There are two possibilities for what you write this week:
1. When and how did your family come to be in the United States?
2. If you have no idea or would simply prefer not to discuss this, try this one: is the melting pot still a good symbol for the United States? Why or why not? If not, what is a better analogy? A salad bowl? A stir fry? A chipotle burrito with an In and Out burger stuffed inside? Something else? Or is this nation still best described as a melting pot?
It is hard to keep track of where your family comes from, what they have been through, and what steps they had to take to get to America. It is even harder to say that my family comes from one place. Looking at my family tree I see several nationalities; Irish, Spanish, English, Mexican, French, and some I cannot trace back to another country. It is unbelievable how much gets lost throughout the generations. This explanation is going to be a mess, so I will not blame you if it is confusing because I get confused myself.
ReplyDeleteThe only family I can tell you about that came from another country is my great-grandmother’s family (my mother’s father’s mother). My great-grandmother’s married name is Connie Kirby who died in 1999. I have called her Grandma Connie all my life, and I recently found out her actual name and maiden name; Consuelo Estrada. I knew that she had three other siblings Aunt Agusta, Aunt Vera, and Aunt Jane, and I was far from being correct. My grandmother had sixteen brothers and sisters; Agustina (Aunt Agusta), Elvira (Aunt Vera), Esther (Aunt Jane), Jesus, Arcadio, Jose (Joe), Roberto (Robert), Mary, Rudolfo (died same year born), Rudolfo (Rudy), Louis (Louie), Antonio (Tony), Amalia (Molly), Amparo, Alberto (Albert), and Rogelio. I do not know why I never heard about my other great-aunts and great-uncles, but not all families stick together.
My great-grandmother’s parents are Hermelinda Estrada (born Ponce) and Arcadio Estrada. No one in my family, which I know of, can recall Arcadio Estrada’s father’s name. Hermelinda had seven other brothers and sisters; Manuel, Ricarda, Frances, Soccoro, Paula, Jesus, and Mary Luz. I found out that Jesus Estrada was a decorated World War II veteran and had died at the age of 91 on January 18, 2011. Hermelinda’s parents are Pasquala (Barron/parents unknown) and Alejo Ponce; Alejo’s parent’s names were Chonita (no one knows her real name) and Leonico (Leo-knee-cee-oh) Ponce. Leonico and Chonita is where the migration starts.
Leonico Ponce was from Spain and went to Mexico. No one knows from where in Spain, his birthdate, or who his parents are. When he was in Mexico he took a Mexican woman as his wife. Their children (Alejo Ponce) were born in Mexico. Alejo, age 20, married Pasquala Torres Barron, age 15, in 1891. They legally arrived in El Paso, Texas, United States in 1923 (Alejo was 52 and Pasquala was 47) with their daughter (Hermalinda, age 16). When they came to the United States they moved to Tipton, California and owned a ranch. Hermelinda married Arcadio and also lived on the ranch. They worked the ranch as a family and this is where my great-grandmother grew up before coming to Bakersfield.
This is too much for someone to process, even me. There are no juicy details; no explanation why my great-grandmother moved to Bakersfield, no explanation about my great-grandmother not speaking to her siblings, no explanation why my great-great-great grandparents came to the United States, and no explanation of why my family knows very little about our history. This is the only side of my family that I know any details about coming to the United States.
Wow that is a bit confusing but its cool that you have so many different races in your family.
DeleteI also am Cherokee and Choctaw. It is fascinating to know that I have so much heritage and looking at me people never would guess that. In our food is culture entry we talked about traditions and things being passed down, which is something I don't have. I'm not sure why, but my guess is because of this complex mixture.
DeleteMy grandparents where the first to come to the United states from the rest of my family. They migrated to the United States many years ago in 1972. My mother was born In Guerrero Mexico and was brought to the United States at the age of two. She was raised here along with her siblings. Growing up for my mother and her family was very hard for they were very poor. My family migrated to the United States to live the American dream that many would talk about in Mexico. Many rumors about the financial status in the United States was stressed upon many which is the main reason for my families migration. They understood that it was much easier to make money in The United States but what they did not know prior was that everything was much more expensive than Mexico.
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents migrated to the United states illegally and by vehicle. It was not such a hard process for them to migrate over compared to how it is now. They first lived in Oregon for many years and finally decided to migrate to Bakersfield Ca when my mother turned 13 years old. Although they experienced culture shock and lived through difficult stages, they learned to over come their struggles and are now U.S citizens. If it wasn't for them I would probably not be here, enrolled in this class, explaining how and when they got here to the United States.
I am only going to guess that my great-great grandparents came to the United States in 1923 for the American dream as well. I do not know if they struggled. I know they owned a ranch, but how they got that ranch is unknown to me.
DeleteI wish we could post pictures because I love the old photographs.
I agree most of the families come to the U.S. to live a better life. Many of the parents don’t want to see their family struggling. There are a lot of people that migrate to the U.S. to live a better life. My grandparents struggle a lot just to bring a small portion of food to their home. I believe that as their children (my uncles) got older they realized they couldn’t keep living the life they did and that’s when they decided to migrate.
Deletei agree about how many people come to the U.S. and think that its going to be easy when its not.
