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Birth
My name is Bao Lian. I was born on July 16th, 1849. I don't have any sisters, but I have one brother. My father, mother, brother, and I live in a small village in the country of China. My family and I were very poor and could nto afford a lot of things. When I lived with my family in that small village, we were constatly working on our farm so we could sell our crops t earn money. -
Leaving Home
My family was starting to really struggle financially, so I toold them I would go to America and send home some of the money I earned, and they agreed to my idea. I had packed up all of my things that I needed, and headed towards the ship that would take me to America. The ship that I boarded was crowded with other people that a;so wanted to travel to America. The trip took about two and a half months. After the two and a half months had passed, I finally saw Angel Island. -
Arriving At America
I had finally arrived at Angel Island in California. When I got off of the boat, I had to wait in a long line to be examined by doctors. When it was my turn to be examined, the doctors had grabbed my eyelids and flipped them inside out to look for some sort of disease. When the doctor had finally let go of my eyelids, he told me that I had the disease and that I had to be detained. -
Being Detained
I have been detained for a total of six weeks. Today is the first day of the seventh week, and I just got told the I am clean and that I no longer have the disease. I am so happy to be leaving the place where they keep the people who have been detained. Being detained was terrible. The living conditions are very small and tight, and usually there are six people to a three tiered bunk bed. Now I am leaving Angel Island, and going out to make a living and earn money to support my family. -
Getting a Home.
After leaving Angel Island, I started looking for a place I could call home. After searching for a while, I eventually came across a family who was looking for someone they could rent a room out to. I went to the family, and they gave me the room. In the morning I would head out into California to look for a job so I could pay my rent and support my family back in China. -
Finding a Job
In the moning I went out to look for a job. Close to noon, me and three other chinese girls came across a textile factory. We talked to the boss, but he said that there were no more openings. I really needed a job, so I offered to work longer than all the rest of the girls that worked here, and he didn't have to pay me as much as he did the other girls. As soon as a said that, he lead me and the other girls into the factory and told us what we should start doing. Now I can support my family.
