New York, 1892 (1)

A bunch of questions I didn’t and still don’t know the answer to. After walking down the staircase with my suitcase in the one and Sally’s little palm in the other hand, we passed a post office and I spotted stamps of a man called “George Washington”. I’ll have to ask Hugh later who that was. Then we walked past the rail ticket office, selling tickets to many foreign cities in an unfamiliar currency. That reminded me, that I still had my last pounds from Ireland in my suitcase and it came in handy that there was also an office for exchanging money right next to the ticket-selling one. I gave the woman who was sitting behind a glass window my last 5 pounds and she mustered me for a second before she handed me 5 American Dollars. I still can’t believe it, my first American money! After this I could then finally gather my siblings and walk through the door. What awaited me outside was the most beautiful sunset I had ever seen. This must be what freedom feels like, my dear diary! I was overwhelmed with relief that all the examinations were finally over, mixed with anticipation, since I was looking at the skyline of a city so huge, that it could fit all of Ireland’s population in its buildings. I could tell that my siblings felt similarly excited and I wanted to relish in the moment for just a bit longer, but there was no time- a ferry for the mainland was about to leave and we quickly hurried on in order to catch it. And as if it was God’s plan, the girl standing next to me on the ferry was my friend Annie! I was so happy that, at last, I got to see her again! She told me about the gold coin that she’d received because she was the first immigrant to pass through Ellis Island and how the people were applauding her. We also gushed about how excited we were to see our family again, she looking forward to being reunited with her parents, me awaiting to see my brother again so the time on the ferry passed by quickly. I said goodbye to her when we stepped off the ferry, this time for good. We wished each other farewell and I grabbed my siblings. And that’s how I got here, sitting on the pavement and waiting for Hugh to pick us up. I wrote quite a lot of diary entries today but there has just been so much waiting today! It has now been an hour and the sun has long set. All three of us are getting hungry but we haven’t given up hope just yet. Oh wait, who is that back there in the crowd, waving at us? is it- could it be- I think it’s..  HUGH!!

Dear Diary, 3rd of January, 1892

It’s an early Sunday morning unlike any morning ever before. Back in Ireland, I would be in church right now, but we’re not there anymore- We are now in America! This gigantic change became clear to me when Hugh came to pick us up two days ago. I didn’t even recognize him at first because he had become so muscular! He later confided in me that his broad shoulders were the result of the heavy lifting involved in his job, remember, he’s building houses! Being reunited with my big brother felt like resting after a hard day of working- A feeling unlike any other. I felt a heavy burden lift from my heart as he held me tightly in his arms. Finally, we had made it. But to truly be reunited as a family, we were still missing a few members, mother and Comac. Sean. Father and my sister Mary. Oh, how I wish they could witness this! But it wasn’t just being able to hug my brother again that overwhelmed me, it was the city of New York itself as well.