When my grandfather migrated to Chicago in the late part of 1959 from Puerto Rico, his family moved into Echert Park, and lived on Superior Street. He still drives through there and remembers living there. It was winter when he came, and he started school at the beginning of 1960. But it was strange, he remembers the smells of the items in the classrooms. He didn't know the language, so he was just there, going through the motions, but not learning. In 1961, he moved to the near north side of Chicago. He lived near another school, and remembers the principal vividly. Even in the new school he still didn’t learn, not knowing the language, and that went on through all his school years. He was labeled by the school as learning disabled, because he still didn’t speak English although he had only just arrived in the United States. He ended up learning English at a neighborhood “boys club.” Later on in his life he joined the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, but was injured during it. After the war ended, he ended up going back to Puerto Rico, due to violence in Chicago. But later he was hired by the post office because he was a veteran, and he still works there to this day. So all in all his migration was very difficult, but worked out.

– Alastair Arce

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant