Below are the 5 most recent journal entries recorded in lusochop's LiveJournal:

Monday, March 27th, 2006
10:17 pm	O Canada....for some. I have gone all day in a haze. Hearing from all sides, my non-portuguese collegues talking about Canada and the U.S. deporting illegal workers. Many points I do agree. One that I agreed with was this; Why live in a country for so long and not take care of landed immigrancy? If you love this land and all its opportunies, you should declare it by becoming a citizen. My father came to Canada in 1956. He went to work on the railways in Alberta. He was seventeen and has been a Canadian citizen for over 40yrs. He would tell us of his childhood on the island of S.Miguel, Azores with tears in his eyes. He loved this country that helped take him and his whole family out of poverty. So much so that he could not wait to become a Canadian. When we were growing up, he would always remind us of how important an education was and how to work hard for what we want. He learned to read and write english without stepping inside of a classroom. A good example of how much my father loves this country, was when my older brother turned eighteen and told my father that he wanted to join the U.S. Army. He got very upset with him. He told my brother that his country was and is Canada and that if he was to go to join the U.S. Army,it would disapoint him. My father spoke patriotically of Canada and what it meant to be Canadian. I can't remember the whole lecture but by the end everyone was in tears. If the immigrants loved this country so much, they should've embraced it like my father has. I am so blessed... Current Mood: contemplative (Comment on this)
Sunday, March 26th, 2006
11:36 am	Some links related to the deportation of Portuguese illegals http://www.ndp.ca/page/3559 http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/1997-98/97-120.html (Comment on this)
11:07 am	Continued...Deportation of Portuguese immigrants I was so amazed that someone used my blog from the protest against the 10,000 deportation of portuguese immigrants in Canada. The site was www.escrito.blogspot.com. I am now wondering how they stumbled upon it. Was found on Google? Anyhow, It is refreshing to know that people are willing to read what is on my mind. I am still very upset. Today some of the first Portuguese are leaving. I am not sure of the number but I saw last night on the news women that were crying out for reconsideration to stay. I can't see people cry. I get too emotional. One poor lady said to the media (in portuguese) that she has no one in Portugal. Her family is here in Canada. She is going back to nothing. She has no home and no money. Why is this great country doing this? Isn't this the land of equal opportunity? Shame on the government. Portuguese are hard working and most of us are honest and want to do everything by the book (legally). I know of other "peoples" that come to Canada, know people in government offices, and for a price, become legal. Most of these portuguese immigrants have started the process and have wasted most of their earnings to become legal, are now facing deportation. I have spoken with some fellow portuguese concerning this issue. This is some of the comments I have received; 1."Why didn't some of these portuguese marry a Canadian to stay? They could marry and until they became legal, divorce." My reply to this,"That is more difficult than it seems. How do you approach someone who is Canadian? Hey, I'm illegal, want to marry me? Most immigrants haven't even learned to speak english." 2."If I were being deported, I would go get a loan from the bank, max out all my credit cards and send everything I could back to Portugal" My response to that,"You would rather go to jail in Canada than live free? That is a big risk to do that. They would probably hunt you down in Portugal. Crime is crime. That's no way to go." 3."Why do we Portuguese not rally at Queen's Park?" My response,"Have you seen Portuguese play soccer? Our downfall is pride, if we could get past that, yeah, we could all rally at Queen's Park." 4."How come Canada is only picking on Portuguese illegals?" My response,"I believe that Canada wants to severe ties with Europe. The trade with Europe has been limited. I also think Canada wants to make alliance with the East. It is cost effective. Cheap labor and cheap goods." That is just a few of the questions that were going back and forth regarding this issue. Current Mood: aggravated (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, March 24th, 2006
11:29 am	Friday...calm before the storm I have been off for two weeks. I was laid off from work due to the whole General Motors thing. I have been looking around for another job elsewhere. I am thinking of starting up with a Canadian automotive company. They deal with asian automakers like Honda, Kia, Toyota and I believe Mitsubishi. I would stay in the same field though. I was thinking of taking a business course so that I could go into Management or just go into Consulting for the automotive industry. Monday is going to be hell for me or just the beginning. I checked up on my work email today from home and they have announced an unexpected overtime shift at one of our sister plants. I am one of the analysts that deal with the supply chain and I know this is going to put a dent into my inventory for Monday...that is almost half a days worth of stock they are counting on. I was covered...I am dreading the worst but hoping for the best. All worries aside, otherwise life is going well. I can't complain too much. My marriage is going into its tenth year in August but not short of a miracle. I think all marriages are. It's living with the one you love and living life together. Most roads have lead us to tears, some made us fall flat on our faces, while others have put us above the clouds with joy. I have to thank God for giving me the man I love today. Mind you, when we went into our marriage, we were in no shape or form ready to become a family. We were immature and young. We married at the age of 22. My husband is two months older than I but acts like he's ten years senior. I lived on my own before we were married, he was living with his parents. We made the mistake of doing that when we got married. My husband is somewhat "attached" to his mother's apron strings. That is what has caused a lot of friction in our marriage. If you have ever seen "Everybody Loves Raymond" that is the story of my life. I am Deborah, my husband is Raymond and so on an so forth. I guess everyone can see their lives played out in the sitcom. Today though, is alright. Everybody is home from either work and school. My husband insists on fixing the bathroom by himself and refuses my help. My daughter is watching her favorite shows on television and alternates from her room to the living room. She is very restless and energetic. I must tear myself away from the computer long enough to start on lunch... Current Mood: blank (Comment on this)
