I am an Irish woman, and I am getting ready to travel to America. I feel very sad about leaving some of my family behind in Ireland. I will miss them a lot, but I am also excited because my parents are in America, and I can finally see them again.

As I walk to the ship, I notice many people getting on, just like me. Some of them I know, but many are strangers. It makes me feel a mix of emotions—happy and nervous at the same time.

I am ready for this new adventure in my life. I can’t wait to start this new chapter and see what America has in store for me!

Traveling to America is really hard for me. I don’t have a lot of money, so I worked very hard to buy the cheapest ticket. It’s on the very bottom of the ship, and I can see that other people are going to the top. I wonder how expensive their tickets must be!

Life down here is tough. There isn’t much food for us, and it’s very crowded with no privacy at all. The place is dirty, and I often feel very hungry. But even with all these challenges, I try to stay positive.

I am still full of hope for what is coming next. I believe that my journey will lead to better things, and I’m excited to see what America has in store for me!

Finally, we arrived in America, and it is very different from home. I had to go through customs, where they asked me many questions. They wanted to know my name, where I came from, and who I would be staying with.

When I visited the doctor, I found out I was sick with the flu. This news made me feel scared, but I still have hope that I will get better. I know I can be strong during this tough time.

Now, I will have to stay in quarantine for 30 days. Even though it’s hard, I believe that good things are waiting for me in this new place.

After 30 days, I am so lucky to be feeling better. The doctors gave me back my clothes and things, and I was finally ready to find my family. I looked at a letter my mother sent me that had their address on it.

I walked through the town, feeling excited and a little nervous. I followed the directions and imagined what it would be like to see them again.

When I finally arrived, I got to see my parents and my youngest siblings too! I felt so happy to be with my family again after all that time.

After my family and I finished dinner, they had some bad news to share. They told me that the place we were living in was way too small. We were on the fifth floor, and there was no air conditioning. Each of us had tiny bunk beds, and the bathroom was far away—five staircases down outside!

Hearing this made me feel scared. I didn’t know where I would live since I didn’t have a job or any money. It was hard to think about what would happen next.

But my mother comforted me. She promised that the little money she and my father had saved could help me if I needed it, even in the future. I felt a little better knowing they would support me.

The next day, I went out to look for a job. I came to America hoping for better chances, but without any connections, it was really hard to find work. Many factories turned me away just because I was a woman. They said, "This is a man's job," and that made me feel really sad.

I tried my best to stay strong, but hearing those words hurt my feelings. I wanted to prove that I could do any job, just like anyone else. It was frustrating to be treated differently just because I was a girl.

Even though I faced many challenges, I didn’t give up. I knew I had to keep trying to find a job and show everyone that I was capable of working hard.

After walking around all day and getting turned down, I finally found a job as a domestic servant in garment making. I knew I had to work really hard because I couldn't afford to slack off.

When I was hired, it felt like they didn’t even see me as a person. They didn’t talk to me directly; they just said, "She's hired," as if I wasn’t there. That made me feel sad and unimportant.

Even though the job started off rough, I was determined to work hard. I needed the money to support myself and make a better life.

My first day of work as a garment maker was really tough. I had to sleep in the crowded housing with my family that night, which wasn’t easy. But as I was leaving work, I started talking to some of the other women there.

One of them told me about the boarding house where she lives with about 25 other girls who work in the factory. I was curious and asked her more about it. She was really nice and helped me learn how to find a place to stay.

I finally found a new place to live, and the rent isn’t too bad. It’s very crowded, but I know I can’t be too picky. I’m just happy to have a roof over my head!