My Friend's View

Carlos Collazo:   http://qeehai.blogspot.com/


- I liked his post about his family heritance because, like him, not many of us know where we actually come from. Of course we would love to know but sometimes it's hard to trace back hundreds of years of family history. In his post, Carlos made a good point of telling that the Puertorican race is not pure. We are a mixture, we come from  Spaniards, Africans & of course our own natives, Taínos. In the end, it reminded me of my culture and I'm proud of it.


Paulette Arquer:   http://www.imagineaheartshapedbox.blogspot.com/


- I just like her whole blog because she's a really inspiring writer. In every post she expressed herself, with her true thoughts and feelings. Paulette's family history is really interesting because she has a lot of family members currently living in the continent Europe. I would love to still have family members there.


Carlo Gonzalez:  http://www.donotwritethisaddress.blogspot.com/


- As most of my other classmates, Carlo's heritance is from Spain. As well as most of us, we are proud of where we come from and what our great-great grandparents did so we could have the life we hace now.


Stephanie Ruiz:    http://www.tefiruiz01.blogspot.com/


- In her blog, I found a difference in her family heritance which really caught my attention, which was that she has descendants from France. You don't see that often. Her post was well written and informative.


Nelsharry Baerga:  http://sharryknowsit.blogspot.com/


- I liked her opinion on immigration about her post of the video "Shakira Speaks Out". What Nelsharry is expressing is very true because the United States should take everyone in consideration and treat everyone as equal. Like she clearly quoted "...United States is based on the Constitution. And they are violating their constitutional and civil rights..." Like she said, I don't think the US is following their constitution. Everyone is equal and I admire that she spoke out.

Sánchez

Have you ever wondered where you come from? I don’t mean, “Oh, I came from Ponce because I was born there.” NO! I mean where your family comes from, your heritage. Maybe you come from a royal family in Spain or from a family of slaves from Africa who had to work their sweat off to make it good. Who knows, you’d be surprised. I got to thinking, why don’t I know more about my family? I mean it’s not like it’s going to hurt to know. So I sat down with my grandparents and it surprised me where I, Stephanie Rivera Sánchez came from.

As my grandpa told me my descendants come from Spain. That’s where the name Sánchez came from. My family tree starts all the way from 1492 when Christopher Columbus discovered America. In the journey with him was a sailor named Rodrigo Sanchez and that’s where the Sánchez started here in Puerto Rico. As time passed the Sánchez kept multiplying and multiplying. It got to the bridge where it became a common name. It surprised me that I come from a person who helped made one of most important discoveries known to history. It makes me proud of my family; intrigues me to know more about my family and myself.

Once here in Puerto Rico, my family got settled in Santa Isabel by the late 1800’s and the early 1900’s and until this day, 2011, we are still here today. That’s a long time---almost over 100 years. Sure my great-grandparents, Nicasio Sánchez Torres and Loida Cruz Morales, moved around, one place been San Juan, but we always found a way to be back here in our home town, Santa Isabel. My grandpa told me that his mom was naturally from Santa Isabel but that his dad was from Coamo, still the southern area of Puerto Rico. My grandpa’s parents had to work their way to find a better life for him and his two brother, my grandpa been the middle one. They were middle class but still manage to make a living; my great granddad, Nicasio Sánchez, worked as a barber and my great grandma, Loida Cruz, was a seamstress. Sadly, they became orphans because back then it was really hard to get medicated and they both got really sick and died. They were raised by their grandparents, in other words my great-great grandparents.

My grandma’s side is a whole different story. My grandma was from a high class family. She was the daughter of Jose Colón Torres, the owner of all the lands and colonies in Santa Isabel, which meant they had money. His lands were most sugar canes. She lived in the big house of the colony. In the house were many women who came and helped her grandmother. She had a good life. My great-grandpa became to be the owner and the boss of many lands because he showed that he was a responsible worker, serious, dedicated. He started working there as a normal farmer but during his time working there he proved himself. So after a few years, few raises and promotions he got to where he did. He was a well provider, good husband and great father of 16 children, my grandma being the 4^th from oldest to youngest. My grandma’s mom, Clotilde Santiago Cedeño, was a stayed home mom. She was a typical Puerto Rican mom, she cooked, she cleaned, she raised the kids---she did everything a mom was capable of doing.

