Immigration To Freshmen Year Interview Essay

From Immigration to Freshmen Year: Finding a Constant in Change
On her 96th birthday, I interviewed my great-grandmother, Matilda. She goes by Tillie. She was born on January 28th, 1921, in Turin, Italy, capital of the Piedmont region. Turin sprawls over the plains of Northwest Italy, is rarely too hot or too cold, and is often concealed by thick fog. When Turin is not foggy, citizens and tourists can look to the horizons for arresting views of the Alps or serene sights of Monferrato’s rolling hills. This is the city where my great-grandmother spent her earliest years, and it is hard for me to understand how she, like other Italian immigrants, left the natural beauty, intricate culture, and appetizing cuisine of her country behind. Tillie’s story taught me that transition is difficult but possible thanks to the constant support and love of family and friends. Her story speaks not only to immigrants but to anyone undergoing a period of change, including college freshmen.
Throughout its history, America has been idolized as a “promised land,” or as Tillie puts it, “the land of the plenty.” Her parents believed so strongly in

Peter’s Catholic School, an all-girls school. Due to her inability to speak English she was held back a grade. The Sisters of Mercy educated her; she remembers them as expert English teachers. Her young age further aided her in becoming fluent in only a year, while it took her parents much longer. Tillie also frequently visited the library, fervently reading English-language books. After her first year of American school, she was jumped back up a grade. At 96, she claims she “cannot even remember not speaking English anymore.” Tillie was the only immigrant in her class, but most of the other students were the children of Irish and Italian immigrants. She remembers her school years fondly. Many of her classmates became her lifelong friends; they all went to St. Peter’s for both grammar and high