-
Arrive at Angel Island
We sailed across the Pacific ocean for about 20 days in the fringed cold until finally we landed in the san Francisco bay on Angel Island. Where then as a family we were all transported to the immigrant station. Once we got to the station they separated us into men and women where we went off into separate rooms or barracks. Everyday people(What are they called) would come into the barrack and ask us strange questions about our life in Japan. Sometimes I thought they were kind of stalking us -
Arrive at Angel Island CONTINUED
with questions that scared me. My sister told me they were just trying to get information out of us and our villages back home. So I knew I had nothing really to worry about because all of our family was here in the United States. -
Moving out of the Barracks CONTINUED
live for the rest of the time we are her in the United States. -
Moving out of the Barracks
Almost 3 years have passed and we finally got out of the segregated immigrant station. Were now finally I look and hope for a better future. Getting to see my son and husband again is all I can hope for. I slowly walked out of the barracks thinking there would be guards blocking the exit to check us one last time before we left. I was wrong, no one at the exit just my husband and son. We left and walked to the nearest hotel and took in all of our belongings. I think this is where we're going to -
Our "home"
Our living space consists of two small twin size beds, one toilet and no shower or sink. If we wanted to wash our hands or get a bath we had to use the public ones located in the center of town. If we were lucky enough we would get one shower a week, but usually we only got one every other week. In the kitchen we had a small fridge to hold a loaf of bread so it wouldn’t get moldy, and a few fruits or vegetables. Once a week we have a meat soup that didn’t taste good but it was something that -
Our "home" CONTINUED
gave us protein. Later, I found out the meat had been butchered in a nasty meat packing plant where disgusting things were added to make the meat look "new". -
Searching for a job CONTINUED
getting a way better pay rate than in Japan. -
Searching for a job
A lot has happened in the passed couple of years, me getting out of the barracks, getting to see the rest of my family again, and moving into a new "home". What more could I ask for. I had bought a ticket for my family an I to travel to New York for a few years so that I could easily find a job and earn enough money to pay for rent on our house. We are here in New York now after a long a week on the train. I just started working in my new job today and even though it's not that fun, I am -
My new job
I have worked in the Triangle Shirt waist factory for about eleven years now. Nothing has really happened at our apartment in New York, everyone is started to get used to the daily basis of life in New York. Everyday when I go to work I do the same exact thing everyday. My job is to sew and make dresses for women to wear. So far everything has gone great, and I have been very lucky enough to work here for a long time now. When I went to work today, everything changed. Someone threw a ciggerete -
My new job CONTINUED
into the scrap bin and the whole building caught on fire. Many people died, but luckily I was one of the ones that didn’t get trapped behind in the blaze. I was thinking about trying to find another job, but I think I have saved enough money for us to co back to California to live the rest of our life. -
Back to California
We are at the train station know waiting patiently for the train to come pick us up. We have been so lucky over the years to be able to do and accomplish the things we wanted. All along we thought we were going to get made fun of or yelled at for our race, but nothing happened. Maybe once or twice a person would come up to us on the street and as, "What are you doing here?" We just ignored and walked away. The train is here now and everyone is getting prepared for our long weeks drive. The only -
Back to California CONTINUED
thing I hope for is that our house is still there when we get back and all of our items are still there. -
Everything turned out great CONTINUED
family and I have had over the years to be able to live in a place other than Japan. In the end we have lived a wonderful life here in California. -
Everything turned out great
We have been back in California for about a year now and finally everything is starting to feel normal. Although our home is in a hotel, things aren't as bad as they were in Japan. We are finally getting to learn the language and do things the way people do here. Other people are also finally getting to realize that we aren't that much different than them. Just because we are a different race, doesn’t give them the opportunity to make fun of us. I am so thankful of the many opportunities that my