DeleteMy father immigrated to the United States in 1989 and he brought my mother a few months later also in 1989 both from Mexico. My father’s decision to bring my mother soon after him was because they were starting a family and were in search for a better life in America. Both of my parents grew up in a small town where there were not too many opportunities to make a better life for themselves. In Mexico one has to pay in order to go to school from day one and no supplies are provided. Both of my parents came from large families of 10 or more children so neither of my grandparents could afford to pay for all their children’s education. My mother worked in order to pay for school as soon as she was old enough, but she soon sadly realized she could not do both and had to put her education on hold when she was almost done with high school. My father only got as far as eighth grade and had to stop in order to contribute to his household.
ReplyDeleteThe only way they figured that they would improve their situation was to migrate north into the United States. They had help from other family members in order to make their dreams come true when they decided to illegally crossed the border into the United States. My parents do not discuss their experience crossing the border other than it was easier back then and it was something that changed their lives forever. My parents lived in southern California for most of their lives and then decided to come to Bakersfield, C A in 1997 and have lived here ever since. Many aspects of their lives has changed since 1989 because my father is now a citizen of the United States and my mother is a permanent resident and is working on becoming a U.S. citizen.
It is telling that there seem to be more questions than answers where our own past is concerned.
ReplyDelete"I find the family the most mysterious and fascinating institution in the world." -Amos Oz
DeleteI like that quote! It is so true. Finding out about your past is indeed very fascinating.
DeleteI think there are more questions than answers but then again I think that sometimes you don't need all the answers about our past, just as we learn from it and appreciate how we got to where we are.
DeleteMy family came into the US somewhere in 1991 and with permission. I'm not exactly sure how it worked back then, all I know is that they had papers that allowed them to be here and with which they were able to get jobs. I think they drove from Mexico, a two day drive from where they were coming from, and passed the boarder. Although my parents had permission to be here they had absolutely nothing else. My parents were poor. My mom is always telling me stories about how they lived in a small apartment where they only had a matters, a fridge, a small stove, and a couple of pots and pans. I'm not trying to illicit anyone's pity but that is the truth. My parents struggled a lot to get us where we are now. Everything I have as well as the person I have grown up to be is all because of my parents and the effort they put in to give us a wonderful life.
ReplyDeleteIt is really tough to hear about what our great grandparents, grandparents and/or parents went through in order to provide a better life for us. It makes you very appreciative of what you are given and the person you grow up to become.
DeleteWhat a wonderful tribute to your parents and the sacrifices they've made on your behalf. I'm sure they are very proud of you!
DeleteI often think about all the physical and mental pain my grandmother, mother, and step father went through in order to provide a better life for me. All of their sacrifices were for my brothers and I. We are fortunate to have such wonder parents because I have heard a few horror stories from friends that have selfish parents. I thank God and my parents for everything that I have and for what is yet to come.
DeleteI am currently taking a history course by the brave and fearless Mr.Campbell, and I have to disagree that the United States is a melting pot; to me it is more of a cookie cutter. Because, as I look back on my schooling (K-12). American History is heavily romanticized and there is little discussion about George Washington being a slave owner himself, or the history of the people who inhabit America. History has always been passed down to me in a European ethnocentric manner. Therefore, to me America is a place that does not emphasize a high value on learning about other cultures, geography, or even learning how to speak another language (unless you’re one of the lucky few who had a good high school counselor). History is taught in a certain manner to create loyalty towards one country, and prevent minorities from retaliating against their oppressors. Therefore, to me America is more of a cookie cutter not a melting pot where all the ingredients are embraced, but a place where some of the dough is omitted to fit the shape.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you that we are not taught the whole "truth" about our history. The issues and things that will make people second think our history and our country are omitted.
DeleteExactly! To me that just creates dysfunction and an unhealthy society. It's like everyone knows the truth but it is an 'open secret' so to speak.
DeleteRacism stil exists, and its due in part by how children are educated and made to see other cultures or even their own culture in a negative light.
good stuff. I'm glad Campbell is dealing with these issues. I wonder how to remedy this. If you look at the high school history textbooks, they are actually getting much better about including difference and people of color and issues that once were considered too inflammatory or against the national narrative. High school history teaching still, well, sucks! And I think part of the problem results in what you describe here. It's not that the teachers don't know the rest of the story--believe me, pain and suffering and racism and nationalism make their way into every college history course now--but the real problem is that history is taught as just one dang thing after another rather than as the story of you, and of Sophia, and of all people who feel alienated. Those stories should be included in the national mythology along with the success of this nation...they go hand in hand.
DeleteExtremely well put Dr. Schmoll
DeleteWhat Ms. Vera has touched upon is very true within the K-12 educational system here in the U.S. My parents taught me that your first 12 years in school were ther for you to learn how to be and participate in the American experience as an engaged cititzen. A sort of soft nationalism. During your junior and Senior year of high school you should begin exploring outside of the box to get a feel for various governments, and cultures and institutions. My parents took great pains to get me to do additional reading and research on various topics of history from the high school textbooks "bibliography" pages. After high school my parents had me focus and specialize on one particular county other than the U.S. I chose China. K-12 should expose kids to the rest of the world to give them the beginings of a breath of discovery. However, I was always taught that it is up to you to become well versed in the things you are passionate about, and to take the time to study about the things that make you go "hmmm". Overall I agree with Ms. Vera, schools do need to open up more on histories of the world.
