Interviewee: Brunilda Rivera
Interviewer: Eriberto Montanez
Relationship: Mother
Date: March 21, 2003
A Mother who left the ocean behind for a better life
What is your full name?
Brunilda Rivera.
What is your nationality?
Puerto Rican.
What is your date of birth?
October 10, 1959.
Where were you born?
Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico.
When did you (move to the U.S./move from somewhere else in the U.S.) to Philadelphia?
I came here 1977, to New York, then I came to Philly in 1984.
Why did you leave your country/State/former place of residence?
I came to visit my sister.
What did you like/dislike about your home/country?
I like everything about my home country. I don't dislike it.
Why did you choose Philadelphia/U.S?
My Aunt used to live here.
How did you travel here?/What type of transportation did you use/take to travel here? How would you change that?
I traveled on airplane. I wouldn't change it.
How did you find a place to live in Philly?
My Aunt helped me out.
With whom did you travel? [Who did you travel with?]
By myself.
Give 1 thing you remember most about your hometown and why?
The ocean, because I used to go there a lot with my mom.
How did your life change when you moved and what were the differences between the two places?
Over here is cold and over there is hot. I like the hot.
What did you expect about the US/Philly?
That they cleaned all the streets and knocked down all the raggedy buildings.
What did you come here to accomplish and what else do you feel you still need to do?
I just came to visit, then I stayed, but I would like to own my own business.
What are the differences between when you came here and now?
Not much.
What did you sacrifice/leave behind when you left?
Nothing.
What problems did you encounter coming to the US/Philly?
None.
How much money did you have and where did you get it when you came to Philly/US?
I didn't have any money. I came to visit my sister. I was still in school.
How did you adapt to your new environment?
Pretty well.
Why do you think it was worth all your changes?
I didn't have no changes. It made no difference if I would have stayed or come over here.
What education did you have before/after you arrived?
Before I was still in high school after I came over here, I got my GED and then I went to school for nursing assistants.
Do you [ever] regret moving? Why or why not?
No, because I live well.
What reason would/could make you go back to where you came from?
I don't think I'm gonna' go back.
Describe your first job here. If you didn't have one, how did you get money?
I used to work in a factory sewing headbands.
