John James Vanderlee

Alumni Type: Immigrant
Country of Origin: The Netherlands
Ship Name: Zuiderkruis
Port of Entry: Halifax
Date of Arrival: September 26, 1952
Age on Arrival: 19 years

For my first transatlantic crossing, I was surprised how smooth the voyage was. My destination was Windsor, ON, only because my Dutch Emigration Agent thought that I would somehow find an employer while on the train. I did, in Chatham, ON as a Dutch Immigration Agent came on board the train and asked for single men to work on a tomato-growing farm. Long story short - I did work there a few days but went from there to work as a manager on a chicken farm - obtained my High School Diploma - then went to University and got my Bachelors Degree in Nursing - worked as a Reg.'d Nurse. Then became a teacher in a Community College while obtaining my Master's degree in Education - eventually retired in 1990 and moved to Vancouver, BC to friends and better weather.