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ReplyDeleteMy parents are both from Ghana, Africa. My father has been in the United States for approximately 30 years and my mother has lived here for the past 22 years. Both my parents came with the hope of making a better life for themselves and their family back home.
ReplyDeleteMy father first went to London before deciding to come to the United states. He didn’t have any family member here, all he had were a couple of friends but at that point he believed that it was best if he moved here and established himself. And that he did. My dad has had a successful life here but when asked if he'll trade all he's done here to go back to Ghana, he said he will do it in a blink of an eye
My mother applied for a visa to come to the United states in 1989 and it was granted to her immediately. My mother's decision to come here was very difficult because she had just given birth that year to my sister and she had four other children there as well but she knew that the life that she was living was not healthy for her nor her children. She took that step and came to the U.S, buying her plane ticket with the little money that she had and leaving behind her immediate family. My mother was lucky, in the sense that her brother was already established in the U.S and she did have a couple of friends here too that helped her settle in.
My parents are glad that they came here, because if they didn’t, they wouldn’t have met each other and they would not be where they are right now. It also paved a way for my other siblings to come here as well. Although my parents have had a successful life here, in the U.S, they are eager to retire and go back to their home country. That’s all they talk about!
Wow! You have quite a family history :) My husbands parents immigrated from the middle-east, and they too always talk about returning "back home". They were successful business owners and really did well in the US, however their homeland is where their heart truly is.
DeleteI really enjoyed reading about your family history. I could see how they would be home sick still after so many years because I know I would be if I left America for a long period of time. I hope they are able to return one day and visit their family!
DeleteI found it really interesting that your parents are both from Ghana and they met all the way over here in the United States. That is really awesome because what are the odds of that happening. I have always wanted to travel to Africa and I hope one day I could go there. If your parents end up going back home, would you consider going with them?
DeleteYour family's story is one of true greatness! So many times my parents both spoke of going back to there respective homelands. When we hear of the hardships our parents went through to just come here to the U.S., I always ask myself the question; "could I have endured and made the decissions my parents did to not only come to America, but also make it here once I got here?" Your parents are a remarkable gift to you and also inspirations.
DeleteOh my goodness have you ever visited Ghana on vacation, if so do you have any pictures you would be willing to share???
ReplyDeleteI haven't been there in a very long time. I went to stay there for a while when i was younger (my mom was going to nursing school and I was too much for her to handle). But I am planing on visiting really soon!
DeleteAwesome-ness I wanted to study abroad there but it is quite expensive :)
DeleteMy maternal great grandparents immigrated to the United States from Poland. They stayed with relatives in Wisconsin while they looked for employment and housing. My grandfather remained in Poland with his grandparents until his mother and father had settled, and then they returned to get him and his siblings and bring them back to America (which I believe was several years later). Eventually they learned English and became United States citizens. My grandfather was very proud to be an American, and enlisted in the US Navy when he was 18 years old. He was actually on duty at Pearl Harbor during the bombing, and manned a gun on one of the ships. Shortly after the war, he met my grandmother (who was part Cherokee Indian) and they quickly fell in love. My mother was born to them many years after they were married and she was their only child.
ReplyDeleteMy fathers family is from Oklahoma and is of Dutch origin, but I don't know the history of how they originally came to America. My dad's mother (age 90) is my only living grandparent, so this post has inspired me to want to sit down and ask about the origins of her family and how they came to be Americans.
The history of my family begins in a small town in central Mexico in the state of Michoacán in the early 1900’s. My great grand-parents from both my maternal and fraternal side were born in the town of Tangancicuaro De Arista. I do not know much about my fraternal great-grand parents, but I do know that my maternal great grandfather, MARIO MERIN FERNANDEZ, worked as a farmer, owned lands, and had several hundred cows. He died in the early 90’s.
ReplyDeleteIt is my understanding that my fraternal great grandfather, RAMON SANCHEZ, first came into the United States in the mid 1920’ and was lost for about 10 years. Nobody in my family seems to know what he did for a living during those ten years or where he lived.
The rest of my family began to migrate to California in the late 1960’s. They worked as farmers in Kern County and lived in the City of Delano, McFarland, and Wasco and participated in the United Farm Worker protest that began in the 1970’s.
My mother migrated to the United States in the late 70’s. My mother worked as a field worker picking grapes, cherries, and cotton for farmers. She was deported five different times while working in the fields. She later obtained her residency during the Ronald Reagan era. She became a United States Citizen in 1997.
My siblings and I are first generation American Citizens. Although my uncle was the first to graduate from college, I will be the first with my sibling to receive a BA.
Tangancicuaro De Arista? I have family in Cantalapiedra, Spain, and I thought that was my favorite town name, but Tangancicuaro De Arista has got to be the best town name ever!
DeleteI want to know more about Ramon during those lost years. The idea of lost years is theoretically compelling. What are the possibilities? Where could he have been? You should write a series of short stories with a bunch of possibilities. Yes?
