How My Family Ended Up In Canada

How My Family Ended Up In Canada

Many of my family members have come to Canada from Europe, seeking various opportunities. The most recent person who moved here, and the only one who is still alive to tell me about the move, was my dad’s dad, or my Papa. He moved here alone when he was 26, but never expected to stay this long. Here is the story of how my family ended up in Canada.

My Papa moved to Canada from England in 1965. He grew up in the rustic town of Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, with his mother, father, and younger brother. The town was small and everyone knew each other. He graduated high school in 1961, before attending Imperial College in London where he studied engineering for 4 years. His father, who is a retired aircraft mechanic that fixed fighter planes in World War 1, was his greatest influence. He wanted to do something important; something that no one in his family had done before. When the opportunity presented itself, he decided to uproot his life, moving to Canada post graduation to work in the construction of the Mactaquac Dam on the St John River, New Brunswick.

In August, 1965, my Papa boarded a plane to fly him from London, UK, to Fredericton International Airport. Upon moving to Canada, he received an immigration card, allowing him to work and live in there for a few years. He began his work on the electrical aspect of the dam alongside many other young engineers.Pictured here is the completed dam.

http://img.radio-canada.ca/2014/08/06/635x357/140806_ca4j5_mactaquac-nb-barrage_sn635.jpg

He only intended to stay until the dam was completed, however throughout his time working on the dam, my Papa met my Nana. They met in her hometown of Fredericton, New Brunswick where she was practising nursing. They were married in 1967, and following the completion of the dam in 1968, they settled down and started a family in Nana’s family’s farm house in Fredericton. My Nana refused to move to England, arguing that they met in Canada, therefore he shouldn’t expect her to move and follow him home. Needless to say, they stayed put. My dad, who is the oldest of 3, was born in 1971, and was followed by his sister in 1973 and his brother in 1974.

In 1975, my Papa got an engineering job in Toronto, convincing Nana to move their young family from New Brunswick to Ontario. Here they would both receive higher wages and be closer to the best opportunities this country has to offer. My Nana grew up on a farm, and wasn’t about to trade her country lifestyle for a city apartment, so they moved to Caledon, Ontario. Caledon offered a safe environment for the kids to grow up, a nearby nursing job for Nana, and a short commute to Toronto for Papa. My grandparents adjusted quickly and still live in the same house in Caledon.

As for my Papa’s family, his brother lives in Scotland and is married, but he and his wife did not have any children. My Nana’s family still lives in New Brunswick and my Nana and Papa visit them annually. They travel a lot but always end up back in their family home in Caledon. They have travelled to many places in the world including: Tennessee, USA, where they toured the Grand Ole Opry; China, where they walked along the Great Wall of China; Australia and New Zealand, where my uncle lives with his family; and Scotland, to visit Papa’s brother, or my great uncle David.

Had my Papa not have moved to Canada back in 1965, he would have never met my Nana and my family would have never existed. Had she have moved back to England with him, I would currently be living amongst the violence and terrorism that is taking place in London. I would have access to health care and clean water, a good food supply and clean water sources. I would have a good education still, and similar values and resources to Canadians, however I would not feel as safe in my home as I do here.

One of Canada’s resources that is available to all is our public education program. England has a similar system, consisting of state schools, which are funded by the government, and independent schools, which are similar to Canada's private schools. England’s “National Curriculum” education system consists of 5 Key Stages. Key Stage 1 begins at age 5 with foundations and the first two years of schooling. Each stage consists of 2-3 years ending Key Stage 5 at what Canadians would consider “grade 12.” Most secondary schools start at 11 years old, similar to middle schools in Canada. At the end of their required schooling, students receive their General Certificate of Secondary Education, or GCSE. Classes only last between 35-60 minutes, and students only attend classes for approximately 5 hours per week. On top of this, however, they are expected to spend 6 hours each week on private studying. Almost all schools in the UK have school uniforms, reducing freedom of expression and promoting sameness. Pictured below is an example of British school uniforms.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/69/e9/34/69e934e31f19e02a24889c466b4ee82f.jpg

Canada has a reputation throughout the world of being kind and accepting, widely diverse, and safe for all. Due to the election and government changes currently happening in the UK, terrorists are targeting them. England has close relations with much of the world, and by targeting them, terrorists are hurting large areas of the world. I am glad my family decided to stay in Canada, and stay in Ontario, where I can receive a good education, free health care, and feel safe within my community.

