(My name is NOT Shika Kobyashi, that was my immigration simulation name. I’m Nicole.)

Hello, My name is Shika Kobayashi. I live with my family on a farm in the hills of Japan. I have decided to meet with my grand-mother, Kimiko Kobyashi, and travel to America, I will bring my eldest son, Taro (6). People won’t buy my family’s crops because we are selling it at too high of a price, if it was any lower, we couldn’t survive. I have 4 children I need to support. Luckily I am able and strong to work with the animals and crops at the farm. I have lots of help. My brother and sister live next door (with their kids), on the same plantation. We are all very close and family is the most important thing to me. I am especially good at taking care of animals. My mother always said I had a way with animals. In fact my mother lives with me, my father passed away of a bad fever one year ago. His spirit is still with us, he is buried under the crops. Some people find that disturbing, but its just the way it is.

I am very nervous to go to America. My other three children will stay at home with my mother and siblings. I will miss them ever so much, my youngest, Chiassa was just born one and a half years ago. She is precious. My husband is in America, he worked very hard to fund our journey to America. Once we get there we will work and fund for the rest of our family to come also. I have heard that education in America is good, I want to take a class.

Oh the roosters crowing,

bye

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I have just finished traveling through ellis Island. The crowds were vast hence the air carried the stench of grime. We waited for hours; the officials would not let us sit down because if we carried disease we would infect the ground. They treated us like rubbish, yelling and screaming incessantly. We were required to respond to many unreasonable questions like ‘Do you believe in Santa Claus?’ They were relentlessly denouncing Japanese and their culture behind our back, but loud enough that we could hear. It wasn’t a pleasant experience. The officials weren’t very understanding. My son had been seperated from me and I was sent to appeal because, apparently my character wasn’t good enough. I am just happy to have that behind me. I really understand what it was like. I have a new appreciation for immigrants.