dangers of travel to this young, distant land. that hope to be in america was so great and so sunny, that it colored all the pain that we had during our trip. the first night in america... i spent with hundreds of other recently arrived immigrants in an immense hall... with tiers of narrow iron and canvas bunks. [ narrator ] today, entry to the united states is more carefully controlled. but the stories of the immigrants echo the stories of earlier settlers. i knew that if i came here i would have... the freedom and the independence to go out and do things,

that maybe at the time i was growing up in india i would have been limited. not having somebody to stop me in the streets... and ask me for my i.d. card or where i'm going. and not being surrounded by soldiers all the time. i thought there was a faster pace of life and more dynamic lifestyle. the liberty to apply... or actually practice any kind of business i wanted to practice here. even now, i still pinch myself and go, "my god, this is home." i mean, it still is amazing to me. they are seeking understanding. they are seeking well-being. they are seeking the future of themselves and their children like the first immigrants and pioneers that came to this country. okay. okay. good-bye. so, how's your brother ? fine. he says he is going to send me something to help me sleep.

- maybe he could send something for me too. - you can't sleep, either ? no. i was up all night thinking about my future. i'm surprised you didn't fall asleep from boredom. - what's he sending ? - he wouldn't say. he wants to surprise me. maybe it's something to cancel out the five cups of coffee you drink every day. very funny, my friend. maybe it's a hammer to hit myself over the head. hi. hello, rosa. ah, miguel they are beautiful ! thank you. ahh ! everything looks so perfect. - and how was work today ? - i had a hard time trying to stay awake. really ? why ? i was up late last night.

- what's this ? - plans for our restaurant. - in puebla. - rosa. this is wonderful ! here, let me show you. these are some menu ideas. i want to serve great dishes from around the world. ah. and that's the name of the restaurant, around the world. isn't that great ? mm-hmm. mm-hmm ? i just don't know if an internationarestaurantwould beuccess in puebla. look at crossroads cafe. it's got food from everywhere. but puebla, mexico is not the united states of america. did you see the way i want to arrange things inside ? i love this idea. instead of having the kitchen in the back and all the tables up front, i want to have the kitchen in the same room with the customers. and then-- wait a minute. slow down, rosa. people don't want to watch the food being cooked. but i want the feeling in the kitchen to be open and full of light. - i have never seen anything like

that in puebla. - that's the idea ! if this is going to be like every other restaurant, why should we even bother ? maybe to have a successful business. oh. you don't think my idea can be successful ? aye. mi amor. this is all very different... from what i was expecting. - i must think about it. - but i have already thought about it. rosa, you are a very good chef. but there is more to openg a restaurant than just cooking. there's the whole business side. that's why i'm taking classes at school. you can take as many classes as you want. but if you want to succeed in puebla, you have tonk like you live there, not here.

ah, there you are. this is a session i know you'll want to see. it's about telling others what you want and what you don't want. let's see how "want" and "don't want" work in the following situations.

regardless of your answer i know you want to get back to the story. and i don't want to stop you. rosa, what's the chicken san "joe-a-keen" ? chicken san joaquin. it's an old mexican recipe. all right, katherine. i'm going. i will try to get back here before it gets too busy.

- okay, mr. brashov. - where are you going, victor ? i have a meeting with the bank. i am signing loan papers today. too bad. i was just about to set up the chess board. getting money from the bank is the one thing i like better than beating you at chess. good-bye, mr. brashov. there was something i wanted to tell you both, but i can't remember what it is. i'm sure you'll think of it later. the one thing victor needs more than money from the bank is a good night's sleep. it's a wonder he can remember his own name. crossroads cafe. yes, this is mrs. blake. when ? is she all right ? yes. no, i'll get there as soon as i can. rosa ! hey, this is not a train station. you don't have to yell. suzanne's in the emergency room. she fell at school. - oh, no. is she all right ? - i don't know. i've gotta go. yes, of course. katherine, do you need a ride ? are you okay to drive

