Pareigis

=Edith Pareigis = = =

Podcast
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BIOGRAPHICAL/GEOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Edith was born in 1938 during World War II in Lithuania when her family was fleeing from the Nazi�s. She moved many times from Germany and Lithuania to find a safe place to stay. Once the war was over, her family found a town in Germany that was run by a farmer who helped people that were displaced by the war. Soon later, her other relatives from America invited her family to live in America. = = =Creative Writing=

By: Martin Archer
Moving from country to country is very difficult. Germany Lithuania Germany Where will I move next?

World War IIWar War Horrible war!

No place to go No money No job No friends.

Rubble Destruction <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Death <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Sadness.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Hope? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">No hope, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">None at all <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">But wait, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Wait, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Wait, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Wait. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Hope will come. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">It will come.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Hope will come from God <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">My merciful God, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">The one true God. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Please <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Please <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Answer my prayers.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Someplace to go? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">America? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Or not, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Will it be better? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">I hope so.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Moving, Moving <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Once again <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">But not to Lithuania, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">But <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">AMERICA!!!

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Never going to move again...

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Well, no place other then America

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT
Martin: Hello Edith gonna [I am] [going to] ask you some questions about your immigration toAmerica. Like when you came here and when what you liked over in your old country and more things. What type of job did you have when you went over there? Edith: well, I came over here in 1952 and I came with my parents and my brother. I was 13 at that time and my brother was 8. And we came over uh from Germany. Uh, it was a pretty hard time in Germanyafter the war and we had lost everything and we had to start over again either in Germanyor anywhere else. So my Aunt and and uh, some of my relatives wrote us and said “why don’t you want to come to America?” So that’s what we did my father decided yes we want to go to America because we had 5 siblings here and their families and so that’s what we decided to do. So I came with my parents in 1952. And we came to a boat, ok? It took us I think about 9 days, the boat was called General Blatchford and it was a military boat and of course is wasn’t that easy to go onto a military boat because we didn’t have all the convenience and we got pretty sick coming over here but we came through new York and we went through Ellis Island and from there we took a train to Cincinnati. And there my uncle and aunt picked us up and took us to our home and gave us a small apartment on the third floor and they helped us to get started here. Ok, my father was a skilled um… mechanic so he riley got a job right away umm. A good job and that’s how we started. I didn’t know much English at all just a little bit, you know, but that was because I went to school right away and umm. and the people there were very friendly and I didn’t have any problems you know getting adjusted and I even went to girl scouts and I made friends and we got started very well, I met many of my relatives and they helped us so that’s we started here, of course I had to learn the language and the teachers made special effort to help me. So I learned the language fairly well. But my brother was 8 years old and he went out on the street and he learned the language riley quick. In about 3 months he knew it. It took me a bit longer. Then I went to high school and then I went to some collage also. But um in Germany… Martin: What did you take? Like what courses did you take in collage? Edith: Umm, I wanted to be a home economics teacher but then I decided not to. Well anyway I did leave friends and relatives in Germany. So I did miss those people you know. And, of course I played with them and umm you know. So it was a little different to come here to start a new you know new life. But ummm, I really had a good transition because I was 13 and could jump right into school and learn that way. Ummm, well. We leftGermany it was it was at first you know leaving everything behind was a little hard. But since I came with my parents, it made a big difference. Martin: So what