In December 1956, it happened. My grandpa, Nicasio Sánchez Cruz, met the love of his life, Lydia Maria Colón Santiago, my grandma. That’s where my present family comes from. It wasn’t your average couple, a 21 year old man coming from a middle class family to be with a 23 year old woman from a high class family. In fact, at the beginning of their relationship it was hard due to the fact of differences in their families and the differences in age, but like most couple they didn’t mind because they were in love. My grandma’s family just had to accept it, which in the end they welcomed my grandpa as one of their own. Five months after they met, they got married. You don’t see that now a day, couples getting married after five months together, in fact couples wait years and years before their married; then again those we other times.

I’m proud of who I am and where I come from. It’s made my family and I’m honored of my ancestors. Now my family is composed of my loving grandparents, my aunts Loida and María del C. and my mom Ivonne. There’s also my two cousins Axel and Omar, my big brother Luis G and then there’s me the only girl and the youngest.

International Immigration

Immigration has been happening in the US for a long time now. People coming from different parts of the world, most from Europe and has helped increase the population in the US.

US government officials and many of its citizens don't like immigrants. For some reason they have a dislike for them and either they are mistreated or deported back to where they came from.

The United States, in that area, are been really unfair to those people, which are just as equal as them, who want to make a better life from them and their families. The United States should feel proud that many people are considering them as a better place for new opportunities. With that attitude they're going nowhere.

Even when the US let immigrants come in, they still treat them unfairly. They get the worst jobs, the worst pay, basically the leftover are for them. At least those people are capable of doing those jobs just so their families can get a better life. They sacrificed everything, they left their home, their families to be treated like this...NO! It pisses me off that the United States gets everything, they have money, they have many privileges and they are still being this selfish; sometimes it even surprises me.

US, think about when you were starting, someone gave you a chance...now it's your time to give back !

Diary of Aurora Franceschini Sambolín: An Italian Farm Worker

February 25, 1907

New Orleans

Dear Diary,

It's been 3 months since we've been here in the United States. Everything is so different, the cultures, the languages, the people...absolutely everything. I still can't get adjusted. Where I come from in Italy, me and my family were the high class family. We owned lands, we had money. All of a sudden...it vanished. All I can remember is papa telling us we needed to move as soon as we could to the US. He explained things were going to change, that our lifestyle could never be the same again but I never imagined it was going to be this hard. Nobody told me that I was going to be doing labor work; that's not something I'm used to.

Just as soon as we arrived, they immediately put us to work. We were separated from each other. I was a 16 year old girl put to labor work. Can you imagine that?! It was a nightmare.



Here we are arriving at the US in November 1906.



March 3rd, 1907.

New Orleans

Dear Diary, 

Today's work was tought. I still can't adapt myself to do manual work; it has become a challenge for me. We started a new field and the boss wanted every crop in perfect conditions. The rays of the sun strikingly hitting my skin, I was in pain. By noon, the day didn't get any better. One of the American girls was talking behind my back. To be honest I really didn't care because if I let every comment about me and where I come from bother me I wouldn't be here right now. By sundown, boss still had us in the field, sweating & working hard; one the youngest girl died because of dehydration. As if he cared, he just looked mad, and told us to keep on working.



Shown in the picture you can see where my little sister, Anastasia, & I did all the labor work and farming. Out boss is the riding the horse and the remaining people were also workers, also too immigrants.



By 9o'clock I was finally back home my papa was waiting up for me, as he usually does. The highlight of my everyday now is getting home to my papa and sitting on his lap while he narrates stories about our family past.



My loving family 12 years ago, that's me on top of daddy's lap and my baby sister, Anastasia. As it was back then, is still now!



