Giovanni Falvo

I came to Canada in June 1962 to join my two brothers Gabriele and Vittorio who came to Canada in 1955 and 1958.

I came from Italy, from the town of Decollatura - the Catanzaro region of Calabria. I boarded the ship Saturnia in Naples. I was 23 years old at the time and this was the first time I was on a large ship. For me, it was my first cruise. I had a good trip as the weather was beautiful.

We reached Gibraltar during the daytime but the ship stopped for a short time to allow passengers to buy souvenirs from the fishing boats nearby using baskets with a long cord. No one could leave the ship to make purchases as it was stopped in the middle of the water. Our next stop was in Lisbon, Portugal for five hours, visiting the city. On our way again, no one became ill as it was beautiful weather with calm seas.

I arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, June 12, 1962 at Pier 21, the customs and immigration center. Once processed by immigration, I boarded the train to Montreal, Quebect where I stopped for five hours and then took another to Toronto Ontario arriving at 10:00 PM. My destination was Welland, Ontario but the train for Welland had already left at 8:00 PM. At this point, I met two other young men traveling to Niagara Falls, Ontario. We had all night to wait until the next day at 10:00 AM for the train, so we stayed at the station all night, talking and sleeping on a bench using our suitcases as a pillow. I arrived at the train station in Welland on Friday at 12:30 PM and there waiting for me were my two brothers and their families. On Saturday morning I went to work at Lincoln Barber on Lincoln St in Welland for the owner Mr. Angelo Ventresca. It was my brother Gabriele who was responsible for securing this job for me.

My trip was good for me. I felt really sorry leaving my parents and another brother and two sisters, and all the people I knew back home. I never saw my father again but my mother came to Canada after his death for three years in 1968 for mine and my brother’s weddings.

Today, I’ve been back to Italy three times with my wife Rosemarie, and once with my two sons John and Mario. I will never forget Italy but Canada has been very good to me so my home is here now.

I hope to visit Pier 21 soon so I can see the name on the brick of the Sobey Wall of Honor which my wife and sons purchased for me in June, 2003.

A Very Proud Canadian
Leaving Home

I see the train coming
And as it stops in front of me, I get on.
I sadly watch the trees disappear behind me,
For I am going to a new land and a new country.

Slowly, slowly I see my love and my
Hometown getting far away from me.
Nobody knows the way I feel
I want to go back and never leave her.

I want to die.
But the train is running on
To a city that I never saw before.
I close my eyes while in my hand
I hold a picture of my love.

For a moment I see my old place,
The streets of my hometown,
My sweetheart and all my friends.
Yet I know this is only a day dream.

Goodbye my love, my little town.
For some time I will be gone.
But I will keep you in my heart
Until the day I see you all again.

John Falvo