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Struggles and Triumphs: The Italian Immigrant Experience

In my course ITAL2P98: Italians in Canada and Italy-Canada Relations at Brock University in the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (MLLC), I chose a personal approach by interviewing my Nonno and Nonna, Salvatore and Rosalia Di Blasi, to document their experiences as Italian immigrants to Canada. The interview was structured in two parts: first, I focused on their individual stories, including their journeys, family history, and the impacts of immigration. In the second part, I brought them together to discuss their experiences of starting a family as young immigrants. Despite the unique challenges they each faced, they supported each other and, with the help of family, managed to overcome obstacles and build a successful life in Canada.

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Echoes of the past: An Italian Mother-Daughter Emigration Story To Canada

In the mid 20th century, countless families sought refuge and new beginnings beyond their homeland. Angela Pisano, born in 1944, was one such child who embarked on a life changing journey at the age of only eight years old. In 1952, Angela and her mother emigrated from the South of Italy, their native land, to Canada in Niagara Falls. Driven by the hope of better living conditions and better opportunities. They were welcomed by her uncle, who had already established his life in the new land. Angela Pisano’s story is one of resilience, adaptation and the longing for a brighter future. Through her reflections on this pivotal moment, I invite you into her challenges, experiences, impressions, and triumphs as a young little girl of immigrant life.

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