Work book Activity 8
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1) The document describes an activity where students trace their family history and experiences of ancestors immigrating to new places. It involves speaking to family members and looking at old photos. 2) The student discusses their family origins in France, Spain, and Cuba. Their parents left Cuba in 1980 during the Mariel boatlift for better opportunities and freedom in the US. 3) Upon arriving, the student's parents faced hardships like living in a campground with other refugees, but were motivated by envisioning a better life with more freedom and opportunities.
Work book Activity 8
- 1. A c t i v i t y 8 Family Tree: Tracing One’s Roots and Family Experiences Purpose To discover your family’s experiences in past generations and compare them with those of immigrants and refugees today. Instructions Respond to the reflective questions below. Most people in the United States can trace their family history, or roots, to someplace other than where they currently reside. Speak with family members and look through old family photographs (if you have any) to trace your family’s heritage as far back as possible. If you were adopted or do not know your ancestors, respond in terms of an adoptive or foster family, or one with which you closely identify. Respond to the following questions as best you can and share your responses with others. From what parts of the world did your family (or families) originate? My family originated in many parts of the world. For instance, my grandfather from my mom side originated from France and my grandmother’s family was from Spain. On my father’s side of the family his dad also came from the Navy to Havana Cuba. 1. What motivated your ancestors to leave their homeland for a New World? When did they leave? If your ancestors were always in North America, what was their life like prior to European contact? My parents decided to leave Havana Cuba, because they saw it as a chance to have a better life. They knew that there was a lot more for them somewhere in the land of the free. My parents left on May 27th 1980 during the Mariel Boat lift. 2. What hardships did your ancestors face in previous generations, either when they first arrived or soon after contact? What did they do to overcome any hardships? Do they recall any prejudice that was experienced? My parents experienced hardships way before they arrived. The first challenge my parents faced was getting fired from their jobs after their employers found out they were trying to leave the country. As their employers duty they had to report it. From the moment they decided to leave Cuba until they left my parents had to constantly move from house to house, with friends, family because the Cuban government was after them. Also those that believed in communism looked for individuals that wanted to flee to harm them physically. Both my mother and father had to deal with
- 2. the different emotions they felt leaving their family behind. They both took a risk of not knowing what was ahead of them. The day came were they would embark to the U.S. Stepping on board the Blue Bayou along 284 passengers, with only the clothes on their backs, leaving behind everything they have ever knew was something no one could ever forget. The struggle they faced was the fear of getting stranded, or someone harming them on the boat. Arriving to the U.S. opened a new can of struggles and challenges. For a while my mom and dad had to live on a campground with thousands of other refugees. My mom says that the hunger for a better life kept helped them overcome everything they were afraid of or were going through. They envisioned a life of freedom and of opportunity and motivated them to keep fighting. 3. What did your ancestors do in the previous two or three generations? How did this influence what the family does today? One of the things my great grand parents did was travel to another country. This became a norm for my family. My parents followed in my grandparents footsteps and left Cuba for a chance to a better life. If my parents wouldn’t have done this I would have half the opportunities that I have today. 4. What languages did your ancestors speak? What has happened to these languages in your family today? My grandparents spoke Spanish and French. We have all kept the tradition on speaking Spanish. But the only one in my family that still speaks a little French is my mom. 5. What family traditions or practices have been performed over the years that are special or unique to your family? Some family traditions that my family still does is big breakfast with the family on Sunday mornings, Shopping for groceries on Saturday afternoons, Dinner together each night, Cooking, and preparing Sunday dinner, Holidays are a big deal for my family, it’s a time were we all gather and enjoy what we have accomplished up to that point. 6. What do you know of the meaning behind your family name? How, if at all, has it changed over the years? Do you know the reason for any changes? Last name origin & meaning:Galician and Spanish (Vázquez): variant ofVásquez. Also means the son of Vasco. Not aware of any changes. 7. How are the experiences of your family similar to or different from those faced by various immigrants or refugees today? The experience that my parents went through I can say it is similar to what immigrants today go through. However, I feel that it has gotten easier for immigrants to make a living in the United States. I also feel that the immigrants that arrive to the U.S now feel like
- 3. they are entitled to receiving money from the government and everything to be handed to them on a platter. 8. In what ways was this exercise easy or difficult for you to do? Under what circumstances might an exercise like this be difficult for a student to do? What might you do as a teacher to modify it in special circumstances? For me this assignment was quite difficult because I didn’t have that much information on my family tree. For a student this may be difficult if they do not have any knowledge of their ancestors. I would maybe let the students chose who the wanted to share information about instead of asking for details on every generation.