Works Cited

“The British Education System.” HMC Projects, www.hmc.org.uk/about-hmc/projects/the-british-education-system/. Accessed 7 June 2017.

British School Uniforms. www.pinterest.com/pin/433893745320125990/. Accessed 7 June 2017.

Mactaquac. Radio Canada, 6 May 2016, ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/780011/barrage-mactaquac-2030-duree-vie-prevue-options-nouveau-brunswick-acadie. Accessed 7 June 2017.

Stenning, David, Dr. Interview. By Colleen Stenning. 11 May 2017.

Stenning, Michael. Interview. By Colleen Stenning. 12 May 2017.

The difference of Canada and Philippines 


                        Philippines, the country I grew up in. Living with my two brothers and dad, we got separated with my mom when we were young: year 2006 when my mom decided to leave her job back in the Philippines and find a better one to support us. She worked in Hong Kong but didn’t have luck; she quit because she didn’t have enough income to support us . After 2 years of working in Hong Kong, she applied as Nanny in Canada year 2009. After working as Nanny, she went to school for nurse (PSW) and it was the start of new life for her, also for us. In her opinion “Canada is the land of opportunity”, for its high employment rate, “ good employers, easy to find job, and even if you don’t have good education you can still get a job”. According to the statistics that is made by Statistics Canada in year 2011; number of Filipino immigrants in Canada that come from the Philippines rise every year.




 http://canadaimmigrants.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Filipino-immigrants-w.png
                 
                       

                    April 14th 2015, when our plane landed in Canada. I came to Canada with my two and brothers and my dad. The main purpose of us coming to Canada is to get a better education. Getting education in the Philippines was harder for me than doing it in Canada, but as time pass by, I realized that having education in Canada means possibilities of getting a higher quality career. Difference of education in the Philippines and Canada. Getting a good career in Canada can uplift people from poverty, while getting education in the Philippines can be a pain because even though students finished with a degree, looking for job is the barrier. Job vacancy in the Philippines is very low.






Statistics given by the NSCB (Philippine National Statistical Coordination Board) Job Vacancy in the Philippines is very low 




philippines-job-vacancies@2x.png

   
                     Population of immigrants in Canada highly increase each year. As an immigrant, I see the reason of people coming to Canada: for what it is have to offer. First of all, a free health care that the Government of Canada offer. In the Philippines, our government doesn’t provide free healthcare, so every time people to go the hospital they have to pay the cost. A lot of people that go to hospital in the Philippines is head over heels in debt, for that reason people have to stay in the hospital until they fully pay the money they owe. The education in the Philippines may seem different in terms of learning. Schools in the Philippines divided in two sectors, private and public. I went to a public school. Studying in the Philippines could be difficult. Especially that we follow zero based grade system. I had moment when one my classmate did not hand in one of our homework; the teacher gave him the lowest mark, and the teacher in able for him to get that mark up he needs to take the whole summer to study. In Canada, students are allowed to use phones in school, unlike in my country: if the teacher sees the student use their phone, the teacher will take the phone and hide it for the whole school year, addition to that they will ask for a teacher and parent interview. My most hated thing of education system in the Philippines is that 9 hours of school: it starts at 7:30 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. Also, in each semester students have 8 mandatory courses: Filipino, values, math, history, physical education, english and religion. Each courses repeat every semester. Students does not have the option of choosing classes unlike in Canada. Each classroom looks like a pack of sardines, for they trying to fit in a lot of students in one class. In my experience, I remember when my teacher tried to fit in 57 students in the classroom that some of the students had to stand up while learning.

This what every public school class looks like in the Philippines. http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/465886/deped-school-year-2015-2016-starts-on-june-1/story/










This is what private school looks like in the Philippines.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/the-philippines-gears-up-for-k-to-12/

                   In Canada, at a very young age students are allowed to get a job, that’s what I love living in Canada. I arrived in Canada April 2015, December of year 2015 when I got hired in Burger King Orangeville. After 6 months of working hard, I got promoted as a shift coordinator. This kind of system helps students a lot: buying school supplies and helps out to pay tuition fees. Back home, our government does not offer this kind of system. Because they want the students to focus only towards learning in school, it’s has zero chance of our government approve this kind of system, getting a job at an early age. In my opinion, living in Canada is so much easier than living in the Philippines. Even though it is the land that I was born in, I wouldn’t deny that I’d rather live in Canada. Especially the newly elected political candidates, the President, the way he rules the country. As soon as the President got elected, he built the new law of executing all the drug dealers and cartels in the Philippines. I would say, the new law has a good side yet executing human is ruthless. Manslaughtering breaks the human rights law. In conclusion, living the country that I grew up from, shatters my heart. Because of the cruelty that my country is facing today, I would rather leave in a peaceful country like Canada.