Thursday, March 23rd, 2006
12:12 pm	I got really upset yesterday upon hearing that over 10,000 portuguese illegals will be forced to leave within two weeks. They are told to pack up their things, sell properties and go back to Portugal----back to nothing.  That is so heart wrenching. I have lived in Portugal---for one and a half years. I know the conditions these people will be faced with.  Portugal, although part of the European Union, is still considered the poorest nation in Europe.  They are 50yrs in debt to the Union. Billions in debt. People live in the poorest and delapitated homes while a small percentage live in well to do homes. There is an extreme gap between upper class Portuguese (who are doctors, bankers, lawyers and business owners) and the low-income working class ( farmers, bakers, and factory workers) When I went to Portugal, my father-in-law was a business man and my husband worked for him. I went to work at a hair salon for 5000 escudos (I was there when it changed to euros January of 2004, so that is 35 euros a week, roughly)  After my brief stint there I moved on to work at of all places, McDonald's. Within three months, I worked up from Cashier, to Grill, Trainer and finally Swing Manager.  It was easy, considering that I had already worked for Harvey's (Canadian equivalent of McDonald's) in my youth, and all the handbooks were writen in English.  The point of my story is that my husband's aunt in Portugal says to this day,"Why did you leave a good job to go back to Canada?" I was making 585 euros per month. That is considered a substantial amount and a high paying job in Portugal.  The truth is that it didn't cover all my expenses. I lived for free---bonus.The fact is that the cost of gas in Portugal is over $2 CAD and I worked in downtown Aveiro (a 15 minute drive from Vale de Ilhavo where we lived)and I worked 6 days a week.  Plus, the cost of groceries, you can not go to the grocery store too often. Things were way too expensive but we missed home and we used to buy things that we missed about home like cream cheese, ketchup (not the same---way too sweet), instant coffee (WE MISSED TIMMIES---so that would have to do) and potato chips (way too oily). What I hated most was the way the Portuguese treated immigrants (portuguese that have moved away to America and return). I was born a Canadian but the fact is my heritage is still Portuguese. I used to be ragged on constantly by customers. They are rude and when I would devulge that I am a Canadian they would make rude comments like "I could tell by the way you pronounced your verbs that you were an immigrant" and "If Canada is so great why did you come here to live? To rub in our face that you are wealthy?" One time I almost lost it with a customer when he was picking on one of my Brazilian collegues. He started yelling at the girl saying that immigrants had no rights to come to Portugal and steal jobs from the Portuguese. Well, I couldn't let him say that without me interferring. I said in my portuguese dialect,"Sir, you have no right to talk to this lady like that. If portuguese were willing to work, she wouldn't have  this job in the first place" That ticked him right off.  He looked at my name and said, "That is NOT a portuguese name. Where did you come from?" I answered,"If you didn't see my name, would you think I was something other than Portuguese?" He looked at me with bloodshot eyes (he was obviously intoxicated---which is the norm of most portuguese men) and mumbled,"No." I handed him his order and smiled and said cheerfully,"Volte sempre" (Come again) The fact is, when these 10,000 portuguese return to their homeland they will be faced with a lot of degration. If they do not have money, they will be forced to live off the meger government assistance until they find work. Most are said to be in construction. Construction in Portugal has been given to the Africans, Brazilians and Chech's because they work for lower wages. Now when all these Portuguese workers return, where will they work? They will be forced to live in squaller. The homes in Portugal are made of hollow clay bricks, plaster and cement. There is no insulation. Winter is horrible. Everything is damp. You feel wet all the time. It's better outside the house than in. Heating is a fireplace or a portable heater. Summer is great---the house is like it's air conditioned. I just feel for these people who are used to our way of life now here in Canada and they will be faced with hard times in Portugal.  My heart really cries out to them. But why is the government singling out Portuguese illegals?  Why not other people who are here illegally? Why only the Portuguese? I have so many questions why this is happening. I am thankful that my whole family came in the late fifties and became Canadian citizens. I am truly thankful to God that I was born here and not in Portugal. I don't take my country for granted because I know what it's like to live away from all the things that are Canada. Freedom and a good way of life. I don't agree with everything my government does but it is still Canada. My Canada. God keep our land glorious and free! (6 Comments |Comment on this)