My family history includes a mix of Irish, German, and Swiss. However, I have no idea how or when they got here and which side is which. So I started thinking about the alternative discussion question on whether or not a melting pot is still a good symbol for the United States. I believe it could still be used but there may be other ways to describe our mix of cultures in America. Our history is made up of immigrants which brought all different types of people, cultures, and nationalities. I've always heard the term "salad bowl" which I think is a better way to describe our fusion. This analogy to me describes the mix of various ingredients which makes up a cultures individual characteristics which is still retained within the salad. Rather than the melting pot where we "melt" and blend together as one. Many in the U.S retain their cultural identity and continue to practice their traditions. So in a sense we have become a multicultural society who's characteristics are visibly seen in the salad. Last weeks discussion brought up one cultural characteristic seen daily which is food. Today we can get traditional foods such as Mexican, Tai, Chinese, and even Cambodian. It may not be authentic but it is still available if we want to dive into a different culture for dinner. Looking at my personal heritage it makes me sad that we don't celebrate any cultural traditions but we do have our own family traditions that have been passed down each generation. I think its important that we stay a multicultural society and embrace our giant American salad bowl
ReplyDeleteGreat inside! I agree with the salad bowl ideology rather than a melting pot. It is important to embrace the "American salad bowl" it helps keep a balance in the U.S.
DeleteMiranda I agree many immigrants keep their cultural traditions. They come to America to better their lives and adapt to the cultural while still maintaining part of their heritage.
ReplyDeleteLong ago it was said that as soon as the young girls turned a certain age they were supposed to marry and start a family of their own, and that’s how my grandmother’s story began. My grandmother was forced to marry my grandfather at the age of fifteen. As a few years passed they began their family in a small part of Mexico. They had nine children. From the nine children my mother was number six. It was very hard to feed a family of eleven. My grandparents were very hard workers that never gave up. As their children (my uncles) grew older they started to realize that they weren’t living the life they wanted. One by one started to migrate to the U.S. to start a new life. On 1986 my mother decided to leave her home to migrate to the U.S. She knew it wasn’t going to be easy but she was willing to risk everything in order to start a new lifestyle. It took her two weeks to get to the U.S. My mother would sleep under a tree with a few other people covered with a plastic bag. She slept a few days cold, dirty, and hungry. It only got more difficult as the days past they were only able to eat once or twice a cup of noodles. She was found twice trying to cross to the U.S. and send back to Mexico. The third time was the charm for her. She got to San Diego were she had to work in a home cleaning just to get a small portion of food. She them began her journey till she got to the city of Los Angeles where she started a new life.
ReplyDeleteYour grandmothers story is admirable and daring. Its touching to here a story with so much heart.
DeleteFirst thing about my family you should know is: I have a big family! My parents immigrated to the United States in the 1980’s from Asia. My mother came with her parents her 5 sisters and 2 brothers while my father with his grandparents and his 6 sisters. They both left China separately but arrived in America almost at the same time. Back in the 1980’s, the transportation system is nowhere near as effective as today. My parents both left the island via boat, and eventually traveled by air and entered the wonderful western hemisphere. The entire process took months because both my parents traveled with so many passengers. My father’s side of the family lived in Canada before moving to the states. His entire family lived a comfortable lifestyle, but after several years they decided that they needed a change. After deciding to come to the United States he met my mother in Northern California. When my mother left China, she came directly to the states. She lived in Sacramento, California for a number of years until she met my father and eloped. Several years later, they made a collective decision to move to Los Angeles, California to be closer to my dad’s family. They still live there today, and I frequently visit. I am here in Bakersfield to finish up my schooling and am looking forward to moving back to LA in June.
ReplyDeleteI would really like to travel to Asia to know another culture and cuisine. I would love to travel to many places, and hopefully after I graduate I can make my trip. Have you ever travel there yourself?
DeleteMy mother and father migrated illegally to the U.S. from Guanusco, Zacatecas, in 1986 when my oldest brother was about a year old. My oldest brother now is 28 years old. My parents had worked hard to save money and come to the U.S. so, that they can provide a better life for the future family. I remember listening to my father and mother while they were telling me how much they struggled trying to find a coyote to help them cross over the Mexican border. There were about 40 people wanting to cross women, men, and children. They told me that it took them almost 3 days to be able to cross without getting caught. My mother told me told it was very frightening because they were dehydrated, hungry, and deprived of sleep. She said, each time they would walk further and further to the border to cross the river different groups were getting caught. They were terrified of not being able to reach their destination and having to be thrown back to the middle of nowhere in Mexico.
ReplyDeleteThe day they made it over the U.S. border my father had little money and no shelter. He was determined to find a job and place for the family. He came across another man who offered him to take him to a Fresno, for a small fee. To place where he will be able to find a job in the fields and provide a better life for his family. My dad was scared of whether to trust this man with his family. But my dad went for the offer later my family had fake California id’s to get work. After my dad did not settle in Fresno he came to Delano and found work in the fields. My mother by that time was pregnant from my other brother. My mother told me the only food they ate eggs, beans, tortillas, water, and milk. It was difficult for them to afford a lot of things. At that time they had settled in a one room home with 3 other families.