? i'll be fine. thanks. how are you going to manage the lunch hour ? don't worry about us. just go. okay. i'll come back as soon as i can. oh. - henry, am i glad you are here ! - i'm glad someone is. come on, come on we don't have much time. - for what ? - just hurry up and change. - oh, excuse me. - can i help you ? - is mr. brashov here, please ? - i don't see him around right now. i spoke with him yesterday about our group meeting for lunch today. your group ? mm-hmm. just a second. - hello, ladies. - hello, rosa. mr. brashov said you'd be here today, so we made reservations.

i see. and how many of you will there be ? just eight. just eight ! and when do you expect everyone to arrive ? [ door opens ] here they are now. oh, i'll have everything set up for you in just a minute. henry ! let's start putting tables together. jamal ! - i think i know what it was victor forgot to tell you. - thanks, jess. ooh, nice crowd. mr. brashov will be happy. - rosa, what are you doing out here ? - what's going on around here ? mr. brashov and katherine are both gone. gone ? gone ? what do you mean "gone" ? i don't have time to explain. we are on our own until they get back. we're all looking forward to the monterey chicken. i've made a slight change in the recipe. so now i call it monterey chicken san joaquin. i think you'll like it even better. but we liked it the way it was the first time. i'll tell you what. try my new version. if you don't like it as much as the

original, your lunch is on the house. oh, well, that sounds fair. great. your table is ready. hi. come in. i'll be right with you. rosa, is there anything i can do ? pray. it was delicious ! ohh. you are welcome. we'll be back. good-bye. good-bye. hi, mr. brashov ! sorry i was gone so long, rosa. - what are you doing out front ? where is katherine ? - she had to leave. - why ? - it's a long story. well, how did you take care of everything all by yourself ? - don't worry, mr. brashov. everything turned out okay. - okay ? it was fantastic, victor ! not only did rosa cook she managed, she took charge. you should have seen it.

i wish someone else could have seen it. good job, rosa ! i just wish i could remember what it was i wanted to tell you. - hello, rosa. - hi. - i fixed a salad. sit down. - thanks. it should taste much better than the food on the plane.

when do you think we should take the taxi to the airport ? in about half an hour, in case the traffic is bad. rosita i don't want anything we said last night about the restaurant to change our plans. miguel, what happened last night, it wasn't about the restaurant. it was about us. it was about living in two very different worlds. only until you move back to puebla. miguel, i love mexico. i love my family. but i know if i went back to puebla as your wife i would be going back to a life i left a long time ago.

do you have some salt ? sure. rosa you've changed. i know. your move, victor. victor ! yes ? what is it ? oh, jess. i was just thinking of all the great moves i could make. hi. package for victor brashov. yes, here.

okay, here you go. thank you. - what is it, victor ? - it's from nicolae. - finally. - [ katherine ] jamal, wait. - the great romanian cure for insomnia has arrived. - oh. - it's very light. - funny-sized package for medicine. oh, terrific. you got the wrong package. no. it is my pillow from when i was a boy. nicolae wrote a note. i'll translate. "victor, i know you are having trouble sleeping. "after i looked at the calendar, i understood why. "i hope this pillow helps. "use once a day at bedtime along with memories of home. love, nicolae." that is it ! - what do you mean "that's it" ? - that is why i could not sleep.

- because you didn't have the pillow ? - no. because tomorrow would have been eva's and my 40th wedding anniversary. - i'm sorry, victor. - oh, no, jess. we all have to move forward with our lives. but the good news is... i will not need this anymore. but i do know somebody who could use some sleep. mr. brashov, do i seem that depressed ? [ all ] yes ! oh, wait a minute. i was just wondering... if mr. brashov's brother had any more pillows ? - why ? - in case we have to go through this with your next boyfriend. closed-captioned by captions, inc. los angeles

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