For tonight's blog, I would like you to create a journal entry as if you are an immigrant who just arrived at Ellis Island. Using your notes from today's film, your knowledge of Ellis Island (which should be extensive at this point) and your imagination, I want you to be creative and not be limited by grammar. Please feel free to free write and not worry about run on sentences or punctuation. Yes, that said DO NOT worry about that. In three paragraphs, you will describe the following:
1. Your journey (you may include the journey to the ship that took you to Ellis)
2. What was the first thing you saw as you entered NY harbor. Describe how you felt as you approached Ellis and as you got off the boat.
3. As you exit the boat, tell me what you went through. Did you arrive alone, with family, did everyone get to stay, was there a reason why someone was turned away, etc?
Be sure to have this completed by tomorrow 1/4/07.
Ms. B
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10 comments:
Teresa Konopka
G Block
Dear Diary,
Where I am going, I will not have to worry about anyone reading you where I am. Since there are so many people who speak different languages, no one will even be able to decipher my markings. Just yesterday, I came off of my boat. You know that I have spent the last of my puny savings of that ticket. A whopping 12 dollars has put a hole in my pocket!
I remember not having a place to sleep. I let a little Romanian boy sleep in my cot. It was really mine to sleep in, but those large brown eyes hit a note in my heart. With tears streaming down his face, I sympathized. He had lost his mother and didn’t speak a word of English.
After docking, I fell to the floor. That will explain the gash above my eyebrow. A hefty man with three suitcases practically ran over me, screaming incoherently. Anyway, I got up and waited ten hours on a long line to be inspected. All while I waited, I gazed at the Statue of Liberty. These Americans are so funny--making a woman green!
When I finally was able to be inspected, a crude doctor pulled at my eyelids and scratched at my arms. When I was claimed “healthy,” I went out. Carrying only the clothes on my back and the anguish in my heart, I just stood staring at the land. It didn’t matter that I had been on my feet for over ten hours. I was free and just stared.
Journal Entry,
i was just on a ship for what seemed like forever! the condition was horrible. the amount it costed me to buy a ticket that put me in such a bad seat on the boat is arguably worth it.
Many would argue that buying an expensive ticket for tweleve whole dollars, just to be put with all the cargo for around a week.
Once i got off the ship, i was soo happy i almost kissed the ground. the atmosphere was full of freedom and opportunity and i needed to seize it. Coming to the ports i had no money and only the clothes on my back with me. i had no family but had intentions of starting one when i get settled in.
The person in front of me was rejected which gave me much fear. im scared for this thourough inspection but do not think i can keep writing in this journal, i will update you with the results when i get back.
Sincerely,
christopher morawed
yo wussup son my name is Aleksander and i am from the hood of mother russia. me and my homies, as you say it in amerika, decided to robb a bank so wii could catch a ride on the ferry to the new world. itz pretty wack up in this shizznit so we robbed a bank bought some cigs and some pure russian vodka and hit up the boat. it was a long a aggonizing journee but we made it with the help of the cigs, vodka, cards and a couple of hott chixx. the first thing we saw in new world was a bunch of ginormous buildings and then we saw the uglyest queen in the world. she had a torch, a book and was an ugly colour. as i approached the famouse isle i wanted to let go of the cigs, vodka and hott chick and finally move on in my life, away from the getttoooo son. after a long wait me and my homies finally got to this isle waited in line for another sikzzz hours, ate and then finally we were let outta this hellhole. And this is how the journey of russian hu$tlers began in the land of the free.
CHECK IT!
Loretta Au
Gblock
Dear Diary,
I do not understand why I am here. I was happy at home, and I do not want to be here on this crowded ship. Mother and Father would not tell me where we are, all they say is that we are headed for a better life. A better life? What was wrong with the one we had before? Where are all our belongings? I don;t want to go.
We passed this large green statue, and at the sight of it everyone cheered. Stepping off the boat was a great relief. It was getting cramp on the boat. We were all taken to this large building where we joined many other people. Whom I suppose are here for the same reasons.
