Answer: The story tells of a Mexican boy beginning school without knowing the language or culture.
The story of Ernesto Galarza begins in California. The fact that this memoir starts in this way is significant to the story. The boy who is beginning school without knowing the language or culture of the place is a Mexican immigrant. This is a common story in California, a state with high levels of Mexican immigration due to its proximity to the border. Therefore, the story of the boy and the larger context of the state are inevitably connected.
The significance of Ernesto Galarza's memoir taking place in California in the story is that the story tells of a Mexican boy beginning school without knowing the language or culture of the place.
The boy was an immigrant who has not inkling of what he will face as he begins his life journey in California.
