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   Romano Tedesco & Mrs. Irma Giacobbo > Oral History Transcript 

   Romano Tedesco and Mrs. Irma Giacobbo 

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Louis (Luigi)
Biamonte

Mike Biollo

Father Giovanni
Bonelli

Camillo Bridarolli

Mr. & Mrs. Henry
Butti

John Camarta

Domenico Chiarello

Joe Fabbri

Mario Grassi

Victor Losa

Filomena Michetti

Mrs. Mamie Meardi

Tony Nimis

Giorgio W. &
Norma Pocaterra

Mr. & Mrs. John
Segatti

Romano Tedesco &
Mrs. Irma Giacobbo

Angelo Toppano


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Mr. R:  Mr. Sab Roncucci
Mrs. G:  Mrs. Irma Giacobbo

Mr. R:

Did they believe it, did they think you were crazy to have come to this country to work so hard? What was the reaction there?

Mrs. G:

Well, I don't know if they really believe it. They thought, you know, we come to Canada and, here, they thought there was all kinds of money. But I think some of them did believe because some came here and then they went back. So many that came here of the relatives and then went back and told the stories and they say you should believe. I have some nephews in Edmonton, here, and they went back a couple of times and they told them, "You should see how your Auntie Irma is and know what it's like." Yes, so I guess they...And then one of my sisters-in-law came here and came to visit us on the farm and she knew more or less how we were and she did believe it.

Mr. R:

Yes, because, you know, in Italy even in a small village where life is, say, poor in general, but still, you know, distances are not so great.

Mrs. G:

That's right.

Mr. R:

For them to think of a person like you being, say, 200 miles from Edmonton. in the bush really. 

Mrs. G:

Oh, it was in the bush.

Mr. R:

No social life to speak of around. They might ask you, " Why do you stay there?" 

Mrs. G:

Where you gonna go?

Mr. R:

No, no, what I mean, I'm talking about the relatives in Italy.

Mrs. G:

Yeah, my relatives, you know, well ...

Mr. R:

But don't you think, perhaps, that you are a better person, don't you feel it, to be a better person just because you had a hard youth in your life.

Mrs. G:

I don't know.

Mr. R:

Okay, let me put it another way. Looking at the young people now, today, see they have everything possible under the sun - they have cars, they have telephones, they have all the comforts and everything, money in their pockets. Now would you rather have been the way they are now, or the way you had been there, you had been forced to be.

Mrs. G:

Well, in some cases ..well, maybe ..and in some cases, no. I think I liked my youth life better than it is now. I even tell my kids that.

Mr. R:

So, in other words, you would conclude by saying that - okay, quantity, comfort, today, yes. But, quality of life, it was much better in those days.

Mrs. G:

Much better, yes. For myself, much better.

Mr. R:

better human relations? 

Mrs. G:

That's right. 

Mr. R:

More sincerity?

Mrs. G:

Children, more respect for the family. More close, I don't know, something. They were satisfied with what they got, maybe because they couldn't ...but still, they understand. Now, I don't know. Some families, they just don't understand. 

Mr. R:

Even though...

Mrs. G:

Even though they should understand, but they don't.


 

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