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Dear journal,                                             September 20, 1903

I wonder what my adventures will be like in America.   I hope my 

children will eventually go to school so they can get a good education 

to get them through life.   My husband will probably get a job.   I am 

going to try to get a job so I can help support my family.   We will have 

to live in a small apartment with other Italian immigrants.   I hope my 

children will not have to start working to help provide for the family.  

Dear journal,                                          October 21, 1903

We have finally arrived at Ellis Island.   We will leave today if we are all 

healthy.   If we are not, it will be a while.   As I am getting of the ship, I 

see a lot of people.   There is a bad scent in the air because everybody 

on the ship has not washed in weeks.   I hear crying.   I look to the left, 

and see a lady with her kids crying because she failed her inspection,  

and is being sent back to her home country.   I am very excited to be 

here, but I am scared we will not pass our inspection.   Hopefully we will.

Dear journal,                                     October 21, 1903

We are in line to get our inspection.   Most people are passing, but 

some are not.   Now it is our turn.   They examine different things.   If 

one thing is bad, we could be sent back to Italy.   We are finally all 

done, and everyone is healthy.   We now need to find a place to live.  

We plan to live in New York City.   We come to a small apartment 

building for Italians.   We go in to see if they have any open rooms.  

They have five open rooms for $3-$5 a month.   We take a room with 

three rooms: a kitchen and two bedrooms.   Our neighborhood has 

only Italians in it, which might be nice.   I am glad that we have a 

place to live.   Now I have to find a job.

Dear journal,                                                November 1, 1903

I have started looking for a job.   It is hard finding work because there 

are so many immigrants and there are not many open jobs.   I have 

skills selling things and picking fruit, so I will try to find a job where I 

will be able to do one of those.   I will probably not make much 

money, but my husband and my oldest son will also work.   I am 

going for an interview at a fruit company.   If I get the job, I will start 

today.   I am nervous as the interview starts, but finally the interview 

ends and I got the job!   As I look outside, I see beautiful fields with 

apple trees, orange trees, strawberry bushes, and more!   I am only 

nervous because the boss said that if i am not good, I will get fired 

because many people want this job. I cannot afford to be fired.

Dear journal,                                        November 15, 1903

The food is a lot different here in America. Some of it is better than in 

Italy, and some of it is worse. I like it in America, but I miss my 

family in Italy.   The clothing is different here in America, but I still 

wear my Italian clothes. At Christmas, we will still go caroling and 

make a manger scene.   Today I met an immigrant from France going 

to the market.   Since we both know a little bit of English, we talked to 

each other.   We couldn't say much, but I liked her. Maybe we will go 

see a play together sometime. My family and I really like it here in 

America.

 I have learned a lot about Italian immigrants and immigration during 

my research.   I learned that many Italians came to America because 

there were bad conditions in Italy.   They chose America for many 

reasons, like having the right to vote.   I found it odd that the trip from 

Italy could have taken up to six months.   All of my sources presented 

the same information, and I saw some interesting photos.   I saw many 

photos of big families.   For Anna Caterina Dario, I think the future held 

many great opportunities, like maybe a new, better paying job.   I 

think in later years, her family would have been glad they moved 

because of WWI in Europe. I think Anna Caterina would of had a 

better future in America then in Italy.

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