Mother says we will be happier here. With freedom and liberty. But we have nothing, how can we be happier? Until next time...
Sincerely,
Loretta
Melissa Coughlin
Dear diary,
We left early in the morning to a train. The train was filled with crying babies. Thats what i remember the most, the crying. Whether it was before we got on the train, on the train, after the train, before the boat...everywhere. Most tears seemed to be of joy. Others were of sadness and pain. They didn't say it loud, but you can just tell those types of things. So after the long train ride mom, dad and i waited at the dock on the longest line I ever saw. Everyone had about 2 bags of luggage, but we had one tiny bag. We sold everything we had so we could get on a train and a boat, full of crying. We got onto the boat eventually and it was so packed! I felt like I was being transported like cattle. So the crying babies cried for what seemed like forever. Then everyone was running over to the windows. Mom called me over and I looked. A huge greenish statue stood on the ocean! People clapped on the boat and I joined them. No one said it, but I understood, we were finally here. I fell asleep as soon as I got the chance and after a while, we were called into the inspection room. Healthy, healthy, healthy. We were allowed in, apparently. After a ferry ride to New York City, I didn't hear babies crying anymore. It was such a happy place! Tall building scraped the skyand stretched onto infinity. I I still gaze in amazement. There is no place like home, America.
Yasmeen Sweatte
G Block
1/3/08
Dear Diary,
In acouple of days I will be the most happiest person on this earth I can bet you my last dollar. Well let me start by saying, my trip to the boat leaving to arrive at Ellis Island was, the worse trip EVER! I stood on a long line for 10hours, hot, sweaty, and being pushed just to receive a ticket to freedom, but I know it's worth it.
The first thing I saw when I first arrived New York Harbor was the statue of liberty. At that exact moment I knew I had fnally reached my destination. When the boat docked my heart started to pound and my eyes cried tears of joy. When I stepped foot of the boat, I kneeled to my knees and, kissed the ground I was soon to walk on forever. When I arrived on Ellis Island, I was checked for any medical problems.
I arrived inEllis Island with my sisters,niece,and my two best friends. Sadly, one of my best friends by the name of Tarina caught a case of smallpox and, had to be separated from the only people she knew.
Conor McGinn
Block G
Dear Diary,
I am all alone. I've lost everyone; mom, pop. For seven years mom and pop worked hard to raise money back in Germany. We paid loads of money to get on this ship packed full of other people. We were all headed to America, to start again. The passage was long, and awful.
We finally arrived at New York Harbor. I saw all the giant buildings, and the statue of liberty. It was all very beautiful, but very scary at the same time. I miss Germany, but mom and pop have told me all about the wonderful things we will do in America. I am so excited to arrive, I have dreamt about this whole experience for so long.
In Ellis Island, we had to wait on long lines for a long time. Mom and pop kept me in front of them so they could keep an eye on me. I went up to be inspected by a doctor. He finished his tests, and pushed me to the right. Onto another line. I looked back, pop was pushed to the left, and so was mom. They tried to come to my line, but men kept pushing them away. They tried to tell the men that I was their son, and we had to stay together, but the men could not understand. We all started to shout, and everyone started to look at us, but nobody seemed to understand. I was pushed with my line into a room and mom and pop were gone. I wanted to cry, but I had to answer questions. I tried to tell the man who could speak german that my parents needed to come with me. He said they failed the doctor's test and would be sent back to Germany, but told me not to worry because I was going through. Not to worry? I was alone. Now I am walking through New York City with no idea what to do.
Auf Weidershen for now.