Later on my dad learned some English and prepared himself to try to get his citizenship and be able to fix papers for my mom and oldest brother. My father told me how hard it was to go to work at 2 in the morning because the immigration vans would go around 4-5 in the morning to pick up illegal immigrants, who were trying to work in the fields. My mother was terrified that one day my father would not show up. My mother just told me that wasn’t the worst they had gone through she did not want to say anymore, because she felt it was a memory or traumatic event she had.
They told me this story to teach me to appreciate life and all they sacrificed for us. So that when I got older I would have the chance to go to school and make something of my life and have my family someday and live happy.
My parents also told me similar stories so that I would appreciate everything they have done for me and my brother. Its very important that they didn't give up and kept trying to get across even though it was extremely dangerous.
DeleteIts amazing how much our parents sacrifice for us to have a better life.
DeleteLet us start with the year 1945, which is the year, my 21-year-old future grandmother Lucila Salcido came to America. At this time, she was an illegal immigrant running away from shame she caused to her family; my grandmother was raped, and she was judged as “unclean” because she was on longer a virgin. Rather than staying in her town of San Carlos Tamaulipas, Mexico, she decided to head to the United States where no one would know about her tragic victimization. She married my grandfather Andres Salcido Rios who was twenty years her elder. My mother was not created until 1959 in Tijuana, Mexico because that is where grandparents were living at the time. They came back to America in 1963 right before my mother turned four years old. I am not to sure what year my father arrived here in the U.S., thus I need to go interrogate my mother. My mother informed me that my father was born in Mission, Texas in the year 1951. When it comes to my father, I am very ignorant about his history; I just met him last year, right after my 28th birthday day. It is hard to keep track of someone who abandoned me at the ripe age of 2. Miraculously, my mother married a decent man that goes by the name of Herman Harvey Metcalf Jr. I have the biggest grin on my face right now because I love my Papa Herman so much; he is the best, imperfect, loving stepfather and has never made me feel like I was not blood. He was born in Fairfield, California in the year 1967, and was 19 years old when he married my mother, who was 27 (talk about cougar status; we love to give her a hard time). These five people indirectly and directly shaped my coming into existence. My parents settled in Bakersfield after they were married. I was born here along with my two younger brothers
ReplyDeleteKarina, it was very interesting to read about how your family came to the United States. I was not able to determine how my family came here, but maybe one day I will. I can kind of relate to the whole father abandonment situation. In my case my father left my twin brother and I when we were 10 years old. I am now 23 and I have not heard from him since then. Its no problem though because all I need is my mother. I am however happy that you have your papa that treats you as though you were his biological child. You have a lot of courage for telling that in your post because I know sometimes things like that can be personal.
DeleteDoes your Herman Metcalf have any connection to Metcalf park in San jose Ca. That's pretty close to Fremont. There is a lot of good history in that area of California. Not to mention that it wasnt too far back that the population there was much less than today.
DeleteFirst and foremost, I find it very fascinating how everyone’s families have traveled to the United States! Unfortunately, I do not know much about my family’s history, background, or even how they came to the United States.
ReplyDeleteIs the United States still a good representation of the “melting pot?” The term “melting pot” is a touchy yet controversial subject. This term has meaning, depth, and most of all years and years of history behind it. Yet, some people do not believe that the United States serves the symbol of the term the “melting pot,” because it has generated negative aspects and questions of race and diversity in the U.S. Some people believe that the decline in jobs and all of the supplement programs that are offered are due to “outsiders” coming in the U.S. This could be used to describe the “pot” as to boiling over verse “melting” in any manner. I have thought long and hard about this statement and to some extent the melting pot is a good symbol, but not an adequate symbol of the United States. This is because it is used to describe the American dream, in which through hard work and perseverance, success, freedom, and prosperity can be achieved. This could be what had and has attracted many immigrants to the United States, because who wouldn't want to live a better quality of life. But little do we know how difficult it is to come to the United States, all of the hoops and loops immigrants have to overcome just to get into North America. As I said before, the term “melting pot” is a touchy subject and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. As for me, I think a salad bowl could be a better analogy to describe the United States. The salad itself could represent the diversity of people mixed into one bowl (or place) that represents the United States.
I also don't know very much about my family history when it comes to how we came to be in the United States. After reading everyone else's stories, I feel like I'm missing out! Good points on diversity in the United States. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
DeleteI also don't think that the best analogy for America is the melting pot but I'm also not quite sure what it is anymore. I do however, like the points you highlighted as to why you don't think so either.
DeleteAfter asking my mother and some family members about my family and how they came to the United States, I was not able to get a concise answer. So I knew the second question was going to have to be the best question for me to answer. While thinking about whether the melting pot is still a good symbol for the United States I concluded it was not. I say that it is not because that would mean that immigrants that have come and will come to the United States would take up America’s society and American culture and forget their own culture. However, in the United States you can definitely see the different cultures that people have carried with them as they assimilated here. Furthermore, I would say a salad bowl would be a good symbol for the United States. In a salad you are able to depict the different ingredients such as tomato, lettuce, onions, and carrots and in the United States you are able to pick out the different cultures just like the ingredients in the salad. There are some immigrants who have become Americanized as they have moved to the United States but not all immigrants have adopted the American culture which is why there are so many different cultures here in the United States. Even though there are so many great qualities about American culture and America’s society, it just would not be the same place if immigrants who traveled from all across the world to the U.S. stopped displaying their culture. By immigrants keeping their culture alive as they have come here the salad bowl is the perfect symbol for showing the diversity that is contained in the United States.
