Date post: | 12-May-2015 |
Category: |
Entertainment & Humor |
Upload: | al3x08 |
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Interview with a septuagenarian
Interview was conducted with my grandmother
A few things about interview
• Speaks no English. Entire interview conducted in Spanish over the phone
• Was not as personal, but still got interesting info.
• Mom thought it would be good idea to jog her memory
Place of Birth
• Born Feb 4th 1931 Sabinas, Mexico• Moved to Musquiz at age 6• Moved to Acuna at age 15
Big Moves
• Her father was musician. Moved to Acuna to because was bigger city and would have better chance of getting gigs
• Not common way to make living at the time, as is now.
• 70 mile move, but was considered huge at the time.
• Lived there most of her life
• Was youngest of 7 children. Big families were common. 10+ children not uncommon
• When asked about why so many children
• Stated people were not educated on birth control. Did not even know what condoms were
• Also, no TV
• People had cars, but electricity and plumbing, were commodity
• Did not have plumbing in their home until early 60’s. Until that time they had outhouse.
• Did not own a TV until late 70’s
• Crossing the border was common then as is now. Not as big of an influx
• Decided against it because already had steady employment
• Work superseded education
• Grandmother elementary school education grandfather middle school
• Great Depression did not affect much, due to not many US jobs in Mexico.
• Did not affect them a lot because they were already poor
Costs of Living (40’s)
• 1 Kilo tortillas – about 10-15 cents • Gas – about 15 cents a gallon• Cost of average home 500 – 1000 USD• Grandfather made around 500$ USD per year• Things were cheaper, but people did not make very
much money
Next Generation (my parents)
• Work still superseded education, but grandparents did emphasize importance of higher education
• My mother 1st person in family to graduate from college
• Currently resides in US on Visa
• Moved to US after grandfather died
• Decided it would be good idea hometown no longer safe
• Suffers from Parkinson’s Disease
• Keeps hands occupied by knitting
THE END