The green bananas - because they were everywhere!


Interviewee:Antonio Torres
Interviewer: Ismaelys Colon
Relationship: Family friend
Date: December 12, 2002


What is your full name?

Antonio Luis Torres Santana

What is your nationality?

Puerto Rican

What is your date of birth?

December 30, 1970

Where were you born?

Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico

When did you (move to the U.S./move from somewhere else in the U.S.) to Philadelphia?

1986

Why did you leave your country/State/former place of residence?

We moved because of agriculture and privately.

What did you like/dislike about your home/country?

I liked my culture, folklore and prestigious history.

Why did you choose Philadelphia/U.S?

We moved to Philadelphia because his father worked in Florida and was being transfer to Philadelphia.

How did you travel here?/What type of transportation did you use/take to travel here? How would you change that?

Eastern air line. We flew by airplane.

How did you find a place to live in Philly?

We had family members here.

With whom did you travel? [Who did you travel with?]

My mother, uncle, brothers, and sisters.

Give 1 thing you remember most about your home town and why?

The food mainly the green bananas because they were everywhere.

How did your life change when you moved and what were the differences between the two places?

I had to learn English.Tropical Island, they only had one weather, here it changes.

What did you expect about the US/Philly?

I expected Philly to have oceans and palm trees.

What did you come here to accomplish and what else do you feel you still need to do?

I came here to accomplish my education. I still need to accomplish my goals.

What are the differences between when you came here and now?

I know better English, I communicate more with the public. I learned different heritage and culture.

What did you sacrifice/leave behind when you left?

I left my grandparents and our farm.

What problems did you encounter coming to the US/Philly?

Racism

How much money did you have and where did you get it when you came to Philly/US?

Question unknown, father had a job.

How did you adapt to your new environment?

Family members taught us how to catch translation, and how to go to the store, to school, and to parks.

Why do you think it was worth all your changes?

Because I learned how to love Philadelphia.

What education did you have before/after you arrived?

I had made it up to my last year in junior high school. After I arrived I gradated from high school, got cluster service, translated Spanish to English.

Do you [ever] regret moving? Why or why not?

No, because it is a learning experience.

What reason would/could make you go back to where you came from?

If there’s a death in the family, but I’ll always come back.

Describe your first job here. If you didn't have one, how did you get money?

My first job was at the Philadelphia International Airport.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I have no regrets moving Philadelphia, and being a Puerto Rican.