                                                                  Work Cited

 http://canadaimmigrants.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Filipino-immigrants-w.png

 philippines-job-vacancies@2x.png

 http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/465886/deped-school-year-2015-2016-starts-on-june-1/story/

 http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/the-philippines-gears-up-for-k-to-12/

 Bondad, Jackilyn Lumiwes. Interview. 29 May 2017.

 Palangeo, Berlin Andelsa. Interview. 28 May 2017.

 Immigration, The Canadian Magazine of. "Filipino Immigrants to Canada." The Canadian Magazine of Immigration. The Canadian Magazine of Immigration, 23 Feb. 2017.

 Web. 05 June 2017. "Philippines Job Vacancies 1987-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast." Philippines Job Vacancies | 1987-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 June 2017.

 Affairs, GMA News and Public. "DepEd School Year 2015-2016 starts on June 1." GMA News Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 June 2017.

 Mocon-Ciriaco, Claudeth. "Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco." BusinessMirror. N.p., 06 Apr. 2016. Web. 05 June 2017.

My Ancestry

Despite not knowing much about my ancestry due to a lack of communication between my family, I do know that a majority of my family is of European descent. However, my father recently found out that there is some Métis, which is a group of aboriginal people, on his side of the family. For this assignment, and because I am trying to figure out as much about my ancestors and their past as I can, I will be talking about the country that I have the most connection to. England. Since my family isn’t very close to each other there was a lot of things I didn’t know about, including why my family chose Canada, but by interviewing grandmother over the phone I was able to find out a few interesting things that I hadn’t known before! Overall, I have learned that if my relatives had chosen to stay in England my life would probably be a little bit different than it is now, but it wouldn’t have many more benefits or disadvantages than I already have in Canada.  

According to my grandmother, her mother and father, or my great-grandmother and great-grandfather, had immigrated from Ipswich, England to Windsor, Ontario while she was pregnant with my grandmother’s oldest brother. After doing research on Ipswich I found out that the town had been victim of bombing in both World War I and World War II. Its past of bombings may have left my family searching for somewhere that felt more safe, such as Canada, to live. Another reason that my grandma believes influenced her parents moved to Canada seemed to be because of the many job opportunities that were available here. Although originally settling down in Windsor, Ontario my grandmother states that they were forced to move around a lot not too long after she was born due to the death of her father. Her mother struggled to find a stable job, so she was forced to move around frequently in order to make enough money to provide my grandmother, and her 3 other children, with what they needed. Years later, when my grandmother was only 19, and having her first child, her mother had passed away as well.

“Both of my parents died when I was young, so we never really had the time to talk about what their life was like before moving to Canada, but I do know what it was like for my mother living in Canada” my grandmother told me, “we moved around a lot, and sometimes we had to move multiple times in a year. It was difficult for my mom to find a job that was able to support our family, and to find a place to stay that she could afford” (Lake).

I then wondered why my Grandma chose to stay in Canada after losing both her parents, and having her own children, to which she answered, “I may not have had a permanent home when I was younger, but I still think of Canada as my home. I still had some family here because my older brothers and sister were still with me, and I had made friends here. I never felt the need to leave” (Lake).

Although my grandmother didn’t have any pictures of her parents when Immigrating to Canada, I found an image of Ipswich, my great-grandparents birthplace, around the time era that they would have been living there.

I then asked her what she believes her life would have been like if her parents never immigrated to Canada. Although she doesn’t know much about what life was like when her parents were living in England, she does believe that she wouldn’t have had as much of an enjoyable life if she were living in Ipswich, but it would be fairly similar. The only main difference, she believes, would be that she would automatically be working on a farm right from birth instead of being able to enjoy her childhood for a bit without working. She does think that she would enjoy the scenery of England and the easy traveling within Europe however, as stated previously, Canada is her home.

