Journal Entry- Russian Immigration Essay Example for Free

Journal Entry- Russian Immigration EssayI was a young man when my familys move around began in the search for freedom. We resided in a decent little neighborhood just in the outskirts of gray Russia. All the families around k new-fangled each other very well therefore I could never pick up why my family always seemed so miserable. I mean I hear stories and watched the news about pretty accidents from muggers to murderers but I never seen anything like that around where we lie withd. Until angiotensin-converting enzyme shadow my father did not inject home, my receive t over-the-hill me he was just working(a) late, but I knew something else was wrong, it was way afterward any working hours. I became so frustrated of waiting for my father I guess I ended up falling asleep because next thing I remember was being woken up at 330 am by my mother hysterically crying. I knew it was my father so all I could do was sit there and hug her.The officer told me he had been found in an alley after being bru proudy beaten, and he was already dead upon their arrival. Witnesses claim they saw him get jumped outside of the temple which he had been seen leaving earlier that afternoon. My father always carried his valuables on him, all his m wholenessy, personal information cards, and edge account numbers. None of this was on him when he had been found, which only meant one thing, they could be coming for us next. My mother spent days searching for friends or family we could stay with for awhile until we could get ourselves together. But with our luck we were processless.Weve heard many stories about America, that is was the bring in of opportunity. But we could only dream about living there. A chilling thought which never left my mind was that my 18th birthday was approaching, which meant I had to enlist in the Russian army, which for jews was like asking for an early death, because not many Russian jews came out of the army well if all the same alive.Ive seen it myself that out in the streets Russians would get discriminated against, the hardest thing to believe was that it was in our own country, by our own mint. distinction occurred more or lessly because we had different beliefs or a different culture, which was not good to display in public. Judaism was a major religion which had it really hard in Russia. We asRussian Jews had no way of escaping this community which had been making our lives unbearable. Jews could not speak their minds or walk down the street showing any musical accompaniment in the Jewish belief or they would be punished for it.I told my mother I would instead die than enlist in the Russian army and she broke down in tears. Both she and I knew immediately we needed to get extraneous from this life and we had to do it fast. The next morning we packed our most valuable belongings (which wasnt much) and began out journey to the free world. We had no money, no place to go, and nothing to live for except an ambit ion for freedom. We took the bus to the nearest train station where we wanted to see the soonest routes away from home.We planned to head all the way out west where we wouldnt cheat anyone and we could start a new life. But at the ticket counter the lady said there was only tickets left for Ellis Island, uncomplete me, mama or Babushka knew where that was but we were told it was all the way out west so we took the risk and got on the ship. After all we had nothing to lose. We didnt know what to expect and were a bit scared or what office tell apart. Spreading down the ship we heard rumors that we were headed to America but it was hard to believe so I just closed my eyes and tried to go to sleep, but the thoughts of America couldnt leave my mind.Entry 2 February 12,1887Wow What a boat ride it has been. I dont even know how many days I was on that boat, long enough but it was well worth the ride. The rumors were true, weve actually do it to America The land we only hoped and wish ed for. On the ride we met many lovely people all with the same hope, a ruin life. We heard many reasons of why people were leaving Russia, mostly in search for a best(p) life, religious freedom, and to escape persecution. Ellis Island was a major immigration station for the US at which we had arrived at. Upon arrival we were greeted by fairly skilful authority officials who told us where to go and what to do. Everyone had to be examined for diseases and checked for being physically and/or mentally fit.Many people were admitted but still some were deported, like my grandmother Maria, she was very old and couldnt walk well on her own so she got deported. I miss her dearly,but I know she is doing fine. Luckily my mother and I had all our documents confirming who we were with us because all of them were checked. After 5 hours of button through the Ellis island station we had finally entered America The streets were beautiful, nothing like I had ever seen before, lined with tall tre es people cars, and smilesWe stuck with a family which we had met on the boat, they told us they knew people who could help us get situated and help us get an apartment until we can get our own jobs. And they did as they said, we got a little one bedroom apartment right near the port of entry which was very convenient because most of the people we came over with had also lived there, where we formed our own Russian community.As time went by which we had spent in America we came to realize we had no Americans to look up to for help so slowly but bit by bit the Russian society formed its own community. We didnt receive much respect but no one really gave us any problems. After all we were blessed to be where we were. I remember in Russia not being able to go outside after 900 pm at night because of the dangers that walked the streets. But here, any time of night you could receive a smile from at least one person.The lower eastside of New York was were we had been living for almost tw o months. Recently I began working in a grocery store where I started off making $2.00 an hour, which wasnt bad at all, I made just enough to support mama and myself and to buy food once a week. The working conditions werent bad. I worked just as much and just as well as everyone else. Although the people there werent to nice I learned to deal with it, I was only there to make money, not friends.So in the end this boat ride to nowhere turned out to be a dream come true