<Begin Segment 37>

AI: And so then when you did make the move out to California, where did you, where did you first move to?

BS: San Jose.

AI: And once you got there, what did you think about it? How did you find it?

BS: Oh, the weather was really nice. It was very nice and we got our own house. And then he worked for, Art worked for our friend, Harry, at his Shell dealership. He worked there for about, maybe about a year and then he got his own station.

AI: And then I understand there's a fairly active Japanese American community in San Jose.

BS: Uh-huh, yes.

AI: So did you get connected with that community?

BS: Well, we, we joined the, it wasn't the San Jose chapter but the West Valley chapter which was, it wasn't in the downtown. The San Jose chapter was in downtown San Jose and ours was, well, the West Valley chapter. So, oh, the reason we joined that one was because our friend belonged to it. And they were having enrollment where we could get insurance right away. If we joined the, if we had joined the San Jose chapter, since we moved in October of 1971 we'd have to wait 'til June the following year to be enrolled in the insurance, group insurance. But if we joined the West Valley chapter we would have been effective December 'cause that's when the enrollment was. And fortunately we joined there... and it was fortunate because I had a mastectomy the following year and actually it was in June, June 15th of 1972 so I was fortunate that I had the insurance.

AI: Right, had the coverage.

BS: Yes.

AI: Oh, my goodness.

BS: So, so that's how... so we were connected to an organization there.

AI: Oh. So then, so you joined the JACL and then the kids, of course, were enrolled in school.

BS: Uh-huh.

<End Segment 37> - Copyright © 2003 Densho. All Rights Reserved.