Early Plantation Life
Seeking a fortune I left home and belongings to set sail on a voyage to Hawaii or Tenjiku as it was pronounced in my village. The rumors in my hometown spread like chicken pox. The gossip concerned immeasurable wealth to obtained through sugar plantations. I personally, did not have a specific road to travel down in life, so without commitments I decided to travel to Hawaii in attempts to make a large profit and bring back honor for my family. At first, my parents neglected my decision to leave from their care, they could see that I was not only determined to withdraw my presence from our community but my stubborn mind was set and ready for the adventure ahead. Reluctantly, my family gave me their blessings and hoped to once again see my return. I could see fear in my parents eyes as I left the port. I knew then as I know now, that was the last moment we would ever visibly see each other again. When the boat arrived in Hawaii I knew that it would be a land of opportunity...Just not the opportunity that I had expected. I began to plow and harvest sugar cane day after day. The working conditions were lousy and miserable; the humidity in the Hawaiian Islands is unbearable because of the disgusting odor that travels in the field or in the camps. When the boat arrived in Hawaii I knew that it would be a land of opportunity...Just not the opportunity that I had expected. I began to plow and harvest sugar cane day after day. The working conditions were lousy and miserable; the humidity in the Hawaiian Islands is unbearable because of the disgusting odor that travels in the field or in the camps. The real disaster was the pay for my services. I was earning less than fifty cents an hour. I had seeked a fortune before I came to the Hawaiian Islands, even upon the Islands, I still pursue that fortune. It was around this confusion state time that suddenly an opportunity arose before me. I was given the chance to receive a wife or yobiyose jidai as they called it. To many it was time to Eiju Dochyaku, settle down on the soil.The thought of settling down never occurred to me. I hesitated to accept the offer because I was ashamed of my current wealth and status, but I knew that this was an offer that I could not refuse. I put on a suit that every man wore ahead of me for a photo to be taken and then sent back to my family. My family would then search for a perfect bride and then ship her overseas to me. I was nervous as to what her appearance would be. The day finally came when I saw the woman that sailed overseas for me. Her beauty matched and even exceeded that of the Hawaii. In my eyes she was a princess, but she was more than that, she was my bride. I hope to live up to her expectation however small or large and raise a family. That was my new dream, in that very moment I saw her, I knew that fortune was obtained and my life had a specific path. That path revolved around her, perhaps it always did. I will face whatever challenges and trials ahead to start a life for our future family.
My life didn't even compare or couldn't be related to how it had ended up. I expected to make a large profit from working on the sugar cane plantations, if only I had known. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that my family would send over a bride for me. As I now live in the present, a typical day on the plantation is hot and humid. The work is exhausting and the food servings are small and unsatisfying. My thoughts are always upon my return to once again see my family. My dream of my return is corrupted with two realities; I do not posses enough money for my return, I could not return to my family without any accomplishments or having accumulated massive wealth. Due to the fact that I know that this is the way my life has to be lead, I find comfort in having regular family and living in Hawaii. My life revolves around isolation when I am working. I do not interact with others or try to have conversations with anyone, those who try to socialize are penalized with harsh beatings from the luna. I am confident to say that my marriage has turned out perfect. Of course there are still times where I may not be entirely satisfied that my family even attempted to search for a proper sophisticated woman, but those times are few and far between. Being an issei, I go through my different mood swings about how my life has ended up just as often as all of those that sought fortune and treasure and failed. But unlike them, I would not even ponder changing a single aspect of how my life has changed after my arrival on the plantations.
Glossary-
https://docs.google.com/a/myhta.org/document/d/14FznT__2mAXEBBou9PiZqnik8wjqEN0mJHkA0HX280g/edit
Google Quiz-
https://docs.google.com/a/myhta.org/forms/d/1dqXwZWC69FzZQ2KZPlGRK0jMlyqIBrY_oq0Hy_zProY/edit
Cites used-
http://caamedia.org/picturebride/idx_japan.html
https://hta8405-hta-pps.gradpoint.com/Frame/Component/CoursePlayer?enrollmentid=6178628&itemid=UFXXR
Pictures-
http://www.hawaiialive.org/resources/image/391.jpg
http://library.manoa.hawaii.edu/about/exhibits/images/speccollSugar4.jpg
http://darrow.law.umn.edu/photos/Sugar_cane_c_1898.jpg
My life didn't even compare or couldn't be related to how it had ended up. I expected to make a large profit from working on the sugar cane plantations, if only I had known. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that my family would send over a bride for me. As I now live in the present, a typical day on the plantation is hot and humid. The work is exhausting and the food servings are small and unsatisfying. My thoughts are always upon my return to once again see my family. My dream of my return is corrupted with two realities; I do not posses enough money for my return, I could not return to my family without any accomplishments or having accumulated massive wealth. Due to the fact that I know that this is the way my life has to be lead, I find comfort in having regular family and living in Hawaii. My life revolves around isolation when I am working. I do not interact with others or try to have conversations with anyone, those who try to socialize are penalized with harsh beatings from the luna. I am confident to say that my marriage has turned out perfect. Of course there are still times where I may not be entirely satisfied that my family even attempted to search for a proper sophisticated woman, but those times are few and far between. Being an issei, I go through my different mood swings about how my life has ended up just as often as all of those that sought fortune and treasure and failed. But unlike them, I would not even ponder changing a single aspect of how my life has changed after my arrival on the plantations.
Glossary-
https://docs.google.com/a/myhta.org/document/d/14FznT__2mAXEBBou9PiZqnik8wjqEN0mJHkA0HX280g/edit
Google Quiz-
https://docs.google.com/a/myhta.org/forms/d/1dqXwZWC69FzZQ2KZPlGRK0jMlyqIBrY_oq0Hy_zProY/edit
Cites used-
http://caamedia.org/picturebride/idx_japan.html
https://hta8405-hta-pps.gradpoint.com/Frame/Component/CoursePlayer?enrollmentid=6178628&itemid=UFXXR
Pictures-
http://www.hawaiialive.org/resources/image/391.jpg
http://library.manoa.hawaii.edu/about/exhibits/images/speccollSugar4.jpg
http://darrow.law.umn.edu/photos/Sugar_cane_c_1898.jpg