<Begin Segment 11>

SI: Where the country is, I don't see any.

BN: You mentioned that there was the one person in your village who had been to Hawaii before.

SI: Oh, I come to here.

BN: No, I'm wondering if during, after the war, there was any kind of...

SI: Oh, because when I work into the store, working for, with the... this is my husband's cousin. She was a maid over there. I was working store, she was maid, so she would cook and clean the house, and just like she come, my big sister-like, I became friends with her, really friendly. And after I quit over there, she, "Come to, oh, asobi ni kita de." My husband came to the Hawaii to visit the family. He was six months stayed Okinawa was. You know, go back, come back to Hawaii, he taking time to, he get time, so my friend, "Oh, let's go play someplace," and then we will catch the bus, her, myself, and that time, my husband. That time, he's cousin, I don't know the time was, catch the bus and walk around. And then after he come back over here, oh, no, he was six months, we come to the friend, together, we were married. After marriage, and come over here, and I make three time, I think. Marriage celebration at Okinawa, and come over here. [Laughs] Then because he got interest everybody, they invited.

BN: So you got married in...

SI: At Okinawa.

BN: In Okinawa.

SI: Those days, ryojikan, we got married Okinawa. No, ryojikan. Naha... we got married at the Naha no ryojikan, marriage, then we go take picture over there.

BN: How long... so you met him through your friend. How long, how long went by before you ended up getting married? Because he went back to Hawaii, right?

SI: Six months.

BN: Six months?

SI: Uh-huh.

Off camera: And then he came back. You came to Hawaii with him.

SI: Yeah.

BN: And had you ever been away from Okinawa before?

SI: No.

BN: So this was the first... so you didn't know anyone in Hawaii either, or did you?

SI: Oh, my auntie.

BN: Oh, your auntie was...

SI: My auntie was waiting for me, '57, that time, her birthday, she was so happy, November. "Oh, thank you, my birthday, you came over here." [Laughs]

Off camera: You also came over... when you came, you came over with some friends that made Auntie...

SI: Hiroko? Same airplane? Yeah.

Off camera: [Inaudible], so I didn't know 'til later.

SI: Oh, after, yeah, that's right. Just like we go family --

BN: And came at the same time?

SI: Yeah, that's right, a family friend after that.

BN: So that must have been your first time on an airplane, too.

SI: Yes.

BN: What was that like?

SI: Yes.

BN: What was your impression of Hawaii when you first...

SI: Oh, that time, my two aunties -- oh, actually three. My auntie was so happy, just like, just like I was her daughter. She's so happy, always invite us to go... before, there was a pig farm. So if I don't have chance to go there, my uncle was, used to drive, so come to, I was living the apartment. She always come visit me, so I don't have the, just like, oh, homesick, I never have that kind of thing.

BN: Because you had some family here.

SI: My aunties, visiting, I never have that kind of...

BN: And then what did you and your husband do for work when you came, first came here?

SI: Oh, he was cook.

BN: A cook?

SI: Cook, yes. He was a cook at Kuhio Grill.

BN: How long had he been in Hawaii before you got married?

SI: Oh, he was... he born in Maui but he was... after twenty he come, because Grandpa never like send to Hawaii. He try and keep him Okinawa.

BN: So he was born in Maui...

SI: Yes.

BN: And then grew up...

SI: And then he went, Mother took to the Okinawa. I think he, after twenty, over twenty he come back. Because Grandpa doesn't want to send him.

BN: Wait, so he grew up in Okinawa?

SI: Yeah.

BN: So he was culturally more like an immigrant? His first language was...

SI: Oh, he was talking Filipino, Okinawan. [Laughs]

Off camera: Did he go back and forth?

SI: Who?

Off camera: Before twenty, did he go back and forth?

SI: He was... no, Grandpa doesn't want to send him. He keep him... yeah, I think three or four time he went, yeah.

BN: So he kind of grew up in both places.

SI: Yeah.

BN: Where was he during the war?

SI: Wartime he was [inaudible].

BN: So during the war he was in Hawaii.

SI: Yeah, yeah, was here.

BN: But he was an American citizen.

SI: Yes.

BN: He was born here. So he spoke English also, or local style English.

SI: [Laughs] That's right.

<End Segment 11> - Copyright © 2012 Densho. All Rights Reserved.