was umm your old country like? What was Germany like? Was it beautiful? What types of special things were at your town? [Where there] any landmarks? Edith: We lived in a little village ok, and I went to grade school and it was kind of tough, the teachers make it type of tough. We had lots of homework. We still had to do a lot of homework. Umm But, but ummm, I enjoyed especially art and things like that. When I came here I loved doing artwork and crafts and Math. I was a little further ahead in my math but of course I had to learn the language and that. Martin: ok, ummm what types of sports were popular over inGermany then inAmerica. Edith: The kids riley liked to play umm soccer. You know. Of course the kids many kids had their many things that they enjoyed. I enjoyed playing guitar, and I uh also enjoyed knitting. You know, and I loved aggravation, to play, which you have here to. So the games, there were some game that similar these in united states. Martin: Did you own a TV inGermany? Edith: No, I didn’t own a TV. We owned Radio. I liked to listen to the radio. Martin: Back in the 50’s and 60’s, what type of popular music was there? Edith: Uh, Well, It was more love songs. In school, we did lots of sing a lot and recite a lot like poems, we had to memories them. So that was something. And we did sing a lot. Martin: What were are of the languages spoken inGermany. Edith: People only spoke German over there. Martin: What was your favorite memory? Edith: Well one of the favorite memories was playing make believe, you know, and uh, doing all kinds of playing with dolls and things like that. Martin: What type of transportation inGermany, was it just like cars or did most people mostly walked? Edith: Lots of people walked and you could walk to the stores, you didn’t have to but you could take a bus. Most people had cars but we did not have a car. You know. So we mostly walked or we took a bus. Or, they have trains there to. Martin: Do you remember the names of your schools, of the schools you go went to inGermany. Edith: Umm, I forgot the school I think it’s calledGeldorthSchool. *Chuckles* Martin: umm. What was your home like? Was it big or small? Edith: well after the war when we lived in Germany. The home was a very small apartment. We had a very small apartment. And… ya. Martin: Did you come to U.S [by] choice? Or did your parents go so you went with them? Edith: yes. I didn’t have much of a choice but I was glad to come with my parents and my brother. Martin: What government party was in rule inGermanyat that time? Edith: At that time, there was democracy, your government. Martin: Do you think you have made a good choose coming toAmerica? Edith: Yes, I think I did. Martin: What was the toughest part in moving? Edith: The toughest part was leaving my friends and relatives and ummm just starting in a new place you’re not familiar with and the language. Martin: Can you tell me more about the trip of immigrating over toAmerica? Edith: We had to apply to come over here. My relatives had to sponsor us which means that they had to take the responsibly of us coming over here and taking care of us until we become situated. Ummm, it was... Ummm... Really, ummm... I guess not too hard of a decision to make because we were displaced anyways inGermany. Martin: What type of food did you have over there? Edith: we pretty much had the same food that was popular over there was also popular over here. Ummm. There were some new foods that I learned about. They were hamburgers and pizza, I love them both. Martin: What was better or worse inAmericathanGermany? Edith: Well, inGermany, It was after the war so everything was a bit tougher, people had to get them resituated, get work and things like that. And here, when my father came over, because he was a skilled person, he could right away get a job. Martin: Was the country war torn? Edith: Yes, it was war torn. Yes it was not good, the opportunities wasn’t there. Like young people they didn’t get all the opportunities to go to schools and learn something higher up. They had to learn simpler jobs. So that was what it was. Martin: Did you have any troubles becoming a citizen, did it take a long time. Were they like: “should you guys become citizens?” Edith: We had a choice; we could stay here and become citizens, or to remain German citizens, but my parents decided to become citizens, so did we. We went to school to learn about the government. We had to learn about the constitution. We had to learn about different facts how the government works and we were tested, and if we didn’t pass, well that was too bad. But we did pass and we got out citizen paper. So we were naturalized citizens. Martin: Umm, what rout did you take to America? And ummm, when you got toAmerica, how did you get to your family. Edith: We went to our Family, they took us in and they helped us get situated and I went to school and I had wonderful teachers so I learned English quite fast, and then I could to onto? High school and go on further. Martin: Did the teachers know any German. Edith: I don’t remember any teachers… Oh yes! There was one that new a little German or 2. I can’t remember. Edith: I have gone back toGermanymany times to visitGermanyto visit relatives, and the country. And it’s riley nice to come back and visit the country again. So that was a nice part Martin: Thank you for letting me interviews you. Thank you martin for letting me do that with you.

ANALYSIS
I have learned much throughout the entire project.I intervied my grandmother and learned many tings about her that I did not know about. I learned how to use the program mixcraft and how to edit a interview.