Based in the Latin American staples of magical realism and Caribbean literature, I crafted a memoir exploring my move at an early age from Puerto Rico to the American mainland, and back again years later to revisit family following a health concern of an older member. What follows is not the memoir in its entirety, but excerpts highlighting each section of the given timeline, exemplifying hallmarks of the previously mentioned genres. My life story was melded and interjected with local folklore, allowing this memoir to be Puerto Rican in its inception, and giving me the chance to infuse magical aspects to these mundane events. Beyond that, the second section of my memoir inspects the impact English learner placement courses has on an individual, in terms of their identity, language acquisition skills, and their delayed journey of securing their heritage language. Before delving into the memoir, I offer a survey of magical realism and Caribbean literature, explaining how my situation of moving from Puerto Rico to the mainland invites these genres into my own tale, giving shape to the raw material.