Tarina Meaders
G Block
1/3/08
Dear Diary, Its Tarina again. Im finally in America, everyone from my country has said wonderful things about it. Theres jobs, and fun places to play, heated houses...everything! And diary, sometimes i allow my imagination to get the best of me but not in this case. I know America is everything the people speak of. I've never felt this mny butterflies before, but at the same time I'm scared.Its me my mother, my papa, and my cousin. My Cousin Maya's parents died because of the famine and diseases in my country. When my parents saw the struggle Maya went through, they decided it would be the perfect time for us to leave and find better things. When i was on the boat it smelled terrible sadly, and my only company is my cousin and my diary. It gets so lonely when all your parents do is stress on the voyage and whatever else grownups do.I see the sadness on their faces whenever they learn about the things we're going to have to get approved for before we set foot on the promised land. Its insane, how crowded it is was as well.
When i got the big majestic buildings, i damn near froze to death!My toes were small ice cubes in thinly lined shoes. I only had one bag and that was for other clothes, i decided i wouldn't layer on since i'd have to be stripped once i was inside. I looked at my parents and they had the hugest smiles spread across their jaws. My cousin locked her around around me in a warm embrace. And then it actually hit me, I was in America. I started to smile to. Even though we had no money, no warm food, no laughter, and none of our family. We had the wonderful priviledge of being here.
Since I arrived with my family , the check in process was even more hectic than we'd all thought. We spoke to eachother in our native tongues as we saw stone faced men and women scribble into notebooks. I didnt have any clue as to what they were asking me. I felt stupid. But this was only one of the many obstacles Id have to face while i was paving the way for my oppurtunities, diary. I held onto my cousin for safety. she held onto me tighter. We went through all the routines like the kind American people asked, i felt to worn out by the end. But i felt overcome with more and more happiness because we ALL got to stay here,thank you ellis island. Im so thankful for everything my grandparents have taught me, because that has all helped me stay qualified for placement here in america.
Dear Journal,
Hopefully this trip will be worth it. From what I am told, America is a wonderful country. All the suffering that I had to endure in my home country is over. I was dirt poor. I had to sell my wife and children to sand people to come up with enough money for the journey to this country. God willing in this new nation I will never have to sell family to horrible sand people ever again. It happened far too frequently in my old home. The trip to this country has been horrible and over crowded. I am traveling solo with nobody to converse with because nobody on this boat speaks my language. There are people from many different countries. I am eager to arrive in America. A new carrer and healthy life style awaits me from what I am told.
Karmila Saulong
I am approaching America. Finally, after all riding on a boat with thousands of people, I am relieved to hear that we are approaching Ellis Island. It costs about $50 dollars to get a ticket on this boat. . I have heard about the many opportunities that are offered there and can’t wait to start going back to school. I have worked tirelessly on trying to pay my sister’s ticket as well as mine. I had to give up school in order to work. Many of my family have already reached America but my younger sister and I are the last to enter. The boat ride is horrible and only the wealthy are treated well. Many of the people onboard are spreading diseases among the immigrants and ruining the chances we have of coming to America.
As everyone ran up to the top deck, we saw the Statue of Liberty with its torch held up high. She is holding a book; she is the symbol for all. She is a dull bronze color. I would have thought it is gold. Once the statue of Liberty comes to view, we know that our journey has just begun. Crowds begun to fill up the doorways and it was hard to exit. I feel so nervous while waiting for the people. They will ask me many questions and hopefully I do not get turned away just like some of my family members. Many people are just amazed at what they see and try to look out towards the sea to see any land nearby.
As we exit the boat, there were so many emotions of excitement and fear. My sister and I have just arrived to a new country and haven’t seen any of our family members. People were shoving and pushing their ways through the crowds with the little baggage that they carried. My sister and I were inspected by doctors and interviewed. We were asked about if we had a job or if we carried a great sum of money. I answered no to both questions but my little sister seemed to have trouble speaking clearly in English. After we had our physical examinations we waited to see if we were accepted to America. Many of my family members were turned away because of an illness they carried. Many people that surrounded us carried the disease of symptoms many viruses. The girl that was on the boat with me had lice and the doctors have been talking about her hair. But as for now, my sister and I are awaiting for our opportunity to America.
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