Loved it Marlena. Really enjoyed what Henry had to say. Agree 100% about writing down family stories, something we regret not having done after so many of the older ones have passed on. Hope you keep doing it.
A great interview. As someone who would go to Latin America on family vacations as a child every year or two, I found his story of creating the "fake narrative" with full refrigerators interesting.
This is Milagros, you shared the interview link with me last week. It was amazing. I subscribed to your newsletter. Looking forward to reading more here.
MC, thank you for this response and the birds eye view of your family history. Fascinating stories. The ones who leave tend to be the interesting ones (I think)
Michelle, one of the interesting things here is that Henry is American so he’s second generation. But the connection to the homeland is stronger now than it used to be for earlier generations of immigrans. It’s easier today to be rooted in two or more cultures—and this is fine, even wonderful.
I’ve been doing the story of my family for 40 years. It’s very different than these recent immigrant. But both instructiveness poignant.
Love this interview. I’m from the Midwest — left there 50 years ago. Iowa City, Chicago, Maryland, Philadelphia and now NYC. And I’ve researched my family’s journey from Ireland/England. Records suggest that they arrived in NYHarbor in 1810/12 from the UK and Ireland. Some escaping to a better life ( Isaac Bolster had been part of the Monmouth Rebellion and somehow survived hard labor in Barbados— then sailed to Boston upon his freedom). The Whalens, County Carlow, crammed into an 1860 ship hold from Dublin sailed up the Hudson to Poughkeepsie.
Long way of saying— your interview if a living immigrant is priceless—
Wonderful interview, Marlena! Henry's experience of growing up surrounded by other Spanish speaking people reminds me of my grandfather's stories about coming to America from Hungary with his parents and six siblings. They only spoke Hungarian and Yiddish so it was easier to stay on the lower east side with other Eastern European immigrants, most of whom spoke Yiddish. Thank you for this.
what an interesting interview! great idea about leaving a voicemail on your phone at night to take notes! so many new ways to remember-
I sometimes scribble in the dark and the next morning my incredible thoughts are gobbledygook.
I hear you! That's why this voice idea is so great!
Loved it Marlena. Really enjoyed what Henry had to say. Agree 100% about writing down family stories, something we regret not having done after so many of the older ones have passed on. Hope you keep doing it.
A great interview. As someone who would go to Latin America on family vacations as a child every year or two, I found his story of creating the "fake narrative" with full refrigerators interesting.
Terrific. I didn’t recognize Mil (though it’s so obvious :-)
What an amazing interview. I loved reading it.
I'm so delighted. How did you find us?
This is Milagros, you shared the interview link with me last week. It was amazing. I subscribed to your newsletter. Looking forward to reading more here.
MC, thank you for this response and the birds eye view of your family history. Fascinating stories. The ones who leave tend to be the interesting ones (I think)
Michelle, one of the interesting things here is that Henry is American so he’s second generation. But the connection to the homeland is stronger now than it used to be for earlier generations of immigrans. It’s easier today to be rooted in two or more cultures—and this is fine, even wonderful.
I’ve been doing the story of my family for 40 years. It’s very different than these recent immigrant. But both instructiveness poignant.
Love this interview. I’m from the Midwest — left there 50 years ago. Iowa City, Chicago, Maryland, Philadelphia and now NYC. And I’ve researched my family’s journey from Ireland/England. Records suggest that they arrived in NYHarbor in 1810/12 from the UK and Ireland. Some escaping to a better life ( Isaac Bolster had been part of the Monmouth Rebellion and somehow survived hard labor in Barbados— then sailed to Boston upon his freedom). The Whalens, County Carlow, crammed into an 1860 ship hold from Dublin sailed up the Hudson to Poughkeepsie.
Long way of saying— your interview if a living immigrant is priceless—
Thanks
MCBOLSTER
Wonderful interview, Marlena! Henry's experience of growing up surrounded by other Spanish speaking people reminds me of my grandfather's stories about coming to America from Hungary with his parents and six siblings. They only spoke Hungarian and Yiddish so it was easier to stay on the lower east side with other Eastern European immigrants, most of whom spoke Yiddish. Thank you for this.