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Diary Entry Dates
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About Myself
My name is Vladimir Rostov. I am a Russian immigrant. I brought nothing but the clothes on my back, everything I owned went into buying my ticket. I am leaving due to economic hardship, religious persecution, and the prospect of getting rich. Also, there is a civil war going on and there is an impending Soviet takeover. -
Trip to America
I have had enough with being opressed for being a Jew. I sold everything I owned. I was smuggled to Turkey in case the whites (People in favor of the Russian government) tried to stop me from leaving. Then, I took the boat from Turkey to America. I was in the steerage cabin. The journey was rough, but it all didn’t matter, because I knew I would be in America. -
The Factory
I found work at a textile mill. I wasn’t paying attention to my work on my ninth day. My left hand got caught in the gears and I am now missing my pinky and ring finger. I got let go because of my bad hand and the fact that my torn off fingers ended up jamming the machine. -
Angel
A man paid for the hospital that kept me alive after my fingers were chopped off. He also gave me food for two weeks. He said the only payment for his wonderful deed was that he votes for his candidate in the upcoming election. This man is clearly an angel sent by God. God is giving me a second chance. Therefore, I will move west. -
A Holiday Surprise
I stole money for a train ticket west. There was a rich man who was out of town for Independence Day. I broke his window and took only enough money for the train west. Although I know stealing is wrong, my maxim is that good people sometimes need to do bad things. -
Establishing My Identity
I decided to take advantage of the Kincaid Amendment of 1904. This allowed me to obtain a full section (640 acres) of land for free. I stopped in a small town in western Nebraska in order to get supplies, and then set out my 640 acres of land in a remote area in the middle of the prairie. My residence is set up in a flat patch of land the crest of a hill. Life has been good, but lonely. -
A Disappointing New Year's
New Year’s Day. Less than a year has gone by since I lived in Russia. My life is a quiet one. No one passes by. I haven’t seen another soul since I moved west. Was this the right decision? I wish I could be with someone else. Being alone is gnawing at my soul. I wish I wouldn’t ever have tried to come to America. My life has taken a turn for the worst.
