As my mom and aunt, Jennifer, were packing up all of my great-grandmothers, Tanya’s things after her death, they found an old box. The box is made of old redwood and it has a sliding top. Inside is a knot of mangled paper money. As they researched the markings on the money, they found it was from Germany, Hungary, and Russia; but not only was it from these places but it was completely worthless because it was also from the early 20th century. While my Great Grandmother was on the way over to America all of these countries had been changed and created completely new currency. Tanya had adventures through Europe before finally ending up in the US. As she traveled she collected this money for safekeeping, as a way to remember her time before America. This box was a reminder of her life before she came to America. The money was from her best travels and adventures. The box reminds my family how lucky we are to have escaped Europe before all of the violence of the World Wars. Tanya left Eastern Europe right before World War One. Overall, the box represents my ancestry before America and the life my Great Grandmother had. The box explains to my family that there is a whole world of stories out there waiting to be told.

– Claudia LeDuc

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more