Post by Horse'n Around on Aug 14, 2011 22:41:40 GMT -5
Margo and I took a tour bus from here to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island yesterday.( not a chance in heck I was going to drive in New York City, no way no how I would have a stroke in no time We had been planning to do this since before we moved here but what with us having to move back to AZ for my health and all we decided to hurry up and do it now while we still have time. All I can say is WOW. We loved it, we got to ride of ferries 3 times remember were from AZ where there is no water let alone the Hudson and East Rivers. I was like a little kid looking all over trying to take it all in and pretty much "geeking" out at all the water in general. We went to The Statue of Liberty first, I was incredible, absolutely incredible!!! After that we got back on the ferry and went to Ellis Island. I have always wanted to go there.My Great grandparents came here from Belgium, Italy and my Grandpa Ceresa on my Moms side came here from Paris, France at the age of 15 by himself, he worked off his passage on the steamer he came here on. Later he served in the Merchant Marines. Anyway, I cant explain the pride and admiration I have always had for all my GG and Grandparents.Their dream was to come to America and be Americans. Like they all did back them, they left the "old country" behind them and left with what they had on their back and a trunk if they were lucky. I knew all this, I mean I had a very limited and small idea of what they all had to go thru back then to become American citizens. Wow!!! Many were herded into cells behind chain link, men, women and children were many times separated during the process and they underwent a battery of exams and tests before they earned their citizenship.Ellis Island is restored to like new now but back then the sheer numbers of people coming thru wanting to come here made it so crowded it more closely resembled a detention center. Honestly the whole system was taxed so hard. Immigrants from all over the world were coming to here to be Americans and there is only just so much a place that size could accommodate without being overcrowded and all. The hardships (not just my ancestors but all of them) they all endured and their eventual triumph to realize their dreams be Americans is truly inspiring.
Dont ever let anyone tell you that immigrants had it easy becoming a Amercian citizen back then... they didnt. Im sure that the Govt was doing its best with what it had to accommodate all the people coming here to, and conditions were very prison-like because the system being over taxed by sheer numbers of people wanting to come here, the treatment was not always the best but they took it as a matter of course. People back then were tough, tougher than me thats Im sure.They were mentally and physically strong and this was just something they needed to do to fulfill their dream.
I commented to Margo how we "needed" a 26 foot moving truck to move across the country for just the 2 of us and they spent a month or more in dank conditions on ship with only what they could carry in their hands to come here. My Dad told me about how his Grandfather changed our last name from Rogerio to Rogers because he was now an American and he wanted to have a "American" name. I just came away from Ellis Island filled with even more pride than I went there with. Im so proud of my Grand and GGrandparents and Im proud to be an American. They went thru so much and worked so hard so that I could be blessed to live the life that I was born into. Im so glad they restored and are maintaining Ellis Island, to so many people it is and was the symbol of America.... a dream. I cant believe I was walking in the same places my family walked all those years ago to earn their citizenship. Im who I am because of them.It honestly had and still has me choked up.
After that we went to Manhattan and went to see Ground Zero. Again it was a extremely emotional and inspiring experience. The World trade Center buildings that are being built are well on their way and just the whole thing was a very sobering experience that Im glad that we got to do before we return to AZ.
Well thats how my weekend went, I hope yours was just as wonderful. Thank you for putting up with my ramblings again ;D
John
Dont ever let anyone tell you that immigrants had it easy becoming a Amercian citizen back then... they didnt. Im sure that the Govt was doing its best with what it had to accommodate all the people coming here to, and conditions were very prison-like because the system being over taxed by sheer numbers of people wanting to come here, the treatment was not always the best but they took it as a matter of course. People back then were tough, tougher than me thats Im sure.They were mentally and physically strong and this was just something they needed to do to fulfill their dream.
I commented to Margo how we "needed" a 26 foot moving truck to move across the country for just the 2 of us and they spent a month or more in dank conditions on ship with only what they could carry in their hands to come here. My Dad told me about how his Grandfather changed our last name from Rogerio to Rogers because he was now an American and he wanted to have a "American" name. I just came away from Ellis Island filled with even more pride than I went there with. Im so proud of my Grand and GGrandparents and Im proud to be an American. They went thru so much and worked so hard so that I could be blessed to live the life that I was born into. Im so glad they restored and are maintaining Ellis Island, to so many people it is and was the symbol of America.... a dream. I cant believe I was walking in the same places my family walked all those years ago to earn their citizenship. Im who I am because of them.It honestly had and still has me choked up.
After that we went to Manhattan and went to see Ground Zero. Again it was a extremely emotional and inspiring experience. The World trade Center buildings that are being built are well on their way and just the whole thing was a very sobering experience that Im glad that we got to do before we return to AZ.
Well thats how my weekend went, I hope yours was just as wonderful. Thank you for putting up with my ramblings again ;D
John