ReplyDeleteYou have a good explanation of why a salad would be a good description for the mixing pot here in the US. Here are some things I'd like you to consider. People dont change culture right when they get here. Some times it takes a couple of generations for the mixing to really begin. Possibly because you cant teach an old dog new tricks. Wait for it to have puppies and then teach the new tricks.
DeleteSo, salads dont ever mix. Eventually everyone here in the US will mix cultures. Some people just take longer than others. After all if we didnt have new people bringing new culture the melting and changing of our culture would stop. There has always been and will always be pocket cultures. But over all I believe by the time the second generation immigrants go to shcool in the US there definitly is come melting of cultures. Any thoughts?
I agree with you. I like your scenario that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks and that you should wait for it to have puppies to teach the new tricks." I had not thought about how the immigrants children would have somewhat of a different culture than their parents if they are born in the United States. I could definitely see the melting of cultures there.
DeleteThis is an exciting subject for me and my family. The most current immigrant within my family is my wife Glenda. In 1991 her mother Luz, came here illegally from Honduras leaving behind her very young children and cheating husband. She was searching for a way to provide a better life for her and her children. Luz worked very hard and saved enough money to buy her daughters illegal passage to the United States. In 1997 my wife along with her sister were illegally smuggled into Mexico. After approximately 6 months in Mexico the logistics were set. My wife Glenda and her sister were escorted across the border in a truck and delivered to Luz.
ReplyDeleteThere of course is much more to the story than just illegally migrating across 2 countries and illegally imigrating into Untied States. One particular story within her journey that we think is cute and funny that is worth sharing. While crossing the border into Mexico from Guatemala her and her sister were asked by the guard to say what the Mexican border agent was holding in his hand. He had a straw from a cup in his hand. Glenda said it was a "Pajilla" the Honduran word for straw. The guard didn't let them cross the border and sent them back to Guatemala. The word most mexicans use is "popote". After waiting for a few days the made their second attempt into Mexico and suceeded.
On my side of the family we have a book that was published in 1994 by Larry D Crummer, DMus that is kept in the Library of Congress (Catalog card Number 93-79766). This book traces my family lines back to England. The first of my family to come across the Atlantic was Gov. William Bradford, Author of the book "Of Plymouth Plantation". He first landed here in November 1620.
I find it amazing that you and your wife's families have such different paths and circumstances in coming to the United States.
DeleteThis is such a fun story! I know very little about how my family came to be in the United States, and I must say that your stories make me want to learn about my history!
DeleteThank you for the replies. My family just keeps chipping away at it and passing on the documents along with updating books etc.. Ask around in your family. I'm sure someone some where has something that somebody had worked on.
DeleteUnfortunately my grandmother and grandfather from both my parents side passed away before I was born, so I can't get a deeper understanding of the exact when and how my family eventually came to the United States. I do know that my dad is directly from Mexico, coming to the United States when he was 16 with a work visa. He's now an American citizen. My mother knows that her mom was born in Texas, but didn't know much about her grandmother. An interesting note is that my grandmothers birth certificate says race is white. My mom believes that her mother's side has always been in the U.S. or Mexico actually, since Texas was Mexico's land at one point. My mothers dad actually came to the United States during the 40's. My Grandfather is Puerto Rican. He passed away when my mother was around 10 so she doesn't know much about how or why he eventually came to United States. So there are parts of my family that possibly has always been here, some that came from Puerto Rico, and some from our southern neighbor Mexico.
ReplyDeleteI really do not know much about my family or how they came to live in the United States. I do know that both sides of my family come from England, but that I also have some Scottish, Irish, and Native American blood mixed in as well. I know that my great grandparents from my father's side of the family lived in the mid-west and that their children migrated to California, but I don't know anything about that side of the family from before my great grandparents. My mother's side of the family migrated from England fairly recently, and my mother was only the second generation born here in the states. My mother's grandparents, the first to migrate to the states, died when my mother was very young, as did my mother's mom, my grandmother. Because of this loss, we don't know much about our family before my mother's grandparents. My mother has done some research, and we believe that her grandparents lived in Wales before moving to the United States. She is currently working on more in depth research on this part of her family and we hope to visit the place that they lived in the summer of 2014. I personally find knowing the history of one's family fascinating. Afterall, doesn't it really hold the key to who we are today? If anyone of my family members had lived differntly, who knows where I would be today. Due to this, I find myself wanting to know more and more about my family and wanting to see where they lived and where other, distant family members ended up. I think we all deserve this knowledge and should want this link to who we are.
