The
Fight for FreedomThe
Fight for FreedomIn 1981 Zhi Qin Ding, my grandmother came to the United States of America. Her mother, two brothers and sisters were all waiting for her. After she got her Green Card, she applied for Ming Ding (my aunt) and Xiong Ding (my youngest uncle) to come to America. Ming Ding and Xiong Ding arrived at New York in 1982. They all had hard times but got through it. Ming and Xiong attended City College in Uptown Manhattan. There, Ming met a man named John Chen. John and Ming fell in love and got married. They have three children now: Daniel, Eric and Julia. Daniel was born on January 13,1989, Eric was born in December 2,1992, and Julia was born on July 4,1996.
Xiong was introduced to a lady who was still in China through a friend. He helped her come to America. Her name is Wui Feng. When Wui Feng got here she married Xiong. Wui Feng had a son in China named Bing Bing. Bing Bing was born in 1980. He came to America in 1999. He is attending the State University of New York in Binghamton now.
In 1986 Yi Ding (my mother) applied to come to America to study. She had to depart on October 8,1986, but on October 5,1986 her stomach hurt really badly. She went to the doctor, The doctor announced that she was sick with an appendicitus and had to have operation. When Yi heard she needed surgery she was frustrated. Yi had to go to America in three days so what should she do? Yi called her little sister in America, Ming to see what she thought. Ming insisted not to have operation because Yi would probably lose the privilege of her goal of freedom to come to America. So Yi took her little sister's advice and went to America. But before she went to the airport she stayed in the hospital for three days. The last day the doctors gave her some medicine with her, and told her what she would do in case she was very sick on the journey to America.
On the airplane Yi kept on vomiting. When she arrived at San Francisco for a break she had to check in to another airplane. When the check-in officer was checking Yi's college admission paper, they found that the date of it had expired and college already started on September 3. They refused to let her in. Yi was stuck in San Francisco alone crying of her misery. She asked a Chinese man to help her carry her bags because she was still too weak from her appendix. Then all of a sudden an officer holding a letter called, "Who is Yi Ding?" Yi looked up. Yi looked at the paper and it said to only read the letter with the immigration officer and Yi Ding. The letter was a new admission to New Paltz University starting on January 15.
When Yi got to New York her family was so happy. Yi's life began in New York. She worked in a garment shop in the daytime and went to school at night. Yi transferred to City College (City University of New York).Yi went to work from 8 o'clock in the morning to 5 o'clock in the afternoon. It was very hard for her because that was the first time she ever did this kind of labor. In China she was a teacher in a high school. The job was very hard. Five cents for sewing on one pocket. The whole day Yi would only able to earn less than 20 dollars. Yi would always prick herself because she didn't have much sleep. Her class started at 5:20 PM, but she was always late ten minutes. Class ended at 10 o'clock in the evening. When she got home it would always be 11:30pm. She usually woke up in the morning at six o'clock to depart for the garment shop. Yi did her homework on the way to her job and school. One day in the garment shop Yi was crying. Her boss came over and asked her why. She said she missed her son and beloved husband who were still in China. Yi lived in Jackson Heights for one year. Later she moved in with her brother Xiong and sister Ming in a bigger house, but still suffered, missing part of her family that was still in China.
Two years later, in 1988, Xiao Ding (my oldest Uncle), Xin Ding (my second oldest Uncle), Minlin Chen (my Dad), Ling Chen (my brother) and all my uncles' families came to America. When Minlin came here he had even a tougher life in America than Yi. After a week he came, he quickly started to find a job. He found a job at a photo shop. On the way to work the first day, a car hit him. Minli was quickly rushed to the hospital by the ambulance. When he came home he had a big bump on his right ankle. After he recovered he found another job in a Japanese warehouse. He went to college at night. My mother and father graduated college in 1990. My mother found a new and better job at Citibank. My father found a job in the Waldorf Astoria (Hotel).
On March 15,1991 I was born. My mother moved to a house near my aunt in Woodhaven. I was sent away to China to get taken care of when I was one year old. I came back to America when I was three. Thinking my aunt in China was my mother; I called my mother Yi Ding Mom. Everyone laughed when I did so.
In 1995, my brother got into Stuyvesant High School (a very fine high school in NYC), and I went to Public School 60 Queens. We had a better life. Then, just as everything was getting better my father found out that he had cancer. He passed away on April 15,1997. That time I was only six just getting to know my father. About a month later my grandmother who brought my family to America passed away.
Though many sad things happen in my life, I still have a great life. I got into a wonderful gifted program in P.S. 56 Queens. There I have amazing teachers and friendly classmates. I learn a lot from the programs we have. Besides school I have extra activities at home like swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, piano, and Chinese. I am very busy.
My brother has already graduated from Stuyvesant High School. He is now attending Michigan University and doing very well. My history still goes way back to my great grandparents and I am proud of it because my family fought for our freedom and got it. If it weren't for my family I would never have gotten such a good education and such a great life.
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