March 10th, 1907

New Orleans

Dear Diary, 

My sunny bright day is becoming gloomier and gloomier by the second. To start off things I have to go to work today while leaving my papa sick in bed. I don't like seeing him this way, it breaks my heart watching how he's getting sicker and sicker. He's been like this for over 4 weeks now and mama already lost hope but I still have a little faith left in me.

I went to work as usual but only for the reason of earning my pay so I can buy a redeem for papa. I huried up working, I couldn't concentrate well knowing I might loose my papa any second. Plus to top things off, work today was horrible. The labor work was extra hard and that meant more hours, but it was all done with love for papa! 

 At my usual timing arrival there was a sudden silence in the house; I could feel the tension. All that went trough my mind was that papa was gone. I started crying, but mama knew better and she inform me that yes he was here physically but mentatally he was gone. Mama mentioned to Anastasia and me that we needed to prepare ourselves for when the moment came. That night was one a sleepless night.

March 13, 1907

New Orleans



Dear Diary,

The worst has happened. Last night papa went to sleep and never woke up again. I was all sobs, I felt like something that meant the world to me had been ripped off my heart. I didn't feel like going to work today, although I knew it meant life threatening, I still took the risk. It was my papa, even the boss couldn't be that heart less, I think.

Papa was well know in the little community we live in. Everyone found out and payed a visit between the hours of the day. I couldn't let go of the old photograph of my papa and I. Everytime I looked at it, it was as if he were here with me. I knew I was never going to see him againg but the memories are worth having and papa will always be present in my heart. He is now my guardian angel.

March 29, 1907

New Orleans

Dear Diary,

I know it's been a while since I've written but honestly I haven't been in the mood. Ever since papa passed away everything is just not the same. I miss coming home and sitting on his lap while he narrated a new story everyday. I miss his hugs, his kisses, his loving way of brightening everything and managing to put a smile on my face. I know mama is trying her hardest but I'm not as close as I was to papa. Right now, I feel alone, abandoned! I plan on making more money and starting my own new life, away from this place that only brings bad and sad memories. For now...this is it !

Italian Immigration

The United States has been a place of refuge for many foreigners around the world. Since the beggining of time, many people have been immigrating to the United States in search for a better life. One of the groups that immigrated to the United States were the Italians.

One of the European groups that migrated the most to the United States were the Italians. Italians started migrating to the Unites States between 1876 to 1924. As years passed more and more Italians were beginning to arrive at the US; making the population increase. Many were the reasons why foreigners kept migrating. Italians started migrating in search for better opportunities,second chances, a better life. In the southern part of Italy people were very poor, they had to find a way to maintain their families. Also natural disasters destroyed their homes. The only was out was migrating to the United States.

Once Italians got the US, their jobs mainly consisted on low class jobs. They had to work their way up into good paying occupations. Most jobs at the begginning were shoe-shinning, sewer cleaning, etc. All the dirty work was done by them, hey somebody had to do it and they were in need. Even children had to put in an extra help and work as well. Italians were hard workers, so it was strange to see an Italian accept charity money, they even denied prostitution for money which back then was a big pay.

Not all Italians were from the same place. They each came from different part of Italy. Some came from Sicily, others from Naples as well as other places. When they each to got to the US they settle in differente ocations, all in their own little groups. The majority of Sicilians lived in New Orleans and Neapolitans resided in Minnesotta. They lived in many areas but their living conditions weren't the most hygienic. Italians were very filthy plus they were overcrowded and that didn't help at all.

Over the years, Italians progressed at everything; they're work level, they homestyles, and even their culture. Italians managed to to get better jobs such as construction workers, industrial workers...etc. 

For me, immigration is another word for risk. I think that because you never know what might happen, it's a risk worth taking because yes it does open oportunities but it might also close. Immigration was hard back then and sometime still is. Honestly I couldn't picture myself having to leave my loving home, where I grew up to go to a whole, new different place, another world because that is what it is, a strange place. Althouh I would look at it as a learning experience and learn new cultures, languages and ways of life. I would do it if it meant providing what's best for my family.   

Italians getting on board on their way of to the United States in 1907.