Once I was finished learning as much as I could about my grandmas past and what life might have been like for her if her parents had decided to stay in England I did some research on what my life would be like if I had been born in England instead of Canada. There’s a lot of similarities between the two countries when it comes to our values, so what I believe in now would most likely stay the same. One thing that would be a downside to living in England would be the cost of going to university. It costs the average University student in Canada around $6,000 per year, whereas the average cost to go to university in England is £9,250 ($16,096.31) per year. This would make it harder for me to get into a University of my choice and I may even decide to not go to university at all. A benefit of living in England would be the quick and easy transportation. For somebody like me who enjoys traveling, and wishes I could travel somewhere different everyday, being able to go to a whole other country quickly would be amazing. I think that if I were to have been born in England I would definitely travel, and experience more of the world than I do now.

In conclusion, I have learned that if I were to be living in England I would most likely have the same values that I already have living in Canada when it comes to things like equality, free healthcare and free education. I would also travel much more, however my career path may  change, and I might choose not to go to University. I feel I would have a pretty average life that is similar to the one I have now, but that wouldn’t be a bad thing!

Works Cited

Collier, Sabrina. “How Much Does it Cost To Study in Canada?” topuniversities, 8 Oct. 2015, www.topuniversities.com/student-info/student-finance/how-much-does-it-cost-study-canada.

Kindred Spirits. 1930. East Anglian Daily Times, www.eadt.co.uk/polopoly_fs/1.4280055.1445442725!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_630/image.jpg. Accessed 21 Oct. 2015.

Lake, Maureen. Interview. 20 May 2017.

Playdon, Jane. “How Much Does it Cost To Study in the UK.” topuniversities, 10 Jan. 2017, www.topuniversities.com/student-info/student-finance/how-much-does-it-cost-study-uk.

ISU

The Buckley Family

Nec Temere, Nec Timide; this is a latin phrase which translates to, neither rashly, nor timidly. This is the motto of my family which expresses how we believe we should live, and through the history of my family we have always proven the rules and restrictions povidided by religion and culture are always broken for the sake of love and family.  

It started with my great great grandfather, Francis Heslin, who was born and raised in ireland.  Ireland being a poor country at the time, around late 1800’s and early 1900’s, my distant relative decided to join a cause that would benefit his family and country to make Ireland a better place. He joined the IRA, the Irish Republican Army, the IRA’s goal was to separate northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring together an independent Ireland.  Because the IRA was considered a “terrorist organization”, because of their bombing and assassinations, Francis Heslin was a target of the British who were the enemy of the IRA.  My great great grandfather was forced to leave with his family to another country.  This is when my family migrated to New York.

My grandmother, Rosemary, grew up in the Bronx right next to Yankee stadium.  She lived here her whole childhood here until she decided to be a nun.  This decision brought her to Halifax, Nova Scotia where she would go to school to become a nun.  This is how my grandmother met my grandfather, who was also a priest at the time, and conceived my father.  My Grandmother moved to Toronto to give birth. My grandad gave her money to make the move while he stayed back.  When my father was born, my grandma and my dad lived in a little apartment with only one room.  Five days after giving birth, my grandma decided to write a letter to my grandad to say it was a boy and that they are doing well.  Five days after that my grandad came to Toronto and married my grandma to start a family. They both broke the rules of their culture and religion for the sake of family.   

There was no real reason my family ended up in Canada other than that my grandmother went to school here and met my grandfather.  Though there was a reason my older ancestors moved to New York.  It was too dangerous for my family to stay in Ireland and there was already a large population of Irish people migrating to New York.  

If my family stayed in Ireland things would be much different for me.  We would be much more poor and most likely farm for what we need.  If  my family stayed in New York it would also be different to Canada: Health care would be something we would have to pay for, rather than having a system that benefits everyone: my education would not be as good as it is in Canada; and the crime rates in the Bronx compared to here in orangeville or even Toronto are worse.  Also with all the political things going on in the United States, Canada is a much more even and diverse place to live.  The likeliness of me being involved in a dangerous organization would be high if my family were still in Ireland because of family history whereas here we are far away from an organization or group like the IRA.

