<Begin Segment 12>
SY: So how long was the trip to, Amache is where you ended up, right? Do you remember how long it took you?
EN: It took about three days of train travel.
SY: And you remember that train ride?
EN: All I remember is that they told us to keep our shades down. We weren't allowed to peek outside.
SY: I see.
EN: And I just remember somewhere along the way I got curious so I leaned over and pulled up the shade, and the MP came along and slapped me on the behind and the men in the car got really upset with him. That's all I remember.
SY: Really? Wow.
EN: I never did that again. [Laughs]
SY: Although you were pretty, it sounds like you were pretty brave to do --
EN: No, just stupid. [Laughs]
SY: You were, you obviously weren't too afraid to take that chance to do that. And it, and as far as you remember it was pretty nonstop, this, this train ride?
EN: Yes.
SY: So you remember sleeping on the train?
EN: Well, we, I think we just had to sit up on the seats, 'cause the, I think if you were pregnant or had a tiny child you were given a sleeping, a berth kind of car, but if you were an ordinary person you just had a chair, chair car.
SY: I see. And when you arrived at Amache, what do you remember?
EN: It was a very desolate scene.
SY: Compared to Venice, for sure.
EN: Oh yes, it was just all desert.
SY: And do you, I mean, is there a vivid memory of getting off the train?
EN: No, that's also a big blur.
SY: Blurry.
EN: I don't remember.
SY: But you did end up going, obviously, to one of the barracks there.
EN: Right. It was in block 6-E and that was in the corner of the camp, and it was near the sewage plant. Lovely location. [Laughs]
SY: I was gonna say, that would, how did you get so lucky?
EN: So lucky.
SY: And you remember that, the smell?
EN: No, I don't remember an odor at all, so I think it was pretty good.
SY: And what end of the, were you on one of the end units in the barracks?
EN: Yes, one of the first ones.
SY: And the three of you were in one room.
EN: Yes, in one unit.
<End Segment 12> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.