Squissato

Our story began in January 1952 when our Dad came to Canada by himself to set things up before the rest of the family followed. He came aboard the ship called the Saturnia, through Halifax Pier 21. Our Mom, my brother and myself followed ten months later leaving from Genoa aboard the ship Vulcania, landing in Halifax Pier 21 on October 21, 1952. The ride across the Atlantic was really rocking and rolling; everyone was sick for the whole seven days. The wait at Pier 21 was long with massive lines for both customs and immigration. Finally, we did get through to the train station. We hoped that the worst was behind us. Not so, this was winter and the train carriages were not heated. We travelled in these freezing rail cars for three days. The weather outside was windy, snowing and freezing. The weather inside those rail cars was just as cold. We put on every piece of clothing we had in our suitcases. Finally, after three days we arrived in Long Lac, a rail town not far from Geraldton, Ontario, which was our final destination. The snow banks there were just as high as the houses. We were wondering what next. Our Dad was there to meet us so all was okay. We had not seen him for such a long time.

We did get used to the snow and cold in our first house in Little Long Lac. Our short pants and leggings did not work out so well; the leggings got wet in the snow almost instantly. We did get long pants very soon. The lake next to us was frozen and the kids used to skate on it. The dad of the children next door to us was a goalie and he gave us an adult size pair of goalie skates. We stuffed a wool sock in the toes and they fit perfectly. From there our wonderful life in Canada began. We are so grateful and happy that Canada became our home. Two years later we moved to Beardmore Ontario and later we were blessed with two more brothers, Adriano and Danny. That small town made our family so happy and content as we grew up in the Canadian way of life. We later moved away to different parts of Canada, married and had beautiful families. We cannot think of anywhere else we would want to live and grow up.

Thank You Canada