The Chinese American Railroad

The Chinese American Railroad
When you are on an American railroad today, do you ever think about who built it? Most laborers came from my hometown, which is well known as being “China’s First Homeland for Overseas Chinese.” One hundred years ago, my hometown was affected by war and natural disaster, so it was hard for people to live in that situation; at the same time, America was a developing country, which needed a lot of cheap workers for the railroad construction. As a result, many strong young men signed a long-term labor contract for the American railroad. They couldn’t write a letter back home because they lacked education, and there was no telephone in the past; thus, most of them left and lost communication with their Chinese families. My great-grandfather was one of the people who kept away from his family by the American railroad for good. My great-grandfather’s choice has had a deep influence on my family throughout the generations.

At the beginning, his choice let my great-grandmother become a strong and lonely single mother. After her husband left, my great-grandmother became the head of the household. My great-grandfather didn’t send back any money, so she had to work very hard. Even though she was pregnant at that time, she worked day and night. If she stopped working, her children and old parents would have nothing to eat. Also, this change made my great-grandmother feel lonely. At that time, women wouldn’t remarry even if their husband died. It is traditional woman’s thinking. Although my great- grandmother knew that it was hopeless for her husband to come back, she would live lone the remainder of her life; thus, sometimes my great-grandmother glanced at the window at night and wept in silence.

In addition, my grandfather had a hard time during his childhood and adulthood without his father. My grandfather began to help family when he was eight, and he escaped from school twice a week. When his classmates were learning with their fathers, he was going to catch fish and sell them. As a result of this, he had bad grades in primary school and didn’t finish it. It was hard to find a job without education. And he has worked as a fisherman until now. In addition, it was hard to find a woman to marry. In our small village, everybody knew that he was bought up in a single family. Even in an arranged meeting with a woman from another village, she also knew it by investigating. It was an honor to have a father in America, but it was not an honor to have an American father that didn’t come back. Finally, my grandfather met my grandmother who has also never seen her father’ face. There have been many children in single families because their fathers left for the American railroad at that time.

Finally, this history lets me cherish my new life in America and my family in China. It was not easy for the early Chinese who lived in America. The railroad workers like my great- grandfather were called “Small Pig”, which means they sold themselves to the signed contract. Compared to my great grandfather’s life in America, I feel lucky now. I have a better life to be an American Chinese. I have a chance to have a good education; thus, I cherish my life and work hard for my dream. Moreover, because of my great- grandfather’s influence, my family is afraid that I will do the same thing as my great- grandfather. They call me every week to make sure that I don’t suddenly disappear, and remind me that I am a Chinese girl who has family that misses me in China. Learning from my great-grandfather’s story, I have never lost myself in a big city. In my heart; I have always lived in a small town with my big family.

Today, when I am on the American railroad, I think of my great-grandfather and his effects on my great-grandmother, grandfather and me. It may be not have been a good choice, but my family has never blamed him. In my great-grandmother’s heart, he will always be a gentleman, and in my grandfather’s heart, he will always believe that he is a good father. Although I don’t know where he is now, he is always in my heart.