I am a 16-year-old girl from Ireland. In 1910, I left my home to go to America for a better life. I wanted to escape poverty and famine and find a good job. I traveled alone on a big ship to America. The ship was very crowded, and there wasn’t much food. Many people got sick, and I felt scared. To prepare for my arrival, I practiced my English so I could answer questions at Ellis Island. 

    When I arrive in America, I will live with my brother in New York. He lives in an Irish neighborhood, so I can speak my language with our neighbors. Once I get settled, I will find a job to help my family. I heard about places called settlement houses that teach English to people from other countries, and I want to go there. My brother told me there are many job opportunities in factories, but the work is hard and the hours are long.

I woke up early to a loud noise. When I got up from a bad night's sleep, I saw it—the Statue of Liberty! It was taller and shinier than I ever imagined. Soon, I and other passengers were led off the ship with our few belongings. When I stepped onto American soil for the first time, a man asked me which ship I arrived on. Then, I was allowed to go to Immigration Inspection at Ellis Island.

    I got in line for the final inspection, feeling really nervous. I looked around at all the different people, and the room was so crowded. Even though a lot of time had passed, it didn’t seem like many people were leaving. Finally, it was my turn to go through inspection again. My heart was racing as the inspector asked me questions. I told him my name, my brother's address, that I was 16, from Ireland, and that I wanted to work in a factory.    

    I sighed with relief when the inspector let me go. I looked at the big crowd still waiting for their turn and felt happy to be leaving. Nervously, I stepped outside and asked people for directions to my brother's house, but many didn’t understand me. Luckily, I found another Irish woman who pointed me toward the Irish community. I repeated her directions in my head until I reached the area. When I asked someone where my brother's address was, he showed me the right street.

When I got to Ellis Island, it was very crowded. We lined up for inspection, and I spoke to another woman from Ireland. She told me to stand tall and look healthy so the inspectors would like me. I took her advice, and even though I was nervous, I passed the health check and could answer questions. I saw that the examiner marked a man in front of me with an X and told him to go to a different line.

I knocked on the wrong door at first, but they pointed me to the right one. When I knocked on the second door, I was so happy to see my brother! We hugged each other before he let me into his small home, which was cozy but crowded. He told me he had been saving money from his job at the factory and that he met a girl he plans to marry soon. We sat at the table and shared our stories. He told me what life in America was like, and I shared how nervous I was about coming here and what the ship ride was like traveling alone.

My brother told me about our living situation and said I would need to get a job or help around the house to stay here. I quickly agreed and said I would help with housework and search for a job in my free time. He explained that money was tight, and we had to save every penny to have enough food and a good life in America. He said that with my sewing skills, I could probably find a job in the tenements or a factory if I worked hard. We agreed that I would try to find a factory that was hiring tomorrow. 

    I settled into my small tenement. It was cramped, but I was happy to be there instead of on the ship. I thought about my parents, who were still in Ireland. I needed to find a good job to buy their tickets to America. That night, I felt lucky to start my new life. I was determined to work hard and be successful.

The next day, my brother told me to introduce myself in the community. I spoke with multiple people. Some people had just arrived like me, and others had been in the community for many years. Most of the men worked in either construction or factory work. The women mostly worked at home. 

I learned that factory workers had to work long hours and very hard. If they made mistakes, the managers could take money from their paychecks. Only skilled workers could get jobs in factories. Even if you got a job, you could get fired in the first week if you didn’t work hard enough. It is important to always do your best to keep your job.

The community was helpful, but it didn’t help me find a factory job for young women. I heard about settlement houses, which help people new to America like me. Attending a settlement house could help me learn better English and improve my education. I spent the day helping with housework, and when I was done, I decided to visit the settlement house. It seemed like a great place to learn and meet new friends.

After helping with housework during the day, I had time to visit the settlement house. When I first arrived, they offered me options to practice arts, English, or sewing. Most days, I choose to practice my English or sewing to improve my skills and help me get a job. I have also made many friends there, and we enjoy talking together. It’s a friendly place where I can learn and grow.