ReplyDeleteMy family came to be here in the United States by two means; my Father's family were brought here during the African slave trade and my Mother's family came to America to escape the communist regime of the former Soviet Union of the 1930s. The stories of not only how my family came to be here in the U.S. and how my Father and Mother came to be together both begin in tragedy but end in happiness. Both Families agree that the United States was one of the very few places where one could come from the oppression of slavery and communistic state ideology to have freedom in so many ways. Our family today is over 5000 strong with our own family non-profit organization "New Hymm Educational Developmental Association"(N.H.E.D.A.), to always remember where we came from so that we may never go backwards and forever move forward for the good of our family and our country that gave us not only equality under law, but also the opporturnity to succeed in any endeavor we choose.
ReplyDeleteHey Derrick, I'm interested, by what means did your family come from the former Soviet Union?
DeleteThis question has been quite a bit of a challenge for me because, if I'm honest, I've never really investigated where my family from and how. So I had to give my dad a call who then directed me to my grandparents who then told me everything they knew. My family first came to the United States in the early 1900's from Southern Germany all the way to a small rural town called Comfort, Texas. The first members of my family to come were my great-grandparents who spoke absolutely no English at all. However, after several years of adapting to the new location they soon began to take jobs in law enforcement and agriculture as well. To this day only my grandparents have maintained the German language and speak well.
ReplyDeleteI guess that would be an example of the melting pot; they seem to have assimilated into the American culture without maintaining any of their German culture beyond the second generation. I wounder about national identity in this case. while your family would obviously identify as American, if you were pressed with a "what is your family" inquisition, would you identify as German? does national identity descend maternally or paternally?
DeleteWell our family did come here illegally. My parents have many stories of when they tried to cross the border. I distinctly remember one story of when they were crossing the border, they had already crossed it but they had to go through a ranch which had cattle and bull. It was in broad daylight so the coyote told them to go through it that they couldn’t go around it because it would take too long. So, they had to cross through the area of the cattle, what no one realized was that there was a bull in the same area. My parents were from the last couple people that were crossing when the bull spotted all the people crossing his territory so he charged after them. They didn’t even notice the bull was coming up behind them until they saw the people in front of them running for their lives which caused them to look back and see what they were running from; so, they too ran for their lives. Thank God, no one was hurt; everyone crossed safely. Some lost shoes or a jacket they were wearing but they didn’t go back to retrieve their belongings.
ReplyDeleteMy father came when he was seventeen to work and get himself a better future. I know how much they suffered and struggled to come to this country, which is why I look up to them for being so strong. I am very grateful to them for doing whatever it took to provide a better future for me and my brother. I really owe them a lot, I’m proud of everything they have become and because of all of the obstacles they had to overcome just to better themselves. Many people do not understand why people leave their families and everything they know behind for the so-called American Dream but I’m sure if you saw your family struggling because they didn’t have enough food to feed everyone in the family or someone in the family was very ill and you need money for their treatment; you probably wouldn’t think twice about it.
My mother came here when she was fourteen because my grandparents couldn’t support themselves anymore. My grandfather had asthma and would sell peanuts to try and make a living because he could no longer work. My grandmother is epileptic and has seizures since my mom was a baby because her brother beat her so badly after an argument they had. My mom has a sister and three brothers, and she was supporting the entire family. She would work three jobs, she only had about two hours to sleep, eat, and shower. That’s why I have so much appreciation and feel so proud of my mother because she has worked so hard since she was 7 years old; that she can’t work anymore because she is ill. All that time that she mistreated her body and literally worked herself to the ground took its toll on her health. My mom supported her family even after she married my dad, she actually told my dad NO when he proposed and several times after; he finally asked why she didn’t want to marry him. My mom’s answer was that she was the sole support of her family and she couldn’t desert them. My dad started laughing and she got angry at him and left, but he stopped her and told her, he would never stop her from helping her family and they got married!!
I am very blessed to have such loving, caring parents that will always look after me. My mom is now an American citizen and my dad has his residency. Many people take their parents for granted or are ashamed because they came here illegally that they don’t even realize that thanks to their struggles and choices they have a better future and where most likely born in this country.
Thats an interesting and kind of scary story. My dad has crazy stories about his first time being in the U.S as well and I love listening to them.
DeleteMy family hopped across the pond long enough ago that I have no discernible connection to the immigration experience. I've always thought that the metaphor of the melting pot is problematic. It's quite violent. The idea that you have to be melted down, to have your identity ravaged by this extreme temperature that is applied unilaterally without regard to any semblance individualism in order to fit into a homogeneous mixture representative of a culture is abhorrent.
ReplyDeleteThe metaphor of the salad bowl is better, even if it is rather corny. In a salad, the individual elements retain their native characteristics; this it what gives it flavor. Your can't homogenize a salad; try running it through a food processor and see which one you like better. A salad also needs diversity to function well. Nobody likes just Iceberg lettuce and ranch (although the Iceberg people try to buy houses in gated communities, which amounts to the same thing). A salad needs diversity in the same way that the US does.
I enjoyed reading this. I agree, the salad bowl is a great way to think of the country. Because although it is a single country, it is a country made up of many cultures and experiences.