I am very grateful that my family and I live in such a safe and opportunistic place like Canada. Here I have many more opportunities than I would in Ireland or the United States.  The likeliness of being successful with a good job and education are much greater as well.  

Because my family has always made decisions based on what's best for us, I am fortunate to call Canada my home and country.

Works Cited

The Bronx. Nycmap360, nycmap360.com/nyc-boroughs-map. Accessed 5 June 2017.

Buckley, John Leonard. Interview. 5 June 2017.

Buckley Coat of Arms. Pintrest, www.pinterest.com/familycrests/buckley-coat-of-arms-buckley-family-crest/. Accessed 5 June 2017.

Flag. Weneedfun, weneedfun.com/canada-flag-wallpapers/. Accessed 5 June 2017.

Maioni, Antonia. "Obamacare vs. Canada." Theglobeandmail, 2 Oct. 2013. The Globe and Mail, www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/obamacare-vs-canada-five-key-differences/article14657740/. Accessed 5 June 2017.

"Neighborhood Scout." Neighborhoodscout, 2017, www.neighborhoodscout.com/ny/bronx/crime. Accessed 5 June 2017.

Yankee Stadium. Ballparks, www.ballparks.com/baseball/american/nyybpk.htm. Accessed 5 June 2017.

ISU blog

Although I have many different ancestors who have descended from different countries, I chose to pick Sweden because I find it very fascinating that I have family who immigrated from there. My Grandmothers grandparents on her Father's side are both Swedish. Before they immigrated to Canada, they moved to the states in the 1900’s. I was unaware that my great- grandparents had immigrated to the states, until I received an email from my Grandmother. Overall, I found that my life in Sweden would not be very different if my great-grandparents had decided to not immigrate to Canada.     

My grandmother, who moved down to Arizona when she was 40, mentioned that her grandparents had immigrated to the America when her grandfather, who was asked by their local church, to go open a baptist church in Kewanee, Illinois. They moved there around the first part of 1900’s to build the church, which still stand there today. Many years later, Canada was giving away free land to people who desired to farm the land in Northern Ontario. My grandmother states, “My grandfather moved to Kipling Ontario, and brought other families both from Norway and Sweden. He built his Church on Deer Lake, so in the summer they could baptize in the lake. The area became all Swedish and Norwegian. Everyone spoke in English because the elders insisted that if you live in Canada you must speak English. But when they would have their festivals, only the older crowd would speak Swedish. My parents did not speak Swedish to myself nor my siblings as children because my dad felt we should be Canadian not Swedish”.

When I researched what my life would have been like if I grew up in Sweden, I was surprised to find out that there were tiny factors that make it different from my current lifestyle in Canada. In Sweden, education is free throughout elementary school and high school. I was very shocked when I heard that this was very common throughout Europe, because I expected the education systems to be similar to Canada. Rather than students having  jobs to earn money for post secondary, student in Sweden are able to focus on studying during high school. This would be amazing because everyone would have a fair chance of trying to get into universities and colleges without worrying about expenses. Sweden's healthcare system is mostly government funded, but private health care does exist. This allows everyone in Sweden to have government funded health care, but people who are wealthy to own private health care. This would benefit people who have retired and saved money for this private health care, for as they get older and need to be prescribed more medication or have multiple health problems.   I researched the rankings for the best countries in the world and Sweden came in sixth. This was because tax rates over the years have decreased, almost all of Sweden's trash is recycled, Sweden has also remained neutral during times of war for other countries.  Apparently Swedes are some of the world's most generous people, because they are allowing refugees to cross their border. Sweden’s quality of life is safe and politically stable. Sweden has a well developed education and health system.  I would not have to worry about rights and freedoms, because they are mandatory for Sweden. I found it interesting how Sweden was the first country to introduce freedom to the press.  

After I researched what my life would have been like living in Sweden, I was curious to see how my grandmother’s life would have been different. My grandmother doesn't believe that her life would have been drastically different if her grandparents did not choose to immigrate to Canada. When she was growing up, she would always celebrate the May festival in Kipling, because they always Swedish costumes and a maypole. I had never heard of the Sweden Maypole Festival, so I researched it and found some very fascinating facts. The Maypole Festival is when families gather together during the high point of summer to begin the day, by picking flowers to make wreaths and place on the maypole. The Midsummer Eve is always Friday between the 19 and 25 of June. Later on, the maypole is raised in an open spot and traditional ring dances for children and adults begin. Apparently teenagers stay out of the dance and wait until later evenings for better riotous entertainment.   

