A
Imagine leaving behind everything you know to move to a new country where you don't speak the language.Eighty years ago, my grandmother, Jean Rizzi, did just that.
My grandmother's journey started near Naples, Italy.Her father had already immigrated (移民) to New York City.Like countless others, he came in the hope of building a better life for his family.He got a job in construction.When he had saved enough money, he sent for his family to join him.In November 1936, his wife and three kids boarded a ship to New York.At just 8 years old, my grandmother didn't know what to expect.
“I was nervous，” she recalls.“But I was also excited about finally getting to see my new home in the big city.” For nearly two weeks, they were at sea with no land in sight, all staying in one tiny room.“I couldn't wait to get off that boat，” my grandmother says.
When the boat sailed past the Statue of Liberty and stopped at Ellis Island, my grandmother thought their journey was over.But she and her family still had to be processed.This included being examined by doctors and standing in line for hours, waiting for officials to check their paperwork. (They were lucky.Many people waited for days or weeks before they were allowed to leave the island.) Finally, they were off to their new home in Queens, New York, where my grandmother still lives.
Today, Ellis Island is a national monument.The building where my grandmother once stood in line is a museum.It's visited by about 3 million people each year, many of whom come to trace (追踪) their family's roots.To immigrants like my grandmother, the island remains a symbol of the American dream.
