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AW: And when did you guys move to Portland?

KS: We moved to Portland when, as soon as he's through the residency out there. And before then, he was turned down couple of the place for, as a medical doctor because, because of my nationality, I imagine. They turned down him, so we came up here. Kaiser Hospital here was very nice, welcome to us, and I like it very much.

AW: What was Portland like when you first arrived?

KS: Oh, it was not, it was quite small. It was not as big as now and not as crowded as now either, but I like it mostly here. It's nice green garden city, it is, and surrounded with white capped mountain. And that was really made me homesick from Minnesota like that. So I said, "I loved here." I like to live here all my life, if I can, and I'm still here. [Laughs]

AW: Did you ever think of going back to Japan or you felt you were an American now?

KS: Oh, yes. I am here, let me see, over forty-eight years now. So if I go back to Japan, I have more problem with my own people, and I cannot go with their way of living anymore. So I told my husband, too, I will never going back there. This is my home. I love it here, and people here so nice.

AW: Did you end up going back to nursing school once you got to Portland?

KS: Oh, yes. I went back to the, in 1960s, I went back to the Clark College in Vancouver to take nursing course and to take the national examination.

AW: And after that, did you work as a nurse for a while?

KS: No. Before then, I married to the, my husband, Dr. Sweeney, and he had a private practice in Longview, Washington, so I moved to Longview, Washington. There is only one hospital, and they did not have no employee there. So I established my own business as a ship chandler, and it was really challenge, and I had more experience from doing the ship chandler. I saw so many ship, foreign ships as well as Japanese ships.

AW: And how did you and Mr. Sweeney meet?

KS: Oh, I was teaching in 1960s. I was teaching Japanese language at YWCA, and there was many students. Some of them was a lawyer, some of them were international businessmen, and some of them were like my husband, and he came from Longview, Washington. So I was very appreciative, and he was one of my students.

AW: Could you explain what a ship chandler is? What kind of job that was?

KS: Well, I had the supply house, and we had, and when ships come to the port dock, and first thing is the custom, U.S. Custom goes on, and he will check everything. And after that, we can go on board on the ships, and we see ship's captain and ship's chief steward. And if there are anything, they have order from here, this port. Then whatever they give us order for the machinery, for paint or provisions or sundries, anything, we supply to them while they are in the port. It was very strenuous work, and the men's work, it is. I was only woman doing that.

AW: How did you get involved in that type of work?

KS: Well first, I was helping this American ship chandler. He came to me one day in restaurant. "Are you Japanese?" "Yes, I am," I said. "Do you speak Japanese language?" "Yes, I do." And, "Well then, I like you to help my business." Then I helped his business to take the order from Japanese ships, for log ship and wheat ship and chip dock, ships doing, taking the chip dock, chips, you know, wood chips, and so I was doing that business. But some problem occurred between the ships and this ship chandler because he was somewhat, somewhat dishonest, so it was, I was accused. And out there, I was going to quit this job. Then one day, this ship came. I quit my ship I was acquainted with, came, and he called me. He said, "We want you to come to get the order." So I said, "Well, I'm on the way, I quit this business like it." And, "Why, why, and we were looking for you, and we'll be here only couple days, couple of days. We have to have supply and go." So I said, "Well, I think about it." And I went home, talk to my husband. My husband says, "Well, in that case, you have to have your business certificate, and also you have to have some trucks and some people help you out." So from there, I started out.

AW: That must have been quite a, quite an achievement especially being a woman being Japanese.

KS: Yes. Yes. First time in my life I would do such a, I ever did such a business, and it was very, very interesting. And after I quit, come back here, some American company called me here, and, "We like you to work in our company." Say, "As what?" I says. "What do you want me to do?" And he said, he said, "We want you, our company is log company. We want you to go between here and the Japan in communication, and sometimes you have to travel to Japan and here." And that was not very, sound like very convenient to me because I had the family. My husband lived here alone, and I was his aide, and I thought well, if I were myself, I would, but I have family, and I think I should not do this and thank you. I refused that job. I don't know what company it was. I don't recall anymore. He send to me a few of their name card for their company's names, and that was it. Since then, I was already retired to taking care of my husband.

<End Segment 8> - Copyright © 2003 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.