Ultimately, I learned that if I was currently living in Sweden, I would be very thankful for the health care

that is funded by the government, free education, and their freedoms and rights the government

enforced.    

Works Cited

Best Countries - Ranking of Best Countries and Qualities. www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/quality-of-life-rankings. Accessed 2017.

Health Care In Sweden. sweden.se/society/health-care-in-sweden/. Accessed 2017.

Sweden and Human Rights. 2013, sweden.se/society/sweden-and-human-rights/. Accessed 2017.

In Pursuit of Happiness

I root from many different cultures, but only one bloodline has been able to hold on to its heritage throughout the generations. I am, and always will be, proud to be Italian. My kids, although likely only being ¼ Italian with the last name ‘Donovan’, will still practice Italian traditions and be a part of our intricate family network. It is my heritage that has dictated how I live and what morals to follow. Ultimately, holding on to and embracing cultural traditions is the key to bonding and keeping a family together; Italian tradition provides us a with purpose, with family being the cornerstone to our life success.  

What you first need to understand is that in Italian culture, family always comes first; every step along my Nonno’s journey from Italy to Canada was for this purpose.  

Angelo Di Berardino was born on July 27, 1937, in Corvara, Italy, a small village in the center of Italy in a region called Abruzzo. At this time, the country was in the midst of the fascist Benito Mussolini dictatorship. Italy was in an economic depression in the 20s, and Benito Mussolini planned to fix that by dictating the daily lives of the Italian people. Factories, culture, and media were controlled by the government. Even the customary handshake was replaced by a fascist salute. By the 30s, Mussolini and Hitler became allies, planning to racially cleanse Europe of Jews. Because of this, thousands of Italians were leaving. The government also introduced rewards for women who gave birth, which then caused a massive spike in population. With the combination of a poor economy and a high population, it was hard to find work in Italy over the next few decades. My Nonno was in the same boat and struggled to find work to support his family. There were jobs, however, in the country’s main sector at the time, the mining industry. Italy was home to many coal, zinc, asbestos and mercury mines, but people were becoming much more educated about the dangers of working as a miner. My Nonno, being aware of the risks, opted out of choosing that industry for his occupation. He knew that if he wanted a better future for his wife and daughter, he would have to leave the country (ancestry.ca: Life in Fascist Italy).

(Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini standing next to German dictator Adolf Hitler)

Italians tend to migrate like birds, in flocks. Once one ‘paesano’ (Italian for fellow countryman) moves, many others will follow. My Nonno was split between moving to Toronto or Venezuela to start his new life. His father, brother, aunt and uncle were all living in Toronto, but everyone else from the village of Corvara had migrated to Venezuela (ancestry.ca). Family, being the top priority in Italian culture, led my Nonno to move to Toronto (Conte). His plan was to go alone for a few years until he had a steady job and could afford to bring his family over. Toronto was a good fit for immigrants because of a positive job outlook, causing the business powerhouse of Canada to become the home of many workers from across the world, contributing to the diversity of the city that still exists today.

Though I take pride in my Italian heritage, I do not wish I were living in Corvara, Italy instead of here in Orangeville. I have been fortunate enough to have been raised in a land full of opportunity, where no obstacle is too difficult to overcome. Other than culturally, life would be similar to Orangeville if I lived in northern Italy. The north is very well developed and there would be plenty of white collar jobs that I could do once I graduate university. Tuition prices would be the same in Italy as it is here. Also, their healthcare is comparable to Ontario’s with universal health care worked into the citizens' taxes. However, if I were to be living where my family lived in Corvara, in the central part of Italy, my life would be very different. My life would be very agricultural based as I would be living in a small village in the hills. I would have to travel a long way to get to the nearest school, and would likely be either attending school or working on the garden at home. Finding a job would be tough as there would be no international businesses (like McDonald's) for miles from my home. Any work I did find would be for small business owners, and since there is no minimum wage, I would likely be getting paid significantly less than I would in Canada.