The settlement house has allowed me to grow accustomed to American culture. I feel much more confident living here now. Not to mention, my English has improved greatly as I can practice English sentences I learn there. I have also taken sewing classes and feel as though my skills are growing greatly.

One of my friends said she would ask her manager if they were hiring new workers at the sewing factory. This made me very excited because it meant I could help my family more than just doing chores. Getting a job would be a great chance for me to contribute. I felt hopeful about the possibility of working there. I really wanted to support my family since money has been tight ever since I’ve arrived in America.

The next day, my friend said I could go with her to the factory to apply for a job. I was very excited and wanted to look my best. I told my brother, and he was happy for me. When I arrived at the factory, I felt nervous, but I believed in my sewing skills. The settlement house helped me improve a lot, and I knew I could show them I would be a good worker.

On the way to the factory, some people laughed at my friend and me. They said we wouldn't succeed because Irish immigrants were unskilled workers. But my friend told me not to worry and that we would be okay. I felt confident in my sewing skills and didn’t let the mean comments stop me. I was determined to show that I could do well as I entered the factory.

When I arrived at the factory, I met the manager. She told me that if I showed good sewing skills, I would fit in with the other workers. I worked hard on a clothing piece and impressed her. She was happy with my work and said I could start the next day. She also explained the strict rules I had to follow. I knew I needed to be on time, make as few mistakes as possible, and not talk to my coworkers during work.

When I told my brother I got the job, he was really happy. We knew that if we both worked hard, we could earn enough money to live well. The next day, I woke up early to finish the laundry before heading to work. I was excited about starting this new chapter in my life. When I arrived, I sat at a workstation and began to sew with my coworkers.

I worked for a long time and wanted to use the bathroom, but I didn’t want to get in trouble. I sewed all day until my hands started to hurt. I knew I had to work hard to keep my job. I felt excited thinking about the extra money I could bring home. This thought motivated me to keep going because I wanted to help my family.

When I got home, it was very late. There wasn’t time to visit the settlement house because I had many chores to do. My brother also came home late, and we were both tired. We ate a good meal and looked over our expenses for the week. After that, we went to bed to rest for another long day tomorrow.

After working in the factory for two weeks, I finally got my first paycheck. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed with the lack of payment because of just how long I had spent working in the factory. I asked my friend during lunch break and she told me that while it was unfair, the wages I had received were typical. She explained that if I wanted to make more money, I would have to have perfect work with no mistakes or work even harder to sew more clothes. 

    Working in the factory made my life feel very boring. I didn’t have as much free time as I used to. I spent all my days working and my afternoons doing chores at home. Any free time I had, I would either go to the settlement house or rest at home. I felt very tired all the time from all the work. I also missed talking and having fun with people around me.

    One day, after my shift at the factory, I heard loud voices in the park. A young lady was surrounded by people who were protesting outside the factory. I asked what was happening and learned they were reformists. They told me they were fighting for better pay and working conditions for factory workers.

I learned about the labor union movement, where many people were upset about unfair working conditions and wanted change. I also found out that women were protesting to get paid the same as men. During breaks, the women I spoke with talked about the movement for women’s suffrage, which means women wanting the right to vote. It was inspiring to hear how people were fighting for their rights. I realized these movements were important for making things better for everyone.

I was interested in the ideas of fighting for better working conditions and equal rights for women. That night, I went to the settlement house and learned that people have been working for change for many years. Women were fighting for their right to vote and to be treated equally to men. Many people said they wanted the law and government to protect everyone's rights, not just men's. It was exciting to hear about all the efforts to make things better for everyone.

I wasn't sure if I should support these movements right away, but I found them interesting. After working long hours and being treated unfairly as a woman, I agreed that we should protest. I felt it was wrong to work just as hard as my brother but earn less money. However, I worried about losing my job if I joined the protests, especially since it seemed like the government wasn't listening. I knew I had to think carefully about what would help my family the most.