Instructions
Please post 2 or more peer responses
In the response posts, remember to demonstrate you have read and understood the student’s post by taking their discussion to the next level through your responses to the following:
Comparing your suitcase to theirs – how are its contents similar to or different from theirs?
Suggesting another treasure that may have been packed in their suitcase and describing the significance of that.
Ask questions
Engage your peers in a way that encourages them to respond to you, which keeps the conversation going.
You will not need research in any of your posts, but if you choose to, remember to use credible sources and provide in-text citations along with reference entries in APA format.
Estimated time to complete response posts: 2 hours
Response posts are worth 50% of your grade for this discussion. Please review the initial post/response instructions and the rubric for this discussion to ensure that your response meets the criteria.
Unit 3 Discussion:
Let me tell you a story about an immigrant’s suitcase. The person’s name was John. He came from New England and was traveling to Canada. His journey was quite long and Arduous, Consisting of several weeks on a ship. The cramped living quarters in rough seas made for a difficult journey. John came to America in search of better job opportunities and to start a new life for himself and his family. They wanted to take the entire family and everything they own but unfortunately they could not. As he arrived in Canada, he felt a sense of hope and anticipation for what the future would hold. His suitcase, worn and weathered from the journey, was a symbol of the sacrifices he had made to get to his new land. Every sacrifice he made was well worth it in the end as he had hoped.
John Angelo, wood as an immigrant, packs several cultural treasures in his suitcase. Two of the most significant ones were a picture of a kid and a handmade pottery set. He chose those items because they reminded him of his roots and reflected his cultural identity. The picture was a photo of his deceased child. The pottery set was a family heirloom that has been in generations and passed down. And as a testament to the craftsmanship of his ancestors. John Angelo believed that these cultural treasures would help him preserve his identity and heritage in his new home. John would do anything to protect him and his family.
My name is Kate. My friend and I are contract laborers immigrating from Japan to Hawaii. We are in 1885. In our suitcase we are carrying some clothing’s, a mix of traditional Japanese clothing, such as a kimono or yukata, and Western-style garments suitable for everyday wear and work in America. We are also carrying some of our important documents like our passports and birth certificates. We also have some religious Items in our suitcase such as a small Buddha statue, omamori (amulets), or kamidana (miniature household altar) that reflects our religious beliefs and practices. The treasures we have in our suitcases are deeply personal and varied, reflecting a blend of practical needs and cultural heritage. These items serve not only as tools for daily life but also as symbols of identity, continuity, and emotional support.
The Economic hardships in Japan, including overpopulation, land shortages, and the fallout from the Meiji Restoration’s rapid modernization, prompted us to seek opportunities abroad. The Hawaiian Kingdom, experiencing a labor shortage in its booming sugar plantation industry, actively recruited Japanese workers which we were lucky to have been chosen.
The voyage across the Pacific Ocean was long and difficult, lasting about two to three weeks. We traveled on steamships operated by companies that specialized in passenger and cargo transport between Japan and Hawaii. Despite these hardships, our journey was generally safe and well-organized, with provisions for food, water, and basic medical care.
Reference’s;
Takaki, R. (1989). Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans. Little, Brown and Company.
Ichioka, Y. (1988). The Issei: The World of the First Generation Japanese Immigrants, 1885-1924. Free Press.
Daniels, R. (1998). Asian America: Chinese and Japanese in the United States since 1850. University of Washington Press.
