My object is a commemorative Ecuadorian coin made in honor of my great-great grandfather, the doctor Alfredo Jose Valenzuela Valverde (long name, right?). My family was given it in 1978, after they immigrated to the United States in 1955. The government made it out of bronze. It was marked 1878-1978, to show a hundred years since he was born. (He died in 1946) This object connects my family to a piece of their past because it shows the achievements a relative made in a different country. One reason my family left Ecuador to come to this country is jobs. My great grandfather, Dr. Alfredo’s son,came with his wife and their kids to the U.S and got jobs, first as a petroleum factory engineer, then later, different jobs. They didn’t get coins, but they worked hard to carve out a life for themselves in a new country.
I chose this object because it is part of my family'shistory in Ecuador, and it seems like a gift to show that Ecuador still remembers us. This object intertwines all of my family to Ecuador because the object was made for them from so far away.
A question I have for Dr. Alfredo is : “How do you feel when you save someone from an injury or illness?” I imagine it feels good.

– NM

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