The Journey

For generations, my ancestors on my mother's side have called Corvara, Italy home. My Nonno (Angelo) and his brother (Salvatore) changed that when they moved to Toronto in the mid-1900s. Salvatore, being the oldest, moved first; years later, in 1962 my Nonno followed. It was a long, solo journey from the small village in central Italy to the big city of Toronto; leaving his wife and daughter behind was likely the hardest part. The journey started with a southbound bus ride from Corvara to the nearest city, Torro Dei Passeri. From there, my Nonno took another bus, heading west. 100 kilometers later, he ended up in Rome where he then caught the southbound train to Naples (another 100 km journey). In Naples, he boarded The SS Michelangelo, the largest commercial passenger ship at the time, and spent weeks traveling across the treacherous Atlantic waters until he reached his destination in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The final leg of his journey was a train to Toronto, stopping in Montreal along the way (Conte).

(Bus and train routes from Corvara to Naples)

(SS Michalangelo)

On a side note, it seems as if history does repeat itself. Every weekend, I take a bus to the nearest big city (Brampton), where I then catch the train to Toronto in order to board the tallship that I sail on. This scenario is a reflection of my Nonno; maybe being on the water is in my blood after all.

Once in Toronto, my Nonno found odd jobs collecting pop bottles and cleaning floors for as little as .75￠per hour (McRae). He had a tough time in the workforce because of his mother tongue, but his charming personality and ability to pick up on English very quickly landed him a sales job for a painting company. This job was a great fit for my Nonno because of his personality. He was appropriately named: Angelo, meaning Angel in Italian, truly embodied the character of an Angel. He made a lasting impact on many lives through his kindness and compassion. “He treated me with respect”, said the local mailman, “and he gave me wine” (Donovan). The mailman, to whom my Nonno owed nothing to, was touched by his kind gestures and made sure that my Nonno knew just how appreciated he was by members of his community. It was his culture that shaped his actions towards others, treating everyone in his life as if they were family. It was ultimately his cultural traits that caused him to be loved by many and to be successful at his job.

My Nonno was always a hard worker, and I admire him for that. Up until the week before he lost his life to cancer in 2002, he had never taken a sick day in his life. In my Nonno’s eyes, work meant more than money; it gave his family the opportunity to live a happy life. Having such a powerful purpose gave him the strength to overcome any obstacle. In his final days, he told his wife of 46 years, “Ersie, it is you who gives me courage and strength” (Donovan).

This strong sense of family within traditional Italian culture is superior to modern society. Currently, in the Western world, we are told that there is always a way out of marriage and that once you turn 18 or get married, you become independent and are expected to move out of the house. In Italy, family is valued as a rock in one’s life, as they will always love and stick by you. With the Catholic religion (practiced by Italians), divorce is shunned upon and marriage is believed to be sacred. I see it too much here in Canada where families are being split apart. This causes a vicious cycle where children see their parents split apart and believe that it is normal for them to do the same when they are adults. I believe that traditional Italian culture is superior because it provides purpose within the family and encourages loyalty and love rather than temporary relationships.

I am proud to be Italian and to have descended from a loving family. Unfortunately, my Nonno passed away when I was 2 years old, so I only know him through stories. From everything I have gathered about him through tales told throughout my life or from research done during this project, I can say with certainty that my Nonno was a kind man who loved his family above anything else. I truly hope that one day I will get to follow in his footsteps by raising and loving my family until the day I die. Everything he did was for his family. It is sad that he hasn't been around to see me grow, but I know that he is always with me in spirit. I am honoured to have his jacket as an heirloom to remember him by, and I hope that if he is watching from above, I can one day make him proud.

Works Cited

“Angelo Di Berardino.” Ancestry.ca, 1 Jan. 2017, www.ancestry.ca/family-tree/person/tree/8439014/person/-947620740/story. Accessed 4 June 2017.

Conte, Mark. Telephone interview. 1 June 2017.

Donovan, Jim. “Eulogy for Angelo.” Funeral, Etobicoke, ON. Speech transcript.

“Life in Fascist Italy.” Ancestry.ca, 1 Jan. 2017, www.ancestry.ca/contextux/historicalinsights/fascist-italy/persons/-947620740:1030:8439014. Accessed 4 June 2017.

McRae, Ron. “Angelo Di Berardino.” Typescript.