DeleteMy family has been in the U.S. for some time. I do know however that my grandmother came here from Mexico at a very young age. She is the oldest of her three siblings and all three came to the U.S. through a kind of adoption process. She has never really elaborated on what happened to her parents, but I do know that she and her sisters came into her uncles custody. I'm not sure of the immigration process at the time, but she came to the U.S. and started working. She worked in various agriculture companies until she met my grandfather in Brownsville Texas. They were married when she was just 16 years old. They started their family quickly, and worked in Texas for many years. They moved their family to Bakersfield in the mid 60's. Here in Bakersield they continued to expand their family and work.
ReplyDeleteIts interesting how my grandparents met at a young age as well. They married when they were 16 and started their lives here in the U.S. Their now expanding their family all around the U.S also. I enjoyed reading your post.
ReplyDeletethat was for Jackies post
DeleteMy family came to the United States in 1997 when I was five years old. My two younger sisters, my mom, and I came to live with my aunt first. We came on airplane, and I remember very well because I was very scared. It was my first time on an airplane, and I was not able to sit with my mom. I had to sit next to a complete stranger, and I was terrified. My two younger sisters got to sit next to my mom, while I stared at them from across the aisle. When we landed, we had our aunt waiting for us. I had never met her before, so it felt very strange for me to hug and kiss her cheek. However, she was very nice and welcoming to us. Although I didn’t know her, she knew my sisters, and I very well. She was my dad’s older sister. She droves us home with her to our new home. I remember being amazed at all the new places I saw, and at how pretty this new place was. Before we went home, we made a stop at another one of our aunt’s home. Again, we met new people who knew us very well, but we did not know. They were all very excited to see us, because they hadn’t seen us since we were babies. That night was also very strange or different for me because it was the first night that we slept in our new home. It was also the first night we had slept away from our dad and older sister. They had stayed behind for a few months because my dad still had work to do in Mexico and my sister wanted to finish the school year with her friends. We went almost a year without them, but were very happy when they move to the U.S with us.
ReplyDeleteI WAS BORN HERE SO I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW DIFFERENT OUR LIVES ARE ALREADY. SOMETIMES ITS HARDER FOR ME TO APRECIATE. BUT NOW WE ALL CAN TOGETHER.
DeleteMY FAMILY CAME TO THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1950'S FROM MEXICO. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO COME ALL AT ONCE BECAUSE OF THE MONEY SO MY PARENTS BOTH LIVED A SHORT CHILDHOOD. WHEN THEY CAME TO THE U.S. THEY HAD TO GO DAYS WITHOUT EATING IN THE DESERTS TO GET TO THE BORDERS. I BELIEVE I REMEMBER MY FATHER SAYING HE ALMOST DIED MANY TIMES FROM STARVATION AND THIERST. HE HAD IT A LITTLE RUFFER PHYSICALLY, BUT MY MOMS JOURNEY WAS MORE EMOTIONAL.
ReplyDeleteMY MOTHER WAS LEFT AROUND THE AGE OF FIVE YEARS BY HER PARENTS WITH HER SEVEN SISTERS AND ONE BROTHER TO LIVE WITH THEIR TWO GRAMAS. THEY WERE ALTERNATE BETWEEN THEM WITHIN THE SEVEN YEARS THEY DIDNT HAVE PARENTS. MY GRANDPARENTS CAME TO THE UNITED STATES TO MAKE MONEY FOR THE KIDS AND RAISE ENOUGH TO HAVE ALL OF THEM CROSS THE BOARDER. IN MEXICO THEY LIVED REALLY POOR, SHOWERED IN THE RIVERS, USED THE RESTROOM WITH THE PIGS, SOMETIMES EVEN HAD TO EAT THE ANIMALS FOOD. THANKFULLY, WHEN MY MOTHER WAS AROUND 16 HER PARENTS WERE ABLE TO SEND THEM OVER. MY MOTHER SAID THAT THE FIRST THING SHE THOUGHT WAS HOW AMAZINGLY BEUTIFULL THE LIGHTS WERE. (IN HER "RANCHO"THERE WAS ONLY THE LIGHT OF THE SUN AND THE MOON, SO WHEN SHE CAME HERE STREET LIGHTS AND OUTDOOR LIGHTS WERE MINDBLOWING)
MY FATHER HAD A EASIER EMOTIONAL COMING TO THE U.S. BUT HE SUFFERED ALOT PHYSICALLY TO GET HERE. HE HAD TO RAISE HIS OWN MONEY SO AT A YOUNG AGE HE WORKED FOR A RICH FAMILY IN MEXICO. LATER HE WORKED AT A BAR AT THE AGE OF EIGHT AND WAS FORCED TO DRINK. EVER SINCE THEN HE HAS BEEN AN ALCOHOLIC. COMING TO THE U.S. WAS ALSO PHYSICALLY HARD. HE HAD TO CROSS MANY RIVERS AND HOT DESERTS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO MONEY FOR TRANSPORTATION.
IM HAPPY THEY CAME HERE. THERE PURPOSE WAS TO LIVE THE AMERICAN DREAM. THAT HERE THERE WAS EVERYTHING,LITTLE DID THEY KNOW THAT ITS ALOT OF BRAIN WORK HERE, AND IF THEY DONT HAVE IT, THEY WILL REMAIN POOR, BUT WITH BETTER ENVIROMENTS.