*** Quoting bob klahn from a message to CAROL SHENKENBERGER ***

 CS> subsistance upon arrival while we and others were mostly
 CS> struggling on a substantially lesser house and income.

bk>  I had not heard about that. Can you tell us more? Did they get
bk>  assistance getting jobs, or education?

As I left there when I was 11 (1972, just before I turned 12) I am not all
that ¨knowing of more than the things I recall hearing the adults mention
and what I ¨saw in school.  The kids would be paired with an english
speaking student (I ¨was one of the ones often selected) and take all
classes with them while they ¨did 'immersian training' in english.  They
would learn pretty fast at that age ¨so I normally had 2 a year.  I picked
up quite a bit of 'survival spanish' but ¨specifically they did NOT pair
the kids with full spanish speakers.  That was ¨to reinforce learning
english.

Job help, yes.  I believe so.  I dont know about adult education.


 CS> What made me very *proud* of my fellow new Americans is
 CS> that MOST (and i mean that as far as i could tell) got jobs
 CS> anyway having to give up the house and an almost welfare
 CS> payment for far less money and get a JOB.

bk>  After that, did they then work their way up to higher paying
bk>  jobs?

Yes, they did.  Almost all learned english too and many spoke some when
they ¨arrived.  It was not uncommon to walk into one of their homes and
have the ¨parents immediately tell everyone 'english only'.  Thats what I
was told was a ¨cuban politeness in action.  I'd try a little cubano if we
got 'stuck' and we ¨normally muddled through.  Playing games wasnt a
problem.  The food was good ¨too ;-)

bk>  Don't forget, the ones who came here were typically among the
bk>  more educated. The Mariel Boatlift was when Castro shipped out
bk>  the ones he didn't want.

Yes and I presume many that I knew then, were the earlier loads.  Welfare
was ¨considered ok for a short time, but not considered good for a long
time.  The ¨'welfare state' of later years hadnt developed.  If Dad couldnt
get a job as an ¨electrical engineer, he got one at a gas station as a
mechanic then moved up ¨over time to something more like his training as
his english progressed.

Come to think of it, they did have one adult education free of charge (or
they ¨could pay for it out of their payments, not sure which really). 
English ¨lessons and almost all the adult men took them.  Most of the wives
did too.

The culture of later years where 'we speak spanish so deal with it' had not
¨developed.

bk>  I used to work with a cuban immigree. He was a pilot in the
bk>  Cuban National guard. He was not wealthy there, but they did
bk>  have connections in the Batista govt.

He'd have known some english then and probably would have become a pilot
again? ¨What was he doing when you met him?

 CS> Rant off i guess.

CH>> IE: Take the story of Robins being  a first sign of spring.
CH>> They're a sign in the NORTH. Actually they fly there in the spring
CH>> FROM the south. What do you say?

 CS> Huh?  Sorry.  Red ones, spring in Virginia.  Havent a clue
 CS> which direction they
 CS> were flying.  You only notice what stops in your yard .

bk>  In the fall they are not flying North.

Works for me.  I remember them mostly as something you saw in Spring.  The
¨state bird I believe.
                                       xxcarol

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