<Begin Segment 15>

KP: So how, how long were you at Tule Lake?

YM: We left in 1946, February. We went to New Jersey.

KP: And how did you make that choice to go to New Jersey?

YM: Well, we didn't know any place to go. You know, 'cause we didn't have a home to go back to. And my father was telling us, "Why don't you come out?" where they are. And I said, "How could we with two kids? It's impossible." So my husband was first gonna sign up with the railroad and then they came from Seabrook to recruit people to come to their frozen food factory. So, my husband says, "I think we should go." 'Cause they promised us a beautiful house and this and that and everything free and this and that. But, so we went. And when we got there we almost died because it wasn't what they told us.

KP: What did you get instead?

YM: Oh, we had to go in a barrack, not this one, but a different barrack. And there was three families and they put us in the middle. And you know how kids are, they, they're not real quiet. And we had a neighbor that first night we were there we were told, not verbally but by knocking on the walls, you know, so that means "shut up" or whatever. [Laughs] So, so we tried to get a room change. Well, we couldn't get it changed. But they shuffled us around in Seabrook. Three times, four times. So this is the third time, the one that I showed you, the barrack of.

KP: Uh-huh.

YM: And then after that they took us to, like a, a row house made out of what you call cinder blocks.

<End Segment 15> - Copyright © 2009 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.