Interviewee: Rosa E. Perez
Interviewer: Daisy Cardona
Relationship: Friend
Date: February 8, 2003
She was raped, and became pregnant.
She was forced to
leave her country because her parents were ashamed
What is your full name?
Rosa Emellia Perez
What is your nationality?
Puerto Rican
What is your date of birth?
June 28, 1947
Where were you born?
Puerto Rico, Riotiedra
When did you (move to the U.S./move from somewhere else in the U.S.) to Philadelphia?
I don't move to Philadelphia, I move to New York, Bronx, 1965, April. Later, same year, moved to Philadelphia.
Why did you leave your country/State/former place of residence?
I leave my country because I was rape an' become pregnant.
What did you like/dislike about your home/country?
I like everything.
Why did you choose Philadelphia/U.S?
Much better than Bronx.
How did you travel here? /What type of transportation did you use/take to travel here?
In airplane.
How did you find a place to live in Philly?
No, in the Bronx with aunt, I live it here with couple, married, married couple. When I was pregnant they took care of me.
With whom did you travel? [Who did you travel with?]
By myself.
Give 1 thing you remember most about your hometown and why?
Oh, my life change, first time was bad, I found good people, too, and I found bad people too. Oh, you know it change a lot, hard time life.
How did your life change when you moved and what were the differences between the two places?
The different is I born over there. Everybody like where they born and here is not. I like they treat me, you know, America give me a lot of stuff, you know. I miss my country.
What did you expect about the US/Philly?
When I come here I expected everything was going to be OK you know, much better, but first couple of years was worst, because of what happen to me in Puerto Rico, but later change. I found good husband. He took care of me, good man he was. He passed away.
What did you come here to accomplish and what else do you feel you still need to do?
I come here because I want to have my baby here. I can't have it in Puerto Rico. No, I think I finish my job here.
What are the differences between when you came here and now?
The different is, the first time was new, it was like "Wow, what’s that?" I was stranger, stranger place, I was younger. Now I'm use to it, I understand more. I have my four children here.
What did you sacrifice/leave behind when you left?
Oh, a lot of things. I run 'to good people I run 'to bad people.
What problems did you encounter coming to the US/Philly?
In one way I was happy, found happiness through friends. I found people treating me wrong, cursing to me, hit me, kick me, send me to hospital. Do this, do that, you know. After that I found good man. He married me from Catholic Church with four children. He didn't care that I had four children, I was 30 years old he was 28 and he treat me beautiful and he give me good life. That the good life that I found in Philadelphia, before, no, this one. After I married him.
How much money did you have and where did you get it when you came to Philly/US?
Nothing
How did you adapt to your new environment?
I got use to it. I have my children, I got good company. It hard to take care my business to take care of my children. I was a mother.
Why do you think it was worth all your changes?
Yes. It was worth it because I found a good man; I miss my husband. And he married me, that was worth it.
What education did you have before/after you arrived?
I got second grade from Puerto Rico. But I know how to read; I know how to write numbers.
Do you [ever] regret moving? Why or why not?
First time, yea, but later no, because I found a good man, later.
What reason would/could make you go back to where you came from?
The reason is because my mother passed away October 23, 2002. I had to go over there, I stayed three months. I come back February 5, 2003. I love it over there, I found my first boyfriend when I got sixteen years old. He single, I'm widow and we have plans. He make it studio apartment for him and for me. He call me just right now.
Describe your first job here. If you didn't have one, where did you get money?
I never working. When I got married with my good husband he support me and my four children and he buy me house and he give me good life. Buy me another house, give me good life. He passed away he left me two good checks benefit and thanks to him I live right.
Is there anything you would like to add?
What I want to say is, I came at the age of 17 yrs old, because of reason I couldn’t control. The first years was very difficult for me, a lot of suffering a lot of pain, but anyway I had four children, one from the rape, three from my first husband. Then I was alone for two years when I met the man that married me with my four children, the one who brought me happiness and brought back to me everything I suffer, that, thanks to him, I came out front with lots of love. Never took my kids out in my face, never mistreated me, had a good life, after meeting him. Now, I went to Puerto Rico because of the death of my mother. I was there for three months; I met my first boyfriend when I was 16 years old. I came crying back because I didn't want to leave him. But now I'm going to return back to his arms, because he's waiting for me. I leave in about three months. Bye, bye.