          

ISU

The roots of my family heavily originate from the United Kingdom, England and Ireland in particular. My father’s parents were my only grandparents who were born outside of Canada, and moved here before World War II. My mother’s grandparents immigrated long before that, around circa 1847. My mother’s own (Betty Howell-Skelton) is of American Cherokee native descent. She is the only grandparent I have left. My mother’s grandfather, Stanley Skelton, was involved in the Great potato famine that plagued Ireland in the 19th century, and was one of the thousands of Irish farmers to immigrate into Canada. His 2nd son, my grandfather, was born on Canadian soil. Elwood was a farmer all of his life, and was alive when I was 3. My mother spent the majority of her childhood with him, remembering that “He was full of wisdom, and thought very deeply about what’s right and wrong.” (Mary) My father’s side of the family,on the other hand, is entirely British, his father being born in Manchester, while his mother was born in the small town of Darlington, according to him. They both immigrated to Canada at a young age, and constructed their own house, which they left the blueprints for with my father. Both of their families, the Andrews and Cockfields respectively, date back to the 1600s at least. Thomas was a private in the army during World War II, and partook in the Dieppe Raid, surviving. My father was born shortly after the war. My father was always proud of the heroics of his own, always praising Thomas as “one of the bravest guys out there,” (Ken). My mother was born in Canada, and has never been to Great Britain, however, she carries more Canadian traits than my father’s side of the family; as opposed to living in the bustling of England and wet foggy climate of Ireland, being on the countryside of North America is her most valued living space.

Currently, Ireland is a country that is middle-lower class, with 10% of teenagers not having a job or education. Irish students in high school generally feel challenged by the academic standards of OECD countries. I would not be as smart or as healthy as a typical Canadian teen, living on an isolated farm where my mother’s grandparents had once lived. My father would not exist because my grandfather, Thomas Andrew, would have died during the Normandy landings on D-Day, as opposed to being one of the lucky survivors of the Dieppe raid, which was mostly a Canadian affair. My mother would also not exist because her grandfather would have died long ago, during the Great Potato Famine of 1847. I consider myself lucky for my family not remaining in Ireland.

The same can be said if my family lived in Manchester, UK. The property price compared to the average income of residents is astonishingly low. However, I would actually be smarter than I am now. Manchester has a massive network of educational facilities, ranging from Universities to high schools which perform in the top 5% of national schools. However, the same problems arise; my current mother and father still would not exist for the same reasons mentioned earlier.

Simply, I could not possibly exist if my family hadn’t emigrated at the time they did. My great-grandfather Stanley Skelton would have been in a group of a million dead from famine, and Thomas Andrew would have almost certainly been one of the many infantrymen dead after D-day in 1944, being in a British regiment instead of a Canadian.

Therefore, I consider myself one of the luckier people to live in Canada, and where I currently reside in Canada: Ontario.

Other interesting facts about My family and the United Kingdom:

The farthest traceable relative in my father’s family tree is Charles Henry Dawson (1834-99), who shares the same first name as my father. None of my family was involved in World War I. My father was the last born of 4 other siblings. My mother is a registered Metis, through her mother’s maternal bloodline. Our current family has lived on two properties over 150 years old, both of which originally constructed by architectural men who had immigrated from the United Kingdom.

Works Cited:

Castellino, Jonathan. “Ontario’s Forgotten Landmarks - Cedar Mains.” BlogTo, FreshDaily, 19 May 2009, www.blogto.com/city/2009/05/ontarios_forgotten_landmarks_cedar_mains/. Accessed 3 June 2017.

“Education in Manchester.” Manchester.com, Root 101, www.manchester.com/education/. Accessed 3 June 2017.

Foot, Richard. “Battle of Normandy.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, Government of Canada, 4 Mar. 2015, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/normandy-invasion/. Accessed 3 June 2017.

“Irish Genealogy and Family History.” Library and Archives Canada, Government of Canada, 4 Oct. 2016, www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/history-ethnic-cultural/Pages/irish.aspx. Accessed 3 June 2017.

“The 1942 Dieppe Raid.” Veteran’s Affairs Canada, Government of Canada, 23 Oct. 2014, www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/1942-dieppe-raid. Accessed 3 June 2017.

“OECD Better Life - How’s Ireland?” OECD Better Life Index, OECD, www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/ireland/. Accessed 3 June 2017.

“Quality of Life in Manchester, UK.” Numbeo, May 2017, www.numbeo.com/quality-of-life/in/Manchester. Accessed 3 June 2017.